Bob Cain: Australian Federal Police, Public Safety & Crime Section, Port-Moresby, Papua New Guinea
Channel: Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade
Date: 24/10/2020

Bob is working for the Australian Federal Police’s Public Safety and Crime section in PNG. He has spent much of his career deployed in dangerous places - Afghanistan, Sudan and now PNG where he was originally deployed to Manus Island working on the transfer of refugees. Since COVID-19 he has been involved in raising community awareness in markets and other public places. Bob is a good example of Australia’s whole-of-government coordination under Partnerships for Recovery in the wake of the pandemic. Bob’s story shows that a preventative approach to the stability of Australia’s nearest neighbours is in our own best interests as well as that of our Pacific Family. Bob says he hasn’t seen his own family since January but his relationship with locals has improved through the pandemic because they are working together on a common cause.
Partnerships for Recovery is a whole of government strategy bringing all of our national assets together in our neighbours interests be it aid, defence, business, or in Bob’s case law and justice. 

- Bob’s policing work transformed by COVID-19 in PNG. He chose to stay and help local police oversee the new restrictions and maintain public confidence.

- In PNG, Australia has re-prioritised a large portion of its development program to respond to the pandemic, in addition to assistance from the Australian Defence Force and Australian Federal Police (AFP).

- The AFP is supporting PNG’s police and justice sectors to continue to deliver services despite the threat of COVID-19.

- Together with Defence, the AFP is providing senior advisory support to PNG’s National Control Centre for COVID-19, as well as logistics assistance to the PNG Defence Force’s surge support to COVID-19 response efforts.

- DFAT’s support is helping PNG prevent, detect and respond to the virus, and underpin PNG’s economic resilience. 

- A key pillar of DFAT’s support has been the deployment of Australian medical and public health specialists. Since February 2020, Australia has assisted with medical supplies, direct funding to provinces to prepare and respond to COVID-19, public health strengthening and economic support.