A Pacific engaged

A Pacific engaged

Australias relations with Papua New Guinea and the island states of the southwest Pacific

12 August 2003

© Commonwealth of Australia 2003

ISBN 0 642 71286 7

CONTENTS

Members of the Committee (PDF format) (Word format)

Recommendations(PDF format) (Word format)

Chapter 1Introduction: Pacific economic and political community

Chapter 2Economic and social overview

Chapter 3Australias economic relations with the region

Nontariff barriers to trade

Australias promotion of economic selfsufficiency

The development of the tourism industry

Labour mobility

Chapter 4Australias development assistance to the region

Australias support for good governance

Relevance of development programs

PNG Incentive Fund

Crisis driven aid

Rural development

Institutional strengtheninglaw and justice sectors

Institutional strengtheningpublic service

Institutional strengtheningparliaments

The role of women in development

The future direction of aid

Chapter 6Australias Political relations with the region

The absence of the Prime Minister at regional meetings

Other Ministers and Members of Parliament

Pacific Strategy

Chapter 7Security and transnational organised crime

Solomon Islands

Money laundering and terrorist financing

Chapter 8Australians knowledge of the region

CHAPTER ONE: Introduction and conduct of the inquiry (PDF format) (Word format)

Referral of the inquiry

Terms of reference

Conduct of the inquiry

Advertisement

Submissions

Public hearings

Briefings

Committee factfinding mission

References

Acknowledgments

Structure of report

Scope of the inquiry

Themes

Committees approach to the recommendations

SECTION ONE: ECONOMIC ISSUES

CHAPTER TWO: Economic and social overview (PDF format) (Word format)

Introduction

An economic and social profile of Pacific states

United Nations Development Programme

Human development index for the Pacific

1999 Pacific Human Development Report

United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD)

Conclusion

Social data

Social statistics time series data

Conclusion

CHAPTER THREE: Australia's economic relations with PNG and the Pacific (PDF format) (Word format)

The current economic climate in the Pacific region

Australia's economic relations with PNG and the Pacific

Bilateral trade and investment relationships

Regional economic and trade agreements

Nontariff barriers to trade

Private sector development

Export Finance and Insurance Corporation (EFIC)

Australias promotion of economic selfsufficiency

The impact of economic liberalisation agendas on the Pacific

Constraints to development

A dependence on raw commodities for export earnings

Structural issues relating to infrastructure, land tenure and inadequate institutions

Political instability

Law and order

The development of the tourism industry

Are labour mobility, Dollarisation and a Pacific Economic Community the future for the region?

Labour mobility

Conclusion

Dollarisation and a Pacific Economic and Political Community

Implications for Australia

CHAPTER FOUR: Australias development assistance to PNG and the Pacific (PDF format) (Word format)

Introduction

The nature of Australias development assistance to the region

AusAID

Australias support for good governance

Concerns for the effectiveness of Australias development assistance in PNG and the Pacific

The trade versus aid debate

Use of consultants for aid deliveryboomerang aid

Relevance of development programs

Definition of development

Capacity building and aid to nongovernment and church organisations

Crisis driven aid

Failure to address underlying causes

Rural development

AusAID corporate knowledge and staff turnover

Issues of concern

Institutional strengthening

HIV/AIDS

The role of women in development

Infrastructure

Education and training

Other donors and the extent of donor harmonisation

The future direction of Australias development assistance to Papua New Guinea and the Pacific

CHAPTER FIVE: Sustainable development, environment management and disaster managements (PDF format) (Word format)

Forests

Fisheries

Climate change

Other environmental issues

Disaster management

SECTION TWO: POLITICAL AND  SECURITY ISSUES

CHAPTER SIX: Australias political relations with PNG and the Pacific (PDF format) (Word format)

Introduction

Overview of engagement

Australias lack of vision for a longterm relationship with the region

Regional organisations

Cooperative intervention

The sensitive nature of the relationship between Australia and the region and the perceived big brother syndrome

The absence of the Prime Minister at regional meetings

Other Ministers and Members of Parliament

Australias immigration policies

The Pacific Strategy

Issues of concern

Environmental refugees

Visa processing

The issuing of travel advices in the region

CHAPTER SEVEN: Strategic issues: regional security and transnational organised crime (PDF format) (Word format)

Introduction

Current debate on security in the Pacific

The threat of terrorism

Internal security

Regional cooperation and the nature of Australias involvement and engagement

Defence cooperation

AttorneyGenerals Department

Australian Federal Police

Australian Customs Service

Australian Transaction Reports and Analysis Centre (Austrac)

Department of Immigration and Multicultural and Indigenous Affairs

Regional and externallysponsored initiatives

Pacific Islands Leaders Summit (PALM 2003)

Small Arms Survey 2003

Implications for Australia of security developments in the region

CHAPTER EIGHT: Australians knowledge of the region (PDF format) (Word format)

Direct contacts with Pacific countries

The role of the media

The role of education

The role of Australian academic institutions

CHAPTER NINE: New Zealand's relations with Australia and the region (PDF format) (Word format)

New Zealands colonial history in the Pacific

New Zealands Emergent Tangata Pasifika identity

New Zealand Government policy towards the Pacific

New Zealand Agency for International Development/Nga Hoe Tuputupumaitawhiti

SECTION THREE: COUNTRY SPECIFIC ISSUES

CHAPTER TEN (PDF format) (Word format)

The Cook Islands

Background

Current issues

Federated States of Micronesia

Background

Current issues

Fiji

Background

Economic issues

Political issues

Australian development assistance

Resource and disaster management

Border security and transnational organised crime

Kiribati

Background

Current issues

Marshall Islands

Background

Current issues

Nauru

Background

Current issues

New Caledonia

Background

Current issues

Niue

Background

Current issues

Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands

Background

Current issues

Palau

Background

Current issues

Papua New Guinea

Background

Economic issues

Political issues

Australian development assistance

Border security and transnational organised crime

Samoa

Background

Economic issues

Australian development assistance

Resource and disaster management

Border security and transnational organised crime

Solomon Islands

Background

Tokelau

Background

Current issues

The Kingdom of Tonga

Background

Economic issues

Political issues

Australian development assistance

Environmental issues

Border security and transnational organised crime

Tuvalu

Background

Current issues

Vanuatu

Background

Current issues

Appendix 1: Submissions received by the Committee (PDF format) (Word format)

Appendix 2: Witnesses who appeared before the Committee (PDF format) (Word format)

Appendix 3, part 1: Committee itinerary for Samoa, Tonga, Fiji, the Solomon Islands
and Papua New Guinea 2231 May 2003 (PDF format) (Word format)

Appendix 3, part 2: Photographs from the Committee's trip to Samoa, Tonga, Fiji, the Solomon Islands
and Papua New Guinea 2231 May 2003 (PDF format) (Word format)

Appendix 4: Regional map of Oceania in the Pacific Ocean (PDF format) (Word format)