Preliminary Pages
Foreword
From 6-16 October 2009, I led a delegation of health
committee members on the inaugural committee delegation visit to Papua New
Guinea and the Solomon Islands.
During our visit to both countries we met with a number of parliamentarians,
and government and civil society representatives to discuss a range of regional
health issues that jointly affect Australia and the South Pacific. We also
inspected sites relevant to the delegation’s aims and objectives.
In addition to detailing our programme activities and
observations, this report outlines the committee’s activities in Australia
prior to the overseas delegation, which the committee as a whole took part in.
These meetings and inspections prepared delegates well for the visits.
We were warmly received in both countries and appreciated
the generous hospitality and support provided by the host Parliaments and
Governments of Papua New Guinea and the Solomon Islands, as well as our high
commission representatives in each place. We are very grateful to the many
people who helped to make the visit such a success.
The delegation afforded a unique and valuable opportunity
for parliamentarians to learn more about the health system and health services
delivery in neighbouring countries and to strengthen the bilateral relationship
with two countries with which we have longstanding and important ties.
We have fond memories of our time spent in each country.
Mr Steve
Georganas MP
Chair
Membership of the Committee
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Chair
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Mr Steve Georganas MP
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Deputy
Chair
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Mr Steve Irons MP
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Members
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Mr James Bidgood MP (to 22/10/2009)
The Hon Bronwyn Bishop MP (from 03/02/2010)
Mr Mark Coulton MP (to 03/02/2010)
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Mrs Catherine King MP
Mrs Margaret May MP (to 03/02/2010)
Mr Shayne Neumann MP (from 11/02/2010)
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Mrs Joanna Gash MP
Ms Jill Hall MP
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Ms Amanda Rishworth MP
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Mrs Julia Irwin MP
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Dr Andrew Southcott MP (from 03/02/2010)
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Membership of committee delegation
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Leader
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Mr Steve Georganas MP
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Members
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Mr James Bidgood MP
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Ms Jill Hall MP
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Secretary
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Ms Amanda Rishworth MP
Ms Sara Edson
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Committee secretariat
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Secretary
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Mr James Catchpole
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Inquiry
Secretary
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Ms Sara Edson
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Senior
Research Officer
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Ms Penny Wijnberg
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Administrative
Officer
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Mr Shaun Rowe
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Terms of reference
On 3 June 2009, the Committee resolved that:
The Committee will conduct inspections, hearings and a
roundtable on regional health issues that jointly affect Australia and the
South Pacific, in order to inform the delegation visit to Papua New Guinea and
the Solomon Islands.
List of abbreviations
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ABI
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Avoidable Blindness Initiative
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ALA
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Australian Leadership Awards
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ARCSHS
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Australian Research Centre in
Sex, Health and Society
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AusAID
|
Australian Agency for
International Development
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AQIS
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Australian Quarantine and Inspection
Service
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AVI
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Australian Volunteers
International
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AYAD
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Australian Youth Ambassadors for
Development
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CDI
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Centre for Democratic
Institutions
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CVD
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Cardiovascular disease
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DIAC
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Department of Immigration and
Citizenship
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DFAT
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Department of Foreign Affairs and
Trade
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HAA
|
House of Representatives Standing
Committee on Health and Ageing
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HECS
|
Health Education and Clinical
Services Program
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HIC
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Health Issues Committee
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HSSP
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Health Sector Support Program
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JAC
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Joint Advisory Council
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JICA
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Japan International Cooperation
Agency
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MDG
|
Millennium Development Goals
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MHMS
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Ministry of Health and Medical
Services (Solomon Islands)
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MBBC
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Men and Boys Behaviour Change
Program
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MMO
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Movement Monitoring Officer
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MMR
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Maternal Mortality Rate
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NDoH
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National Department of Health
(Papua New Guinea)
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NRH
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National Referral Hospital
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NSW
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New South Wales
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NT
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Northern Territory
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NZ
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New Zealand
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ODE
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Office of Development
Effectiveness
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PacMISC
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Pacific Malaria Initiative
Support Centre
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PNG
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Papua New Guinea
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RAMSI
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The Regional Assistance Mission
to Solomon Islands
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SDP
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PNG Sustainable Development
Program Ltd
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SCA
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Save the Children Australia
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SH&FPA
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Sexual Health and Family Planning
Australia
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SI
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Solomon Islands
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SICHE
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Solomon Islands College of Higher
Education
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SIPPA
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Solomon Islands Planned
Parenthood Association
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SMHS
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School of Medical and Health
Sciences
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STIs
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Sexually Transmitted Infections
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TB
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Tuberculosis
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TI
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Thursday Island
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TIM
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Traditional Inhabitants Meeting
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TSRA
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Torres Strait Regional Authority
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UNDP
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United Nations Development
Program
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UNIFEM
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United Nations Development Fund
for Women
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VCT
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Voluntary Counselling and Testing
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VIDA
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Volunteering for International
Development from Australia
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WHO
|
World Health Organisation
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List of recommendations
2 Committee
inquiry activities in Australia
Recommendation 1
The Committee recommends that the Speaker of the House of
Representatives and the President of the Senate establish a parliamentary mentoring
program between women in the Australian Parliament and women in Pacific Island
Parliaments or aspiring female candidates.
Recommendation 2
The Committee recommends that collaborative research be
undertaken into the sexual networks that exist in the Torres Strait Treaty
zone, that includes the collection of data on the levels of Sexually
Transmitted Infections, including HIV, on both sides of the border.
Recommendation 3
The Committee recommends that the Australian government
facilitate forums for leaders in the region to come together at regular
intervals to discuss HIV/AIDS prevention strategies, and, in particular, to
seek ways to lessen the social stigma of talking about the disease.
Recommendation 4
The Committee recommends that the Australian government work
together with the Australian state and territory governments to establish a
reinspection program of installed water tanks, in dengue affected areas in
Australia.
Recommendation 5
The Committee recommends that the Australian government partner
with non-government organisations and communities to find nutritional solutions
that promote healthy eating and redress malnutrition, in affected areas in the
Torres Strait and Papua New Guinea.
3 Committee delegation visit to Papua New Guinea
Recommendation 6
The Committee recommends that the Australian government
encourage and support further institutional partnerships and/or reciprocal
exchanges between the School of Medical and Health Sciences at the University
of Papua New Guinea and Australian universities.
Recommendation 7
The Committee recommends that the Australian government make
efforts to link Igat Hope with counterpart organisations in Australia to
strengthen their advocacy potential.
Recommendation 8
The Committee recommends that the Australian government
consider establishing a contact point within the Department of Foreign Affairs
and Trade or AusAID to provide community organisations in Australia with basic
information on the suitability of their intended donations to countries in our
region.
Recommendation 9
The Committee recommends that the Australian government
support additional health communications officer positions in the Torres
Strait and treaty villages of the Western Province of Papua New Guinea.
Recommendation 10
The Committee recommends that the Australian government
install additional rainwater tanks in treaty villages in the Western Province
of Papua New Guinea.
Recommendation 11
The Committee recommends that any new health facility that the
Australian government helps construct should provide for staff accommodation
and ongoing maintenance, in consultation and partnership with the local
community.
Recommendation 12
The Committee recommends that the Australian government, in
conjunction with the Papua New Guinean government, facilitate more creative and
inclusive forums in which locals on both sides of the treaty zone border can
engage on health and other treaty related issues with each other and with
government officials of both nations.
4 Committee delegation visit to Solomon Islands
Recommendation 13
The Committee recommends that the Australian government
encourage and support further institutional partnerships, including reciprocal
exchanges between Department of Health staff in the Solomon Islands and
Australian institutions (such as hospitals, universities and laboratories),
including the provision of training at the National Referral Hospital.
Recommendation 14
The Committee recommends that the Australian government
support education programs about diabetes prevention and nutrition in the
Torres Strait, the Solomon Islands and Papua New Guinea, in areas where
diabetes and nutrition are problematic.
Recommendation 15
The Committee recommends that a mentoring program (especially
for women) be established that matches senior bureaucrats, in the Australian
Department of Health and Australian health facilities with senior bureaucrats
in the Solomon Islands Department of Health.