–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––
Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade
References Committee
–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––
A Pacific
engaged
[This document includes the
table of contents and the recommendations only.
The full document is available online from the following site:
http://www.aph.gov.au/senate/committee/fadt_ctte/png/report/index.htm
]
August 2003
©
Commonwealth of
ISBN 0 642 71286 7
This document is
produced from camera–ready copy prepared by the Senate Foreign Affairs, Defence
and Trade References Committee secretariat, and printed by the Senate Printing
Unit, Parliament House,
Senator the
Senator the Hon Eric Abetz,
LP, Tas
Senator the
Senator Bob Brown, AG, Tas
Senator the
Senator the
Senator Brian Harradine,
Senator Sue Mackay, ALP, Tas
Senator
Senator John Watson, LP, Tas
Parliament House
Phone: (02) 6277 3535
Fax: (02) 6277 5818
e–mail: fadt.sen@aph.gov.au
Internet: http://www.aph.gov.au/senate_fadt
CONTENTS
MEMBERS
OF THE COMMITTEE
Recommendations
Chapter
1—Introduction
Pacific economic and
political community
Chapter 2—Economic
and social overview
Chapter
3—Australia’s economic relations with the region
Non–tariff barriers
to trade
Australia’s
promotion of economic self–sufficiency
The development of
the tourism industry
Labour mobility
Chapter
4—Australia’s development assistance to the region
Australia’s support
for good governance
Relevance of
development programs
PNG Incentive Fund
Crisis driven aid
Rural development
Institutional
strengthening—law and justice sectors
Institutional
strengthening—public service
Institutional
strengthening—parliaments
The role of women in
development
The future direction
of aid
Chapter
6—Australia’s Political relations with the region
The absence of the
Prime Minister at regional meetings
Other Ministers and
Members of Parliament
‘Pacific Strategy’
Chapter 7—Security
and transnational organised crime
Solomon Islands
Money laundering and
terrorist financing
Chapter
8—Australians’ knowledge of the region
CHAPTER ONE: Introduction and
conduct of the inquiry
Referral of the inquiry
Terms of reference
Conduct of the inquiry
Advertisement
Submissions
Public hearings
Briefings
Committee ‘fact–finding mission’ 2
References
Acknowledgments
Structure of report
Scope of the inquiry
Themes
Committee’s approach
to the recommendations
SECTION ONE: ECONOMIC
ISSUES
CHAPTER TWO: Economic and social
overview
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:
with PNG and the Pacific
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
Non–tariff barriers
to trade
Private sector
development
Export Finance and
Insurance Corporation (EFIC)
Australia’s
promotion of economic self–sufficiency
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:
to PNG and the Pacific
Introduction
The nature of
Australia’s development assistance to the region
AusAID
Australia’s support
for good governance
Concerns for the
effectiveness of Australia’s development assistance in
PNG and the Pacific
The trade versus aid
debate
Use of consultants
for aid delivery—‘boomerang aid’
Relevance of
development programs
Definition of
development
Capacity building
and aid to non–government 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 Australia’s development assistance to Papua New Guinea and the Pacific
CHAPTER FIVE: Sustainable development,
environmental management & disaster
management
Forests
Fisheries
Climate change
Other environmental
issues
Disaster management
SECTION TWO: POLITICAL AND SECURITY ISSUES
CHAPTER SIX:
PNG and the Pacific
Introduction
Overview of
engagement
Australia’s lack of
vision for a long–term 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
Australia’s
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
Introduction
Current debate on
security in the Pacific
The threat of
terrorism
Internal security
Regional cooperation
and the nature of Australia’s involvement and
engagement
Defence cooperation
Attorney–General’s
Department
Australian Federal
Police
Australian Customs
Service
Australian
Transaction Reports and Analysis Centre (Austrac)
Department of
Immigration and Multicultural and Indigenous Affairs
Regional and
externally–sponsored 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
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
Emergent Tangata Pasifika identity
New Zealand
Government policy towards the Pacific
New Zealand Agency
for International Development/
Nga Hoe Tuputupu–mai–tawhiti
SECTION THREE: COUNTRY SPECIFIC ISSUES
CHAPTER TEN
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
Appendix 2: Witnesses who appeared
before the Committee
Appendix 3: Committee itinerary for
22–31 May 2003
Tonga
Fiji
Solomon Islands
Papua New Guinea
Appendix 4: Regional map of
As discussed in both Chapter One and
Chapter Three, given the agreement that
Recommendation 1
That the idea of a Pacific economic and political community which recognises and values the cultural diversity in the region, and the independent nations within it, and takes into account differing levels of growth and development, is worthy of further research, analysis and debate. Such a community should be based on the objectives of:
· sustainable economic growth for the region;
· democratic and ethical governance;
· shared and balanced defence and security arrangements;
· common legal provisions and commitment to fight crime;
· priority health, welfare and educational goals;
· recognition of and action for improved environmental standards; and
· recognition of mutual responsibility and obligations between member countries of the community.
Over time, such a community would involve establishing a common currency, preferably based on the Australian dollar. It would also involve a common labour market and common budgetary and fiscal standards.
Recommendation 2
The Committee recommends that an Eminent
Persons Group be established, with access to specialists from
This recommendation is based on the following considerations:
· The economic and social problems of the region are worsening.
·
· If sustainable regional economic growth can be achieved issues of governance, international crime, law and order, regional security and the health and well being of people living within the region, and in Australia, will improve.
· The region is made up of 16 countries which are independent and sovereign entities whose independence is respected.
· Many of the countries suffer the problems that arise in small nations with micro economies. To obtain sustainable economic growth, reform needs to be pursued across the region by all nations taking into account the special issues affecting small countries.
· While all nations have the right to pursue their own economic goals, each nation has an obligation to the other countries in the region to achieve economic reform and sustainable growth.
·
If the region continues to
decline, the costs to
Much of the evidence presented to the
Committee raised concerns about the current state of many of the economies of
the Pacific. Many submissions argued that countries such as Papua New Guinea
(PNG),
The Committee considers it to be in the
interests of
Recommendation 3
The Committee recommends that the
Australian Government investigate ways in which it can assist the governments
of the region, possibly through the Pacific Islands Forum to facilitate the
collection of a standard set of relevant economic and social statistics.
It is
the view of the Committee that, if sustainable economic development is achievable,
countries will have a basis for tackling the challenges of poverty, law and
order, and the development of governance structures that promote greater
democracy, which in turn reinforce economic wellbeing.
Generally, Pacific economies are
characterised by a dependence on the production of raw materials such as
minerals, timber, copra and coffee and in the case of
In the Committee’s view, there will be
serious implications for
The following issues were raised with the Committee:
·
perceived difficulties and
restrictions in obtaining export permits for the export of processed fish from
·
barriers to the import of some
crops from the Pacific which would require
·
problems with the export of some Australian food products to certain
The Committee agrees with the
view that it would be preferable for the standard of facilities for processing
or crop production in PNG and Pacific island countries to be raised rather than
Australian quarantine standards lowered. The Committee is also persuaded that
some of the non‑tariff barriers to trade in both directions could be
overcome through the development of closer relations between AQIS and Pacific
island countries quarantine and health authorities.
Recommendation 4
The Committee recommends that the Australian Quarantine and Inspection Service host a bi-annual meeting of quarantine and health authorities in the Pacific region to address issues of mutual concern and develop strategies for their resolution.
Recommendation 5
The Committee recommends that the
Australian Government, through the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and
Forestry and other relevant State and federal agencies, consult with the
governments of PNG and the Pacific island countries on the requirements needed
to raise the standard of processing facilities and crop production in those
countries in order to bring them up to Australian standards.
The Committee recommends that the findings
of that study be forwarded to AusAID for
consideration and implementation through
Economic self–sufficiency and fiscal reform is
a key objective for
It was clear to the Committee through evidence
and its visit to the Pacific that all countries have accepted the need for
economic reform and improved governance. But it is also clear that the
development and implementation of appropriate policies remains a significant
challenge. Countries such as
It was suggested to the
Committee that, in order to sustain the reforms being promoted amongst
political leaders, it would be necessary to provide support in educating the
wider community that these reforms are essential to their countries’ futures. The Committee saw merit in this
suggestion, especially as some governments discussed the issue of educating
their citizens about the need for economic reform during the Committee’s visit
to the region.
Recommendation 6
The Committee recommends that the
Australian Government, through the Forum Economic Ministers’ Meeting, assist
the member states to develop comprehensive public education strategies
explaining policies directed towards the achievement of economic self
sufficiency.
Tourism in the Pacific is advocated as being of social and environmental benefit, as well as being an earner of foreign exchange. It is therefore an industry that, if well managed, has the potential to offset development assistance. However, there is no cohesive and coordinated approach to tourism. The resulting disjointedness of approach acts as a deterrent to attracting tourists to the region. Poor marketing because of limited facilities and promotional funds tends to make tourism a “hit and miss” industry particularly when many of the destinations are not part of the routes of the world’s major airlines. In addition, infrastructure to support the industry has not been fully developed.
Given tourism’s potential, it was suggested to the Committee that resources should be directed to the industry through the governments and public sectors of the Pacific Island nations rather than regarding the industry as an exclusively private sector function.
The Committee sees merit in support for the
sustainable development of the tourism industry in the region. It will
supplement foreign exchange earnings and increase employment. There is a role
for
Recommendation 7
The Committee recommends that, within the
Tourism Green Paper process, the Australian Government explore options for
regional marketing and promotion with
Recommendation 8
The Committee recommends that AusAID, in association with the Pacific Asia Travel
Association and the South Pacific Project Facility and with the agreement of
the relevant Pacific governments, commission a study in order to determine the levels
of infrastructure and facilities required for countries to develop a viable
tourist industry.
Recommendation 9
The Committee further recommends that, upon
completion of the study, Tourism
Much of the evidence received by the Committee both formally in Australia and informally during the Committee’s visit discussed the issue of special migration access to Australia by Pacific islanders with the objective of giving Pacific Islanders the opportunity to learn new skills and earn money that could be remitted back to the home country to support family networks and contribute to their economies.
The Committee received several submissions
from businesses in
The benefit to
1.2
Consistent
with the Committee’s long–term vision of the potential for a ‘Pacific Economic
and Political Community’, the Committee is persuaded by the arguments for the
development and trial of such a scheme. The Committee believes that such a
scheme has the potential to provide meaningful and significant income and
assistance to PNG and Pacific island countries at the same time as being of benefit
to the Australian economy.
1.3
The
Committee notes the Government’s concerns in relation to overstayers.
However, the Committee believes that the number of overstayers
is less likely to be a concern if the program does not limit the ability of
workers to return to
Recommendation 10
The Committee recommends the Australia
Government support Australian industry groups, State governments, unions,
Non-Government Organisations and regional governments to develop a pilot
program to allow for labour to be sourced from the region for seasonal work in
Recommendation 11
The Committee also recommends that the
model developed provide for management and organisational arrangements to be
the responsibility of the source country and adequate mechanisms to be in place
for training and the transfer of skills.
The development challenges
facing the Pacific region are numerous and significant. The Committee is of the view that
The Committee has made a series of recommendations in relation to the
effective delivery of
1.4 Australian Government policy in the region is focussed at all levels on the need to achieve good governance through institutional reform as well as recognising the need for development of an effective skill base, transparency, accountability and sustainability.
1.5
Evidence
to the Committee suggested that:
·
current good governance
programs are often based on Western modes which downplay the significant rights
entrenched in many Pacific Constitutions;
·
there is a need for more awareness of the
cultural and social impacts of the good governance agenda; and
· the study of Pacific politics has been a neglected field and is a significant factor in dealing with change.
1.6 The Committee strongly supports the good governance agenda and considers the efficiency, effectiveness, transparency and accountability of institutions and governments to be fundamental features of successful countries. The Committee also recognises that these countries are relatively immature democracies which have limited experience in the operations and machinery of good governance.
1.7
The Committee also supports the view that
Pacific politics is not well understood by policy makers in
Recommendation 12
The Committee
recommends that:
·
· the promotion of Australian institutional procedures, premises, codes of conduct and values in a Pacific governance context be carried out with due regard to local needs and conditions but without undermining the essential principles of justice, equity, efficiency and accountability that such institutional practices are intended to uphold; and that
·
to these ends, DFAT officials sustain regular dialogue with
researchers and scholars of international repute who are active in Pacific and
development studies.
Some concern was raised that development strategies are being defined by the Australian Government and do not accurately reflect the relative circumstances or need of the recipient country.
AusAID advised the Committee that it develops country strategies for all countries to which Australia provides bilateral aid, and that these involve consultations with all stakeholders and that they are reviewed regularly to ensure relevance.
The Committee considers that such
a process should be formalised with all countries in
the Pacific to which
Recommendation 13
The Committee recommends that the
Australian Government conclude bilateral treaties on development assistance
with all bilateral government partners in the Pacific region. The treaties
should formalise the process for consultation with all stakeholders and include
performance benchmarks that seek to increase local participation in the
delivery of programs as in the case of the Development Cooperation Treaty
between
The Committee received some evidence that funding initiatives through the PNG Incentive Fund are not always accessible to small non–government and community–based organisations. In addition, the relevance of projects funded by the scheme were questioned.
The Committee sees enormous benefit in the
scheme for the promotion of good governance. However, based on the evidence
received, the Committee suggests that there may be a need for a strategic
review of the Fund to ensure that the assistance provided is also targeted to
areas of development in most need and is consistent with the poverty
alleviation focus of the aid program.
Recommendation 14
The Committee recommends that AusAID undertake a review of the Papua New Guinea Incentive Fund to determine whether the Fund is adequately targeting development initiatives consistent with a poverty alleviation focus.
The review should consider:
· whether the Incentive Fund is meeting its objectives;
· whether the assessment of projects to be funded adequately meets the criteria; and
· an analysis of lessons learnt through this form of aid delivery.
Evidence to the Committee suggested that Australian aid tends to be
‘crisis driven’ resulting in a distortion of the development picture and skewing
the response taken by
The Committee is adamant that responses to
emergencies and crises should not be to the detriment of the long term plan for
development of the region.
Recommendation 15
The Committee
recommends that a discrete “Emergency fund” be considered, additional to the
general budget for
Attention was drawn to the focus on administrative and policy reform in central government bureaucracies. It was suggested to the Committee that such focus has overlooked the need to focus on rural development programs, and on creating economic, educational and employment options for young people in rural and outer island communities.
A supplementary consideration was the emphasis placed on the need to establish development contact and interchange programs as an important means of facilitating self–help among rural communities. It was argued that in addition to the educative and developmental advantages, contact and interchange programs also have the capacity to disperse many of the costs of assistance, at a low and acceptable level, across the donor community.
To facilitate such external contact, it was
suggested to the Committee that considerable scope exists for ‘twinning’
arrangements similar to those currently in force between some Australian and
overseas cities. One example of how ‘twinning’ interchanges could be
orchestrated was through an ‘Adopt–a–village’ proposal which aims to encourage
local government councils in
In light of the Committee’s discussion in Chapter Eight about Australians’ knowledge of the region and the need to build relationships between Australians and countries in the region, the Committee considers that such a proposal has merit.
The Committee is also impressed by
the Australian Youth Ambassadors for Development (AYAD) Program and the work of
Australian Volunteers International (AVI) and AESOP Business Volunteers. The
Committee considers these programs to be effective and cost–efficient means of
aid delivery at the same time as building relationships and educating
Australians about the development challenges facing the region.
Recommendation 16
The Committee
recommends that the Australian Government, through AusAID
fund the administrative costs of a pilot “twinning project” involving a Pacific
community and an Australian local government council.
The Committee
recommends that following a two year review of the pilot, the Australian
Government give consideration to further development and expansion of the
project.
Recommendation 17
The Committee recommends that the Australian Government expand its Australian Youth Ambassador Program by 25 per cent by 2006.
Recommendation 18
The Committee recommends that the
Australian Government embark on a program of annual expansion of funding to
Australian Volunteers International and AESOP Business Volunteers to maintain
the real value of the programs.
The Committee considers the basis of good governance to be grounded in:
· an independent judiciary;
· a police service free from corruption;
· the capacity for a free and independent auditor (to conduct both financial and performance audits);
· an ombudsman;
· an administrative appeals tribunal; and
· an independent commission against corruption.
If these mechanisms are in place, law and order will emerge. Some countries in the region cannot meet the ideal requirements at this time but the Committee considers that development assistance should be targeted at achieving these ideals as well as educating governments and civil society about the benefits of achieving these ideals.
The Committee notes the recent
comment by the Prime Minister in relation to notions of ‘pooled regional
governance’. The Committee understands that this is in relation to the pooling
of resources and specifically the proposal for the training of police in
Recommendation 19
The Committee recommends that as part of
regional initiatives in the law and justice sectors, the Australian Government make
supplies and equipment that are surplus to Australian police and judicial
requirements available for distribution to Pacific forces.
Recommendation 20
The Committee
recommends that the Australian government fund an initiative through the AESOP
project to encourage retired magistrates and legal practitioners to volunteer
their services to assist the judicial systems of Pacific island countries.
Recruitment of suitable volunteers could be undertaken, on a fee–for–service
basis, by one of the Law Societies or other relevant professional legal
associations.
Public sector reform is seen as a critical governance issue for a number of countries in the region. The Committee supports the view that as public sectors are reduced, appropriate measures need to be put in place to enable individuals and communities to pursue alternative economic and social development options.
It is essential that public sector reform is carried out in conjunction with programs to assist private sector development. In addition, efforts at reform must go hand-in-hand with a public education process whereby the public is informed about the reasons for reform and the benefits that will be derived.
To assist with capacity building of Pacific
government departments, the Committee made the following recommendation:
Recommendation 21
The
Committee recommends that the Australian Public Service Commission coordinate
the investigation by Australian Government departments of opportunities for
‘twinning’ arrangements with their Papua New Guinean and
The Committee regards a nation’s parliament as having a crucial role in the promotion of governance through the parliament’s exercise of its accountability mechanisms. Any attempts to improve governance in the Pacific must recognise the fundamental and strategic role played by the country’s parliament both in developing legislative frameworks and carrying out the essential scrutiny and accountability functions.
Australian parliaments at both State and
national levels have extensive experience in training members of parliament and
parliamentary staff in procedures and practices. The Committee believes that
these resources should be made readily available to Pacific nations.
Recommendation 22
The Committee recommends that representatives of the Australian Division of the Inter-Parliamentary Union, the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association and the Centre for Democratic Institutions, along with relevant officials from the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade and AusAID, develop a vehicle for the coordinated provision of training services aimed at the institutional strengthening of parliaments in the Pacific Region.
Recommendation 23
The Committee
recommends that the Presiding Officers develop strategies for the closer
involvement of officials and parliamentarians of the Australian Parliament to
assist in the promotion of good governance in the Pacific Region.
The problems faced by women in the Pacific include illiteracy, poverty, unemployment, poor health, discrimination, heavy daily workload, violence, and low participation in the political process and decision–making at all levels. A number of submissions addressed the need for a greater focus on the role of women.
The Committee considers it important to
ensure that development programs address the needs of women and empower women
through increased access to information and the promotion of their active
involvement in leadership, decision making and politics throughout the Pacific.
Recommendation 24
The Committee recommends that AusAID develop other mechanisms to support women’s increased involvement in the aid program and reward those projects that have a demonstrable involvement of women.
Recommendation 25
The Committee recommends that AusAID continue its funding to the Fiji Women’s Crisis
Centre and investigate opportunities for similar centres to be established
elsewhere in
The Committee accepts the criticism that
successive Australian governments have tended to regard the aid budget as
something adjusted in the light of overall budgetary strategy rather than as a
constant factor. This has resulted in competing tensions about how we decide
the level of our aid. The Committee believes that strong, stable signals about
what the reliable aid input will be are crucial if recipient countries are to
be able to plan properly.
The Committee considers that one way of providing efficient and
cost-effective development assistance will be to develop 20–25 year strategies
for its regions of activity with a minimum guarantee of funding for five years.
This will provide planning certainty and reduce the risk of ad hoc and
inadequate programs and projects. It may also go some way to addressing the
issue of differing definitions of development. The fear that assistance is
short–medium term may also be what fuels the squandering of some of it.
The Committee is also supportive of AusAID’s focus on sector–wide approaches, on programs and
projects in economic development, health, education, law and order, and the
participation of civil society. Whilst the Committee is supportive, the
Committee also considers a need to ensure that this focus is achieving its
objective in the most efficient and effective way and with proper coordination
with other donors. It is possibly too early to tell if this is the case now,
therefore the Committee suggests that the Senate continue to revisit this
issue.
Recommendation 26
The Committee recommends that in 2006, the
Senate asks the Senate Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade Committee to conduct
an inquiry into the efficiency and effectiveness of AusAID’s
program delivery in
· stability in the region;
· promotion and fostering of good governance;
· the incorporation of civil society;
· incentive schemes; and
· the effectiveness of regional pooling of resources to address governance issues, particularly those in the policing and justice sectors.
The Committee agrees that, due to
Whilst most government and opposition
members who met with the Committee during its visit to the Pacific expressed
general satisfaction with political relations with
The annual Pacific Islands Forum meeting is considered by some to be “the principal opportunity for the Australian Government to show its commitment to the region through attendance at the highest level of government”. The Australian Prime Minister was criticised for having not having attended all Pacific Island Forum meetings since the government was first elected in 1996.
1.8
Evidence
to the Committee suggested that the non–appearance of the Australian Prime
Minister is a direct insult in cultures where status, recognition and the
conventions of identity are of paramount importance.
The Committee also gained a strong
understanding of the importance for Pacific island countries of the attendance
of the Prime Minister at these meetings from its discussions during its visit
to the region. The attendance of the Prime Minister acknowledges the importance
of the region to
Recommendation 27
The Committee recommends that the highest
priority be given by the Prime Minister of the day to attend all Pacific Forum
Meetings.
1.9
Evidence
to the Committee suggested that another important level of engagement in the
Pacific that could be enhanced is that between Members of Parliament and
Presiding Officers. It was considered that the long term benefit to such a
system would be an improvement of relations with the countries of the Pacific
and a demonstration of leadership by
1.10
Given
Australia’s proximity to Papua New Guinea and the Pacific, it was suggested to
the Committee that current arrangements for ministerial and parliamentary
visits to the Pacific could be enhanced by a program whereby Australian
parliamentarians are entitled to travel to the region on bona fide training and
exchange programs that does not require the same approval process as for all
other international travel and does not affect Parliamentarians travel
entitlements.
Recommendation 28
The Committee recommends that the Presiding
Officers of the Commonwealth Parliament develop modified travel guidelines to
facilitate the involvement of Australian parliamentarians in bona fide training
and exchange programs with parliaments of the
The majority of evidence to the Committee recommended an end to the Government’s policy of processing asylum seekers offshore—the ‘Pacific Strategy’.
1.11
The
‘Pacific Strategy’ is considered to feed the perception within the region that
Recommendation 29
The Committee
recommends that the Australian Government consider modifying the operation of
its Pacific Strategy which would allow for the removal of
1.12
The Committee agrees that the strategic
challenges of the Pacific lie in the isolation of the countries, the large
ocean mass and Pacific island countries’ lack of ‘visibility’ of their air and
sea space. It is likely that Pacific island countries, particularly in
1.13
The key to dealing with threats in the region is
the recognition of the mutual benefit to be realised
through the development of adequate shared intelligence. It is abundantly clear that domestic
responses to security issues require a two–pronged approach—legislative change
and the enhancement of local capacity to enforce that legislation. This will
require a further substantial upgrade by
1.14
The Committee is strongly of the view that in order to
adequately develop security policies relating to the region, more systematic
monitoring and collection of data is essential. To this end,
Specifically in relation to the Regional
Assistance Mission to the
Recommendation 30
The Committee recommends
that, within the context of Operation Helpem Fren, the Australian
government facilitate the involvement of key Australian indigenous leaders and
advocates in working with their
Recommendation 31
The Committee recommends that as a discrete
Parliamentary contribution to Operation Helpem Fren, officers of the
Australian Parliament and the Parliamentary Education Office be made available
for capacity building programs for the Solomon Islands Legislature.
The Committee was advised that many
countries in the Pacific are now in the process of implementing anti money
laundering and counter terrorism programs but that Financial Intelligence Units
to facilitate the exchange of financial intelligence are an essential element
of that framework. The Committee is particularly concerned that
Recommendation 32
The Committee
recommends that the Australian Government provide dedicated additional funds to
Austrac to enable the agency to strengthen its
support for
The Committee sought to explore the extent to which the usual means of awareness raising—primarily the media and education—are failing to secure the sustained interest of most Australians in Pacific issues, or to convey an adequate account of the richness and diversity of Pacific island cultures, of their political and economic circumstances, and of their inhabitants’ views of Australia as a regional power.
The Committee found that the ignorance of
otherwise globally aware Australians concerning Pacific affairs appears to
stand in stark contrast to the relatively well–informed views of
The Committee found there to be a complete
absence of any pervasive, coherent practice of engagement which brings
From its own discussions with Pacific communities and leaders, the Committee can confirm the fundamental importance of person–to–person connection as the basis for more elaborate relationships—political, commercial, institutional, cultural. In the Committee’s view, based on extensive discussions with Pacific leaders as well as on the evidence of numerous witnesses, the Australian government must heed the message of the importance of direct personal links if it is to secure an influential seat at the table of Pacific nations.
1.15 The Committee also discerns a vicious circle in the way the media deals with the Pacific. With most journalists spectacularly ill–informed about the region, any reports that they might make on a fleeting visit—usually at a time of crisis—are bound to be superficial and reinforce the very prejudices with which they arrive.
Evidence to the Committee suggested that both the level of teaching and research endeavour may be dwindling. Moreover, the scholarly product and expert advice that emerges from these diminishing sources seems to fall on unreceptive ears. In addition, the Committee believes that within school curricula, a strong case can, and should, be made for a greater use of the Pacific region as the context within which the study of economics, the environment, geography, history, art, languages, civics or sociology might take place.
The Committee is persuaded that a coherent,
strategically–focussed array of educational and promotional initiatives, resourced
for the long haul and driven by a high–powered council of eminent persons from
the academies, journalism, business and the professions will arrest the decline
in the knowledge of and interest in Pacific affairs and in the relationship
between
Recommendation 33
The Committee recommends
that the government establish the Australia–Pacific Council[1]
to advance the interests of
The functions of the Australia-Pacific Council (AustPaC)
shall be:
·
to make recommendations to the
Australian Government, through the Minister for Foreign Affairs, for the
broadening and deepening of the relationship between
·
raising awareness of the
Pacific in Australia and of Australia in the Pacific, and promoting visits and
exchanges between the two countries of individuals and groups for the purpose
of broadening relations in a number of areas, including the arts, commerce,
education, the news media, science and technology, and sport;
·
encouraging the development of
Australia–Pacific institutional links between universities, museums, libraries,
technical colleges, research institutes, professional bodies and appropriate
non–government organisations; and
·
supporting Australian studies in the Pacific, and Pacific studies in