PNG News Updates - Australia defends detention camp benefits for PNG

Home > South Pacific & Oceania >> Papua New Guinea

Australia defends detention camp benefits for PNG

Radio New Zealand International - November 20, 2013

Anger over PNG shut out of Manus camp spin off businesses - Radio New Zealand International. November 16, 2013
O'Neill says PNG ready to open more detention centres if Australia asks - Radio New Zealand International. October 31, 2013
Public forum in PNG's capital for West Papuan MSG membership - Radio New Zealand International. September 8, 2013
High stakes as PNG's new strongman bets on asylum - Sydney Morning Herald. August 17, 2013
Australia funds lethal brute squad - Melbourne Age. August 4, 2013

Australia has produced a fact sheet detailing the economic gains made by Papua New Guineans after PNG's prime minister claimed that locals were shut out of opportunities at the Australian-run asylum seeker detention camp at Manus Island.

The Post Courier newspaper quoted Peter O'Neill as telling parliament it is alarming that PNG business people do not get the opportunity to participate when that was the intention in setting up the centre.

Mr O'Neill called it a blatant abuse of trust, but the Australian High Commission in Port Moresby says more than 600 Papua New Guineans are now employed at Manus – most of them locals.

It says the 10 Manus businesses with a direct involvement in the camp have this month registered an average growth in business of nearly 16 percent. The fact sheet also lists expensive medical equipment being supplied to the Lorengau hospital and the building of classrooms at six schools in the province, as requested by the Manus government.