Expansion not part of the Australian Rugby League Commission's vision which will be unveiled in full tomorrow

AAP

EXPANSION is expected to be officially put on the backburner on Monday when the ARL Commission unveils its long-term vision for the game.

With a $1 billion-plus broadcast deal now in place, the ARLC will present its strategic plan for 2013-2017 - with expansion and the split of the funding pie amongst the key topics.

A new logo for the NRL will also be revealed as the commission sets out its long-term priorities at Rugby League Central.

Consortiums up and down the eastern seaboard - including groups in Brisbane, Ipswich and the NSW Central Coast - along with others from Perth, Wellington and even Papua New Guinea have been building their case for inclusion for a number of years.

But intent on ensuring the survival and growth of the 16 teams already in the competition, the ARLC is set to announce that expansion is not on the agenda for at least the next five years.

Bid teams were always facing an uphill battle to secure a start from the moment Nine Network boss David Gyngell indicated more games would not drive up broadcast revenue.

The ARLC will confirm a $5 million salary cap for the 2013 season, while clubs are also set to be given an indication on where the cap and the annual grants will head over coming years.

It is anticipated that a greater financial commitment to both grassroots and country football will be announced, with plans for more NRL games to be played in the bush.

There will also be clarification on representative eligibility for both State of Origin and Test football.

The ARLC's strategic plan has been six months in the planning, though there is still no word on who will be empowered to enact the vison, with no word yet on a replacement for former chief executive David Gallop, who was forced out in June.

 

Chikungunya virus infection in PNG

National Travel Health

On October 3,  2012,  health authorities of Papua New Guinea  have reported confirmed cases of chikungunya virus (CHIKV) infection in the province of Sandaun (West Sepik), north-western region of the country, bordering with Indonesia.

The first cases were reported in June 2012 and have corresponded with an increase in heavy rains in the region [1].

Since the beginning of the outbreak, 633 suspected cases have been reported of which 14 have been laboratory-confirmed [2].

These are the first cases to be reported in PNG, however the vector, Aedes albopictus has been present in the country since 2005 [1].

The WHO in PNG is working with the National Department of Health in the implementation of control measures and providing public information[1].

 CHIKV is a viral infection of humans and non-human primates transmitted by Aedes spp. mosquitoes.

It is endemic in parts of sub-Saharan Africa, the islands of the Indian Ocean, and South and South East Asia. CHIKV does not occur in the UK but cases have been reported in travellers returning from endemic areas, particularly in the Indian subcontinent [3].

In symptomatic illness there is the sudden onset of fever, headache, myalgia and arthralgia.

After two to three days a generalised maculopapular rash can develop.

Most cases recover in three to five days, however, 5-10% of cases can have chronic joint pain, arthritis and fatigue.

Treatment is supportive.

Advice for travellers

There is no vaccine to prevent CHIKV. Travellers to endemic areas can reduce their risk of infection by practising insect bite avoidance measures. Aedes spp. mosquitoes responsible for transmitting CHIKV, are most active during daylight hours. Particular vigilance with bite avoidance should be taken around dawn and dusk.

A map of areas of risk for CHIKV is available from the World Health Organisation.

References:

1. Insitute de Veille Sanitaire. Bulletin Hebdomadaire International No. 368. 3-9 octobre, 2012. In French. [Accessed 19 October 2012]. Available at: http://www.invs.sante.fr/content/download/47413/206694/versio

n/33/file/bhi_368_031012_091012.pdf

2. European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control. Communicable Disease threats Report, 7-13 October 2012, 12. [Accessed 19 October 2012]. Available at: http://ecdc.europa.eu/en/publications/Publications/ECDC

_CDTR_13.10.12.pdf

3. Health Protection Agency. Chikungunya Epidemological data. Laboratory-confirmed cases of chikungunya by region of travel, England, Wales and Northern Ireland: 2009 – 2010. [Accessed 19 October 2012]. Available at:

http://www.hpa.org.uk/Topics/InfectiousDiseases/Infections

AZ/Chikungunya/EpidemiologicalData/

Links

HPA: Chikungunya in England, Wales and Northern Ireland

HPA Chikungunya page

New Zealand Foreign Minister visits PNG

Voxy.co.nz

Foreign Affairs Minister Murray McCully will travel to Papua New
Guinea today to meet members of the new government, including Prime
Minister Peter O'Neill and Foreign Minister Rimbink Pato.
The meetings will include discussions on Asia-Pacific regional issues,
trade and investment links, aid, and political and economic
developments in PNG and Bougainville.
Following the meetings in Port Moresby,
Mr McCully will travel to the Highlands region with Mr Pato for a
first-hand look at economic development, agriculture and energy
opportunities.
"This visit comes at an important juncture in the relationship between
Papua New Guinea and New Zealand," Mr McCully says.
"I will be meeting with a new PNG government, formed after elections
in July for which New Zealand provided vital logistical support."
Mr McCully will be accompanied by a small business delegation.

PNG nurses say health care system failing

ABC

Papua New Guinea's nurses say the country's health system is failing
to attend to basic patient needs.
These concerns have been raised as PNG hosts a week long nurses
symposium to discuss the various pressures on the country's healthcare
sector.
PNG Nurses Association President Emi Kaptigau told the situation seems dire.
"We're encountering so many problems, I don't know how we're going to
address them," she said.
She says PNG's health care system is understaffed and under-equipped
to such a degree it can't treat patients properly.
"The basic services of attending to patients as they come and go,
there is lack of manpower and there is lack of supplies, medical
supplies, drugs, equipment and this has affected us so much that we
are not able to effectively meet the need of the people," she said.
"It's just too much for us to bear at this point in time."
Ms Kaptigau says the best nurses in the government system have left
for the private sector and overseas because of the poor working and
pay conditions.
"The pay that we are getting is good enough to survive but because of
the livings standards that is so high the pay is gone by the time we
get it so the next week or two we're living on borrowed money," she
said.
She says the nurses have petitioned PNG's secretary for health about
their concerns.
"He's reassured us that he'll look into it but we need to do a proper
paper for him to present to the O'Neill government," she says.
Last Thursday, the Archbishop of Canterbury, Rowan Williams, also
raised concerns about PNG's healthcare system, saying it needed
"urgent attention".

NSW politician calls for Kokoda Trail battle honor to be respecte

Press Release

The New South Wales Parliamentary Secretary for Veterans Affairs,
Charlie Lynn, has called for Australian government agencies and media
organisations to respect the sovereign right of Papua New Guinea to
name its own geographic features and respect the prestigious battle
honour 'Kokoda Trail' awarded to the Papuan Infantry Battalion and the
10 Australian infantry battalions who fought in the Kokoda campaign
and paid such a heavy price for it to be emblazoned on their flags and
colours.
Lynn has posted a Notice of Motion in the NSW Parliament as he
believes it should be addressed as we approach the 70th anniversary of
the raising of the Australian flag at Kokoda on November 3, 2012.
The origin of the official name, Kokoda Trail', dates back to 1947
when an Australian Battles Nomenclature Committee was established to
define the battles in the Pacific. Their final report in 1958 adopted
'Kokoda Trail' as the official Commonwealth battle honour which was
awarded to 10 infantry battalions and the Pacific Island Regiment.
During the establishment of self-government in PNG in 1972, Australian
administrators established a 'Place Names Committee' to examine the
issue and recommended the official name be proclaimed 'Kokoda Trail'.
Chief Minister Michael Somare took office on June 23, 1972 when the
nation achieved self-government as part of the process to independence
in 1975.
Somare accepted the recommendation of the Place Names Committee and
the name 'Kokoda Trail' was gazetted four months later on October 12,
1972.
The name 'Kokoda Track' evolved after former Australian Prime Minister
Paul Keating kissed the ground at Kokoda on the 5oth anniversary of
the campaign in April 1992. This was accompanied by much 'talkback'
debate about 'trail' being an American term and 'track' being the
language of the Australian bush.
This suited Keating's agenda for an Australian republic at the time.
It also suited those in the Australian commentariat who harboured a
strong anti-American bias after the invasion of Iraq.
They have now ensured that 'Kokoda Track' has emerged as the more
acceptable politically correct term in Australia.
The 70th anniversary of the raising of the Australian flag at Kokoda
is an appropriate name for PNG to reclaim the name of its most famous
wartime icon and ask that their sovereign right to name their national
geographic features be respected.

New Guinea Energy receives licence extensions for PPL 266 and PPL 267

energy-pedia.com

New Guinea Energy has accepted an offer by the Minister of Petroleum
and Energy to extend the licence periods and exploration expenditure
programmes for Petroleum Prospecting Licence (PPL) 266 and PPL 267 for
a further five years.
NGE has an attractive exploration portfolio in Papua New Guinea and is
100% owner and operator of four licences and 50% equity owner and
non-operator in two licences. The tenure on two 100%-owned licences,
PPL 266 and PPL 267, expired in mid-August 2011, whilst the tenure on
another two 100%-owned licences, PPL 265 and PPL 277, is due to expire
at the end of November 2012.
Well in advance of expiration dates, applications were lodged with the
PNG Department of Petroleum and Energy to extend all four licences.
Whilst awaiting endorsement for licence extensions, NGE continued to
de-risk its operated licences and on 21 August 2012 announced the
results of seismic programmes on both PPL 265 and PPL 266 and its
objective of farming out equity to fund drilling.
"Gaining confirmation that NGE has the rights for the next five years
to continue exploration in these prospective licences is tremendously
helpful and fundamental in providing the certainty to potential
farm-in partners," said NGE chief executive officer, Grant Worner.
The company looks forward to keeping shareholders updated on the
future work programmes and progress on each of these licences.

PNG pilots earn wings

By Brad Greenshields of Coffs Coast Advocate

FOR eight Papua New Guinean airline pilot cadets earning their golden
wings at last week's graduation has been the culmination 18 months of
intense theoretical and practical training.
But the tireless days, long nights and early morning starts while at
professional pilot training were a small price to pay in comparison to
what they have achieved.
Of the thousands who applied for the cadet training course, only the
creme de la creme were chosen.
Some even had to choose between their studies in university and pilot school.
Cadet Philip Polum left his Applied Physics course in his final year
of studies to pursue this career.
"It was always my dream to be a pilot and I have always worked towards
that my whole life," Philip said.
Under the sponsorship of Papua New Guinea's airline, Air Niugini, the
cadets were able to fulfil their dream.
Upon their return to Papua New Guinea, they'll undergo further
training to become first officers on the Dash 8.
Fellow cadet Alwas Popo said the opportunity to fly over the Coffs
Coast has been a truly magnificent experience but the friendships
forged has been a greater reward.
"We haven't only enjoyed your skies and the weather here, we've made
heaps of friends and I don't think we'll ever forget the memories
we've made here" Alwas said.