PNG bans NSW chicken products

By Corinne Podger and staff of Radio Australia

Papua New Guinea has banned imports of poultry products from the Australian state of New South Wales (NSW) following an outbreak of the H7 bird flu in the state earlier this month.

PNG has banned poultry products from the Australian state of NSW, including eggs, after an outbreak of the H7 bird flu. (Credit: ABC)

It broadens an existing ban on eggs from NSW and follows several days of pressure from PNG chicken farmers who want all Australian poultry products blocked.
"Papua New Guinea, being a developing country, just does not have the resources - both financial and technical capacity - to deal with one of these outbreaks," Stanley Leahy, managing director of Zenag Chicken, told Radio Australia.
Mr Leahy has called for a much broader ban, in line with Japan which has banned all poultry products from Australia.
PNG's chief veterinary officer, Dr Nime Kapo, said the ban was expanded as a precautionary measure.
"We've suspended uncooked poultry products including chicken meat and eggs from the state of New South Wales," Dr Kapo said.
 "Everything that has been approved and in transit prior to the ban is all going to be checked at the port of entry anyway."
While the H7 bird flu is not the same as the H1 virus that can kill people, it can destroy entire flocks and can survive in eggs and raw meat.
Australian authorities are confident the outbreak has been contained to a single free range chicken farm.
"We are confident that the outbreak is confined to a single property in New South Wales and that's a free range layer hen farm," said Dr Mark Schipp, Australia's chief veterinary officer.
"That property has now been completely depopulated so all of the infected birds have been disposed of and the property is now under decontamination."

Four children among Manus Island transfers

Source: AAP

Australian has begun transferring asylum seekers to Manus Island, with 19 arriving today (Wednesday). (AAP)

Four children are among the asylum seekers sent to Papua New Guinea's Manus Island, the federal government has confirmed.
Immigration Minister Chris Bowen says the first 19 people sent to Manus consisted of seven families of Sri Lankan and Iranian origin.
They arrived this (Wednesday) morning, accompanied by Australian Federal Police, immigration staff, interpreters, children's services and medical staff.
"The first transfer to Manus Island has now taken place - and will be the first of many - sending the clear message that people arriving by boat risk being sent to a regional processing centre in either Nauru or Papua New Guinea," Mr Bowen said today.
The four children are the first the government has sent offshore since embracing its tough new policies in August.
Operations at the Manus centre will be overseen by both the Australian and PNG governments, with welfare services provided by the Salvation Army, health services by IHMS and operational support services by British security firm G4S.
Local Manus Island residents have also been employed at the processing centre.
Mr Bowen also announced that specialised children's services on Manus Island would be provided by Save the Children, including child protection and education activities.
Mr Bowen also announced the creation of an advisory committee to play an oversight role for the Nauru centre.
It will be chaired by immigration department Deputy secretary Wendy Southern and Nauru MP Mathew Batsiua. It also includes Nauruan Justice Secretary Lisa Lo Piccolo and refugee policy expert Paris Aristotle.
The government has also announced preliminary interviews for the processing of people at the Nauru centre will begin soon.
"It is expected that assessment of claims will fully commence in early 2013," he said.
A contract has been signed with the company Canstruct for work on the permanent facilities at Nauru.
Mr Bowen also revealed another 100 Sri Lankan men have been sent home involuntarily, the ninth such removal this month.
This takes to 426 the number of Sri Lankans forced to return home since August 13.
A total of 525 have now gone back, including 99 who have gone voluntarily.
As well, the government has for the first time forcibly returned an Afghan man found not to be a refugee.
Mr Bowen announced the Pontville Detention Centre in Tasmania will reopen to relieve pressure on the onshore processing network.
Capacity at the Melbourne Immigration Transit Accommodation will also be increased by about 300 places.
Asked how long asylum seekers could wait to be processed at offshore centres, Mr Bowen said, "The five-year figure is an accurate one."
"I've said repeatedly that the no-advantage test will mean that people will wait for a very substantial period," he said.
"Could it be five years? Yes it could."
Mr Bowen also dismissed Amnesty International's comments that Nauru's processing centre was "completely unacceptable".
"Amnesty International opposed the Nauru processing facility before they got there, they oppose it after they leave," he said.
Asked whether Australia's asylum seeker policy might be seen as cruel, Mr Bowen said the government had an "overriding moral and humanitarian obligation" to stop people drowning at sea.
"And yes, that means difficult decisions must be taken," Mr Bowen said.
"There is nothing moral, nothing humanitarian, nothing acceptable about the types of deaths, of drownings, we've seen of people coming to Australia by boat."

Goroka Show committee says "thank you"

By WILSON THOMPSON

President, Highlands Farmers and Settlers Association and Eastern Highlands Agricultural Society

 

On behalf of Highlands Farmers and Settlers Association Inc and Eastern Highlands Agriculture Society Inc,  we take opportunity to thank the participants of the agriculture and rural sector who contributed cash, kind and participated in  the AgriFair and Goroka Show this year.

 We also acknowledge the sponsors in various categories, especially Sir Brian Bell and Sir Sinake Giregire Farmers Prize (Brian Bell),  Ian Downs Prize (Farmset), and the Minister for Agriculture and Livestock for a donation of K10,000.

 The best public sector stall was put up by National Agriculture Research Institute, best farmer groups by Coffee Industry Corporation  Coffee Growers Cooperative Society,  and best private sector stall by Brian Bell Co Ltd.

 We also commend the Ungai-Bena District for sponsoring the accompanying Kangal Festival, which comprised members of the Ungai-Bena Coffee Cooperative and appreciate the efforts of our Patron, Hon Benny Allan.

 Further, we commend NARI, The National, Post-Courier,  National Broadcasting Commission, Krai Bilong Kumul, and Wantok newspaper  for publicity,  and The National for the Goroka Show Supplement. 

 Finally,  we thank National. GamingControl  Board for the naming rights sponsorship and all sponsors of the Goroka Show.

 As usual,  the Goroka Show Organising Committee will send a formal letter and Certificate of Appreciation,  and financial and operating reports to all sponsors and participants as at year ended December 2012.

 Without the other participants, farmers, HFSA farmers and groups (in various display categories of coffee, spices, food security, inland fisheries, apiculture, citrus, floriculture, livestock and general);  support of DAL Deputy Secretary Mawe Gonapa and Director Highlands Kawage Teka and staff;  and Navi Anis, CEO, Coffee Industry Corporation and Agriculture Chairman and CIC staff for logistic; and Gideon Samuel, Chairman Goroka Show and Committee and support staff, the 56th Show would not have been a success.

 We look forward to seeing you all with more support next year.

  Please convey our appreciation to all your officers involved in this event.

Sincerely,

Wilson Thompson, ML

President, HFSA and EHAS Inc

Ramu ships first nickel product

By Esmarie Swanepoel

 

PERTH (miningweekly.com) - The $1.5-billion Ramu nickel cobalt mine, in Papua New Guinea, has loaded its maiden shipment from the Basamuk process plant, ASX-listed Highlands Pacifc reported today (Wednesday).
“This is a major milestone for the project and will be the first of many shipments to follow. This maiden shipment from commissioning is only a relatively small amount, however, as the project builds to its full capacity the shipment will increase,” said Highlands Pacific MD John Gooding.
The shipment consisted of 576 t of mixed nickel cobalt hydroxide intermediate product, containing some 217 t of nickel and 19 t of cobalt.
The product was being exported to a Chinese customer.
Year-to-date, some 9 465 t of mixed nickel cobalt hydroxide intermediate product has been produced, containing around 3 536 to of nickel and 322 t of cobalt.
Once in full production, by mid-2013, the Ramu project would produce some 31 150 t/y of nickel and 3 300 t/y of cobalt, placing it as one of the world’s top-15 nickel producers.
Highlands Pacific holds an 8.56% interest in the Ramu project, which would increase to 11.3% after the repayment of the project debt.
The company further has the option to acquire an additional 9.25% at fair market value, which would increase its interest to 20.55%

Fiji Prime Minister attends special Pacific leaders meeting in PNG

ABC

Fiji's interim prime minister Frank Bainimarama has attended a special meeting of the African, Caribbean and Pacific Group of States in Papua New Guinea.

Fiji's Prime Minister Frank Bainimarama (l) at the Rio+20 summit. (Credit: ABC)

Fiji's interim prime minister Commodore Frank Bainimarama has attended a special meeting of the African, Caribbean and Pacific Group of States in Papua New Guinea.
Fiji has not participated at the highest level of Pacific ACP meetings since its suspension from the Pacific Islands Forum in 2009 following the country's coup.
At the recent Forum Leaders meeting in Cook Islands, PACP leaders could not agree on allowing Fiji back to their meeting.
As a compromise, PNG offered to host a special session outside the forum process before the end of the year to discuss Fiji's involvement in purely PACP related activities.
PNG Prime Minister Peter O'Neill said Pacific leaders had gathered in PNG because they wanted Fiji to "participate actively in the issues that relate to the Pacific".
"And as we could not discuss that in issues relating to the forum in Rorotonga, I think this gives us the opportunity to make sure we stick together as a region and as members of the Pacific community," Mr O'Neill said.
He said trade negotiations with the European Union and a proposed tuna treaty with the United States would also be discussed at the meeting.
The meeting's chairman, Cook Islands Prime Minister Henry Puna, said he was pleased Fiji had accepted the invitation to attend the meeting.
"We now need to reach a position on the issue of Fiji's participation in PACP meetings at all levels," he said

Australia sends boatpeople to Papua New Guinea

AFP

 

SYDNEY — Australia Wednesday said it had begun sending boatpeople to Papua New Guinea as it admitted that its offshore refugee processing system was straining to cope with the number of recent arrivals.
Canberra announced in August that refugees arriving by boat would be sent to two Pacific islands and almost 400 are now held on the tiny nation of Nauru, despite Amnesty International's criticism of conditions there as "completely unacceptable".
Immigration Minister Chris Bowen said the first transfer of asylum-seekers to PNG went ahead Tuesday, with four children and 15 adults belonging to seven families from Sri Lanka and Iran sent to Manus Island.
But he acknowledged that, given the thousands of boatpeople who have arrived since the government announced its new policy, it would not be possible to transfer them all to Nauru or Manus Island in the immediate future.
"So some people... will be processed in Australia and processed in the community, but will remain on bridging visas, even after they are regarded, through the process, as refugees," he told reporters in Sydney.
"They will still be subject to potential future transfer to Nauru or Papua New Guinea at a date when increased capacity becomes available."
The centre-left Labor government has struggled to deal with an influx of asylum-seekers arriving by sea, with more than 7,000 boatpeople landing since the tough new policy was announced.
A record of more than than 15,500 have arrived in 2012.
Bowen said transfers to Nauru and Manus Island, which will ultimately have a combined capacity of about 2,100, would continue but the government would begin releasing some asylum-seekers into the Australian community on bridging visas.
Consistent with the government's aim of giving "no advantage" to people who bypass regular immigration channels and come to Australia by boat, while on these visas they will have no work rights and only limited financial help.
The government is also repatriating asylum-seekers deemed not to be refugees, sending home 100 Sri Lankan men on Wednesday, bringing to 426 the number involuntarily returned to Colombo in the past three months.
"Our humanitarian programme is for people who are at risk of persecution, not for people seeking to undertake economic migration," Bowen said.
Canberra will also reopen an immigration centre in Tasmania and expanded capacity in Melbourne to deal with the influx.
Refugee advocates have criticised the Pacific policy, under which Bowen said refugees could spend as long as five years in the remote camps.
Canberra has defended its decision to process boatpeople offshore as an attempt to stop them risking their lives on the journey to Australia, during which scores have died, and insists all are treated humanely.
Amnesty's Graham Thom, who has just visited Nauru, said the conditions the refugees were living in had prompted hunger strikes, suicide attempts and self-harm on the island.
"In the front of their minds is the fact that they're not being processed, the uncertainty that's facing them is clearly having an impact on their mental health," he said, according to an ABC report.
The Australian Human Rights Commission has also raised concerns about the involuntary removal of asylum-seekers and transfers offshore.
"States cannot avoid their international law obligations by transferring asylum seekers to a third country," president Gillian Triggs said.

Opposition queries 2013 PNG budget

The Opposition has raised concern as to how the passing of the budget process was poorly handled by the government without the suspension of seven days to allow ample time for the opposition to respond.
Opposition Shadow Minister for Finance Joseph Lelang said the passing of budget was the single most important event in the calendar of this country and that the government was inconsiderate by not following parliamentary procedure in making sure that appropriations in the budget were cross-checked by the opposition.
Deputy Opposition Leader Sam Basil raised the issue on the K2.6 billion for next years’ appropriation which is intended to be borrowed domestically,  and further highlighted major flaws in the system,  referring to the NPF saga where monies belonging to the people were siphoned to projects not in the interest of national building.
He warned the government not to touch any monies belonging to hard working Papua New Guineans from financial institutions like Nasfund and Nambawan Super.
Leland said the livelihood and economic situation faced in Papua New Guinea was of paramount importance and that it was a democratic duty for public debate and scrutiny to take its rightful place on the floor of parliament.
Lelang is expected to respond to the budget next Tuesday