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The Pacific Labour Scheme is one of the best things going in the region. It seems to be growing from strength-to-strength, reasons being that measures are implemented to improve and enhance the project by ironing out problems and introducing new and better initiatives, based on past experience. Making the program more flexible and family-friendly will add more value to the program. It could improve workers' quality of life and subsequently boost their productivity. Besides good soft diplomacy to counter China, there are multiple other benefits, such as the exposure to good education for the workers' children. Australia and the Pacific are one, and these are important steps towards stronger and deeper integration—social, cultural and economic— and perhaps one day in the future, visa-free travel and entry for the Pacific.

A great post with important points made. However, I don't think discussion about vernacular language policies in the Pacific can ignore the failure of policymakers to convince politicians and the wider community in PNG of the importance of learning in a mother tongue. Hopefully Vanuatu has learned some lessons from PNG!

Hi Richard, APTC stage 3, as identified by the non too subtle name change to Australia Pacific Training Coalition, suggests a deeper integration between national providers and donor agency. However, until meaningful partnerships are forged between industry and providers, industry will not support TVET and student numbers will decline, especially if scholarships are reduced. Australian based curriculum is not appropriate for Pacific learners and must be contextualized, with national industry input, to support local industry need. Stage 1 of APTC design had trainers working with students and employers in the field, which provided educational outcomes directly related to their work and fostered deep relationships between trainers, employers and students. National RTO's in the Pacific Islands will require significant capital investment to upgrade curriculum and physical resources commensurate with international educational standards. It will be interesting to see how the different quality assurance mechanisms in campus countries will be reconciled with the stated graduate outcomes. Regards, Michael

Thanks Dr. Amanda, for your analysis of sim registration, which is commendable. I write to express dissatification over fees being collected by the service provides- when people go there to register their SIM. It seems a common occurrence in towns and cities where people are alluded to pay certain fees in order to register their SIM with the service providers. I wonder the fees goes to the service providers for rendering the services to the customers- or government? It is unclear, whether the directive is from the government to allow vendors to collect fees. If not, responsible authorities should step up and correct this misfortune. Thank you!

I am quite taken aback that Hon. Abel thinks that African countries have something to teach PNG about handling mining income better to enable more equitable development. In almost all (if not all) countries the situation has been the exact opposite. Of course such situations are not just due to corruption at high levels and political favouritism/tribalism, which are prevalent, but also because of factors such as natural population growth and mine area influxes which create urgent new demands for services and housing which quickly outstrip any plans there may be. But another factor is diversion of funds to excessive levels of policing and militarism, in order to maintain positions of political power (and to keep their hands in the till) to the significant detriment of social service budgets.

Hi Amanda, PNG is experiencing similar problems Uganda faced when it embarked on compulsory Sim registration. At deadline date, millions of sim-cards were yet to be registered. In fact, the matter ended in court and the government subsequently extended the registration period by six months.

How long before we are able to banish that dread disease: 'white saviour syndrome'? Great article. I like this personal historical approach.

Congratulations Shamima Ali and the hard-working team at FWCC for a well-deserved award and recognition for your outstanding work in the region.

Paul, I welcome the PNG Treasurer's remarks, which I had not seen. The hard choices governments need to make to maximize and distribute the benefits of mining are the very reason we should be prepared to assist. If they choose to leave it in the ground that is their right, but if they allow mining then we can help if they want the assistance. Bob

Thanks Michelle for this nuanced and insightful exploration of the complexity of the challenges confronting PNG as leaders across the society work to find solutions to violence. And for the links to other important work.

PNG's Treasurer Charles Abel had some interesting comments in a speech to Parliament on 13 February. He stated "Having an abundance of natural resources can be a blessing or a curse. A child that is given everything from birth never quite grows up. A child that struggles learns to become strong and independent. Papua New Guinea must learn from the African experience." I was a strong supporter of the mining for development initiative and its predecessors while Director for African and Middle East Programs in AusAID from 1997 to 1999. In hindsight, although positive work was done in areas such as better environmental regulation and sometimes getting a better return for resource owners, I have become increasingly concerned about how mining can be a non-inclusive form of development, and possibly a corrupting form of development. I fear this is very evident in PNG where the resource sector has thrived especially since 1990 while living standards for most people have fallen significantly. I welcome the more balanced approach being suggested by PNG's new Treasurer. Cheers. Paul.

Youths are the future of our nation. This presentation clearly outline the lack of basic need towards the development of the youths potential. True education and health are the key factor to the social development of the youth. one cannot understand how to develop his or her potential without being educated and cannot be fit to carry out the potential if not in good health.