No surprises here, except the UN's surprise that PNG is so primitive.

It was the UN who insisted that Australia cease its "colonial rule" of PNG in the early 1970's and was assisted by Gough Whitlam, opposition leader, who in one flying 3 day visit to PNG, declared them ready for independence. (I was there, I remember it well, all the expats were horrified, and what we expected to happen, has)

New Guinea was a Trusteeship Territory of the UN, administered by Australia and Papua was originally annexed by Queensland, to negate German influence in the early part of last century.

Around that time, late 60s early 70s the UN was busy trying to get all the colonial powers out of Africa, so they extended that to the Pacific as well .. great results all around eh.

Gough fast tracked independence for PNG and by October 1975, there they were .. independent, except for income, law, governance, industry .. but that's the ALP all over isn't it .. symbols above substance.

I actually fail to see why this is Australia's problem - the UN created it, why don't they fix it instead of generating yet more reports. The author should park this at the UN's door, not ours.

Why do we bother with the UN, except for the odd social meeting - it is a monster committee with more vested interests and hidden agendas than you can poke a stick at.

By all means be a member, but stop this rubbish about how we should abide by their "rules", sign up to their conventions or be a part of their group think.

I notice everyone just uses UN convention when they want, and ignore them when they want - yet so many in Australia think they are some sort of superhuman authority.. why?

The corrupt United Nations sticking its nose in again?

Australia has no influence over NG; they just take our money and thumb their noses at us. They wanted their independence, and they got it years ago. It's up to them to sort out their own problems.

Kevin,

So right and even worse in Papua.

You could also go deeper and emplore our's and the PNG's Goverment, to instigate a war on population growth in PNG.

40 % of the population is under 15 years of age.

Religious and politically correct stupidty, is the root cause of of this misery.

Stabilisation of numbers is the root solution of not only this problem but also the other problems facing this Nation.

Ralph

I agree with the previous posts.

Out of the 12 Nowak recommendations, which of these involves Australia?

"Australia gives almost $460 million a year to PNG but seems to do little about the staggering level of violence..."

This seems to me a very weak link between aid and responsibility. Perhaps we should donate more, but then what else would be be responsible for?

The author wrote: "About 40 per cent of people in PNG live in poverty, that is, on less than 90 cents a day"

The above is a nonsense statement. Many people in PNG live in tribal conditions. They are hunter-gatherers. They may have an adequate diet and live fulfilling lives with no money at all.

It would indeed be dire poverty if 40% of Australians had an income of less than 90 cents a day. However, only 18% of PNG people live in or near urban centres. Many of the remainder live in tribal conditions and do not need money for food, clothing or shelter.

The conditions in custody are indeed appalling, but well-being should be measured by the standards of the culture concerned. Poverty can only be measured by income for those living in a money economy.

In PNG’s barbarous prisons, where is the voice of Australia?

What do you mean where's our voice! Let them sort out their own sh@t, and more to the point, Where is my bloody pay rise!

If their happy eating beetles, let them go for it. Why do you think we can persuade the UN?

TTM