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A special relationship - PNG and Australia : Comments
By Julie Bishop, published 15/3/2012PNG must be one of Australia's highest foreign policy priorities.
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Yes, the Liberal Party under Menzies has a proud record with the Colombo Plan and other achievements in the 1950s. But what has your party done since?
Relations between Australia and PNG reached an all-time low when you were last in office. We remember the appalling treatment of Prime Minister Somare in March 2005 when he arrived in Australia.
Your engagement with PNG was so disastrous that Mr Somare threatened to recall Australia’s high commissioner and suspend official visits.
Admittedly, the Foreign Minister throughout that period was Australia’s least competent ever. So we accept that you will do better next time than you did last time. That won’t be difficult.
But for you to lecture the present Government which has significantly restored relations is pretty hypocritical.