Julie Bishop, you keep telling us what you will do. But we remember what you didn’t do when you were in office for 11 years.

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.

It is pleasing to note how deeply committed the Coalition is to nurturing a vibrant new relationship with PNG and other nations in the Pacific.

The old relationship between Australia and PNG did not yield the desired results in terms of lifting PNG out of poverty and towards better governance outcomes despite decades of aid and other forms of engagement. The old mindset of Australia knowing what is best for PNG needs to be replaced with a true partnership among equals as PNG builds its prosperity based on extensive natural resources which if properly managed can transform the country in a positive way. The emphasis must be on building prosperous, resilient, sustainable and educated communities and institutions in PNG.

Australia should make it far easier for PNG citizens to gain employment and knowledge in this country and to build extensive social, economic and environmental networks and projects that can benefit both countries.

Our region must be made a higher priority in Australian society. A lot more needs to be done to close the intellectual capital and research deficit we have in terms of the Pacific.

Our only interest in the region is to find places to illegally dump and jail refugees.

Bishop didn't give a toss about PNG when in government except as a dump.

And for mining.

Ms Bishop states "The Coalition will give greater emphasis to initiatives such as the Enterprise Challenge Fund that stimulates growth and employment opportunities, and helps sustain local communities" "This agreement presents a significant opportunity for us to cement a closer economic relationship that will promote economic growth, open up markets, provide employment and raise standards of living" "In assisting PNG to strengthen its institutional capacity, Australia will be helping create the conditions that are necessary for sustainable economic growth and job creation"

I hate to rain on the Liberal faith parade but there is no such thing as sustainable economic growth on a finite planet.

Until our so-called politicians get this basic maxim, we will continue to waste time, effort and resources on this pipe-dream.

Get real Julie and try to think outside of your blinkered neo-classical economic paradigm!

I am sure PNG would be better off without your so called ‘Special Relationship’.

AA,

I think after Bob Carr's threat of sanctions we now have an undisputed champion for the title of most incompetent foreign minister. With the wrecking of the NSW economy on his CV, he is branching out to new areas.