PNG – in the bones & across the nation

During my stay in Canberra this week, not only have I met with a number of old Papua New Guinea buddies who, if they’re not members of the PNG Association as I write this, soon will be, but I also met for the first time Dr Chris Ballard and Prof Clive Moore, respective chairs of the Association’s steering groups in the Australian Capital Territory and Queensland.

I was delighted to learn that Chris is the son of Prof John Ballard, now resident in Canberra, who during the mid seventies taught me political science at the University of Papua New Guinea. Chris grew up in PNG and, through both his academic work and personal interest, maintains strong ties there. As he says, “It gets in the bones”.

Chris is lining up a dynamic steering group in Canberra, which I’m sure will successfully guide the development of a PNGAA branch in the national capital. He has a number of first rate ideas for the development of the Association nationally and for the expansion of its membership to not only include younger Australians but also the many Papua New Guineans who live in Australia (there are 27,000 and few are PNGAA members).

One who is a member, and one of 300 or so Papua New Guineans in the ACT, is Diveni Temu, a librarian in the RG Menzies Library at the Australian National University. Diveni told me the PNG community in Canberra is not only very cohesive but has also been very active culturally for many years. He’s excited about the Association’s plans to embrace a wider and more diverse group of members.

With work powering ahead to set up PNGAA steering groups in Queensland, the ACT, Victoria and South Australia, the Association is being well served by members who have jumped in to assist its efforts to be more expansive and more active.

You can join the Association for just $20, receive its superb quarterly journal, Una Voce, and assist its growth by going to its website here and clicking on to the membership application form.

Comments

[Richard Jones]

Great job you're doing with the PNGAA and establishing various new State bodies charged with revitalising the organisation.