Keith Jackson & Friends: PNG ATTITUDE

Namorong offers candid views on Aussie politicians

BY KEITH JACKSON

AS MARTYN NAMORONG FLIES OUT OF CANBERRA for Brisbane’s warmer climes this morning, he can sit back in his seat and contemplate a highly successful visit to Australia’s national capital.

And he will be reflecting on the calibre of some of the leading Australian political figures he met; being particularly unimpressed by parliamentary secretary for Pacific island affairs, Richard Marles MP.

Take the Truth to Australia was planned as an opportunity for a young Papua New Guinean intellectual to provide Australians with a somewhat different perspective of PNG than they may have been accustomed to previously.

A first-hand view of how the situation looks from the streets and from the villages.

Generally, Martyn’s messages fell on fertile ground.

The messages that Australia must do better for PNG in the area of more precisely targeting aid, reviewing how Australian resources companies operate, trying to understand Melanesian culture and identity, and ensuring that the people-to-people relationship works more productively.

Martyn was impressed by the interest shown in PNG amongst the politicians they met, as well as being somewhat surprised of the ignorance of PNG issues shown by a number of them, even by some members of the prestigious foreign affairs sub-committee.

This speaks of the failure of people like parliamentary secretary Marles to communicate more effectively, even to members of Parliament, about the strategic importance of the Australia-PNG relationship.

And the fact that foreign minister Bob Carr has yet to make his first foray to our nearest neighbour amplifies the “benign neglect” that Martyn Namorong wrote of in last week’s eloquent and stirring article in the Melbourne Age.

Early this morning Martyn 'tweeted' short grabs of his impressions of some of the political meetings he had yesterday. A couple of his comments are scathing:

I hope Bob Carr's advisor [Ed Vrkic] got the message I conveyed. No excuses for future stuff-ups.

Got great gifts [of support] from Senators Bob Brown and Anne McEwen.

Will never forget Alan Griffin MP; got real practical advice. Thanks dude.

Julie Bishop has certainly done a good job understanding PNG but she still has gaps.

If you thought John Howard was bad for Melanesia, try talking to Richard Marles.

Wherever he has gone on this tour, Martyn has spoken with elegance and intelligence about the real PNG. And because he is not a diplomat or politician and did not have to adopt weasel words, he could 'tell the truth' about the real situation on the ground.

This has been both a refreshing advocacy and a required realism.

In every one of his 10 or so radio and television interviews, he has given his audience clear insights into PNG as it really is.

Martyn is in Brisbane until he returns home on Sunday – more meetings, more speeches and more media.

He's been rather too busy to undertake any serious writing in the last little while – and, like you I expect, I eagerly wait to read in more detail his views of Australia and the people he met here.

But I think we can get a taste of what is to come from these brief notes on Facebook:

I have never felt so much responsibility my entire life. I have had to present to our colonial power the story of a people whose 50,000 year history has predominantly been one of an independent sovereign people....

Australians think PNG is a problematic place because they want to understand PNG from a western perspective.

Once you try to make them understand PNG from a Melanesian perspective they become defensive of their western world view and switch to 'patronising mode'.

An appropriate response for a Melanesian is to remind Australians that their western model of development has largely been a failure throughout Melanesia.

If you want to meet Martyn in Brisbane there will be an opportunity to do so informally on Friday from 3pm at the Sherwood Services Club, Corinda, near the railway station. Call Murray Bladwell on 0413 057 673

Martyn Namorong facing a day of political encounters

BY KEITH JACKSON

“PAPUA NEW GUINEA NEEDS FRIENDS in Canberra,” Martyn Namorong observed to me on the phone yesterday after his meeting with foreign affairs sub-committee chairman, Nick Champion MP, and today the writer and blogger will put in hard yards to achieve just that.

His day begins early with a meeting with Ed Vrkic, foreign minister Bob Carr’s adviser on PNG and the Pacific.

The message here will be identical to that which Martyn proposed to parliamentary secretary Richard Marles last night: that more be done to facilitate relationships between young Australian and PNG professionals by the respective governments jointly initiating an exchange program aimed at building better relationships for the future.

Following this meeting, Martyn will talk first with Alan Griffin MP and then with Laurie Ferguson MP, both members of the foreign affairs sub-committee, before meeting with shadow foreign affairs minister Julie Bishop MP.

There will be an informal public get-together at the Hotel Kurrajong from 4-5.30pm (call Ben Jackson on 0417 407 565) before Martyn and Ben have dinner with Senator Anne McEwen, chief government Senate whip and secretary of the Australia-Papua New Guinea parliamentary friendship group.

This pleasant encounter will end a busy two days in Canberra for Martyn, who will have held eight meetings with politicians, hosted two forums and participated in an extensive radio interview on the ABC as well as visiting the Rabaul and Montevideo Maru memorial, to be inaugurated on 1 July.

He will arrive in Brisbane early tomorrow afternoon, where he will be taken on a tour of the city before addressing Toowong Rotary Club in the evening.

If you want to meet Martyn in Brisbane there will be an opportunity to do so informally on Friday from 3pm at the Sherwood Services Club, Corinda, near the railway station. Call Murray Bladwell on 0413 057 673

Intense day of activity for Martyn in Canberra

BY KEITH JACKSON

THIS IS THE 5,000^th POST PUBLISHED ON PNG ATTITUDE

A VISIT TO THE AUSTRALIAN WAR MEMORIAL marks the start of two crowded days in Canberra for Martyn Namorong as he moves into the second and final week of his Take the Truth to Australia tour.

In the chill of a Canberra Autumn morning, he will visit the newly-installed Rabaul and Montevideo Maru Memorial in the AWM grounds, accompanied by Don Hook, a prominent member of the Society under whose auspices the memorial has been constructed.

The memorial will be officially unveiled on 1 July, the seventieth anniversary of the sinking of the prison ship Montevideo Maru and the deaths of all 1,000 plus trrops and civilians who had been serving in Rabaul.

Immediately after, accompanied by Ben Jackson, his program organiser and ‘minder’, Martyn will be interviewed on Alex Sloan’s Morning Program on 666 ABC Canberra before heading to Parliament House.

Here he will have his first political meeting with Nick Champion MP, ALP Member for Wakefield (SA) and chairman of the foreign affairs sub-committee.

As with all of the meetings at Parliament House, discussion will focus on the relationship between Australia and Papua New Guinea and how it might be improved in the interests of the PNG people. [See our earlier story here.]

Martyn will then head across Canberra to the campus of the Australian National University where he will lead a seminar for the State, Society & Governance in Melanesia Program before returning to Parliament House for a meeting with former leader of the Australian Greens and friend of PNG, Senator Bob Brown.

The intense day’s activities will finish with discussions with Richard Marles, the parliamentary secretary for Pacific Island Affairs.

During this meeting, Martyn will propose to Mr Marles (as he will do also later to shadow foreign minister Julie Bishop) that the Australian and PNG governments jointly initiate an exchange program for young Australian and PNG professionals to get to know the other country and to build better relationships.

 If you would like to meet Martyn Namorong in Canberra there will be an informal opportunity at the Hotel Kurrajong from 4-5.30pm tomorrow (Tuesday). Call Ben Jackson on 0417 407 565

Martyn Namorong hints at a future in politics

BY KEITH JACKSON

IN A WIDE-RANGING interview on Radio Australia, Martyn Namorong has hinted that he may be interested in a future career in Papua New Guinea politics.

And he said the PNG government should make the five ‘directive principles’ of its constitution enforceable by law in order to correct the current imbalance between government and people.

Asked what might be the reaction of the people if there was not a more equitable distribution of PNG’s wealth, he responded that if the elite failed in its obligation the people “would eat them”.

You can listen here to this hard-hitting interview with Pacific Beat host Bruce Hill.

Now Martyn Namorong takes the truth to Canberra

BY KEITH JACKSON

PNG WRITER AND ACTIVIST Martyn Namorong continues his Take the Truth to Australia tour in Canberra over the next two days where he will meet with senior Australian political figures.

Included in a busy program will be encounters with shadow foreign minister Julie Bishop, parliamentary secretary for Pacific affairs Richard Marles, foreign minister Bob Carr's adviser on PNG matters, and a number of members of parliament’s foreign affairs committee.

It is still hoped to arrange a short meeting with Senator Carr.

The messages Martyn will take to the corridors of parliament house will be the same he canvassed in an article he wrote for The Age newspaper last Thursday (Australia not a good friend), focusing on what Australia can do to improve its relationship with the people of Papua New Guinea.

He is also expected to ask that the Australian government work with the PNG government to offer more exchange programs between young Australian and Papua New Guinean professionals in an effort to build better personal links between the two countries, so strengthening the overall relationship.

Martyn will use the experience of his current visit to emphasise how such exchanges can work and have an impact on hundreds of people in both countries.

While in Canberra, he will also join Don Hook for a visit to the Rabaul and Montevideo Maru memorial, due to be unveiled on 1 July.

Later he’ll conduct a seminar at the Australian National University, be interviewed for ABC Radio Canberra, and meet people interested in PNG at an informal function at the Hotel Kurrajong.

Martyn will be accompanied in Canberra, as he was in Sydney, by Ben Jackson, a young Australian communications professional who has been responsible for the tour itinerary – which in its first week included eight media interviews and 10 meetings as well as sightseeing in Sydney and Melbourne, and a night at rugby league where he saw the Storm-Broncos encounter.

Today he drives to Canberra with his Melbourne host, Linda Koerner.

Martyn’s visit is funded in its entirety by readers of PNG Attitude.

Here’s Martyn’s recent interview on the Australia Network….

 

We now have a national conversation in PNG

BY MARTYN AWAYANG NAMORONG

“I thought all my life that I was destined to great things. Today, faced with the hardship of living in the city, I’m more concerned with being able to survive each day. I don’t dream anymore, I am grounded in the reality. Perhaps there are too many visionaries and no one is there to deal with the reality of life in Papua New Guinea” – Martyn Namorong

I AM A WRITER AND STREET VENDOR. I sell buai – betel nut – in the markets of Port Moresby. I also write about political and social issues, usually for social media.

I am in Australia to tell people things they perhaps don’t know about my country, Papua New Guinea.

I want to bring the truth to Australia.

I am here because I believe in the dignity of all human persons.

I believe that human beings are born with certain inalienable rights.

I believe that Melanesians have inalienable rights conferred upon them by Nature and Kastom – our culture and tradition - at birth.

I am here because I believe in the defence of those rights.

I am here because I believe that, in defending those rights, we need to take into consideration fundamental questions of governance and the use of land and resources for the benefit of our people and the preservation of our Papua New Guinean ways.

Papua New Guinea is a country of 7 million people. It is a great country and we are a great people. Like Australia, we are also a country of vast natural resources which have the power to transform our lives.

But we do have our problems – problems of governance, problems of equitable wealth distribution and problems of effectiveness in service delivery.

 

We must build the capacity and create enabling mechanisms to defend and improve the lives of our people as well as to promote and preserve our Papua New Guinean ways.

In recent years, there has been a power that has descended on our nation of 800 tribes that wields an influence like nothing else before it.

It is the internet. And, with the comparatively recent deregulation of our telecommunications industry, the so-called Information Superhighway has been opened up to millions of our citizens.

Many Papua New Guineans have seized this opportunity to articulate our hopes and dreams. A national conversation has begun online and - despite ominous rumblings from our government from time to time - it will continue to happen.

Photographs: (1) Martyn and minder Ben Jackson in front of one of the great Sydney icons; (2) Martyn at Circular Quay; (3) Martyn and cameraman Thomas Ybarra at the Rocks; (4) Martyn and a coat hanger; (5) In the Opera House forecourt

Meetings & interviews dominate Sydney trip

BY MARTYN AWAYANG NAMORONG

I DIDN'T KNOW ABOUT the Kokoda Track Foundation till I met the lovely staff [pictured with me] who work at the Foundation's Office in Sydney.

I must say I'm impressed with the work they're doing and wish them well.

In Sydney I have also had the privilege of meeting some ex kiaps, teachers, broadcasters and military men who have seen Papua New Guinea from its formative years to its transformation into a Melanesian State.

I got a sense of how things were around independence, and learnt of the "D-cell Battery" index for inflation in PNG, which is now at the grand sum of 500%.

I had two interviews on Tuesday. One on SBS World News regarding the political dogfight in PNG between the Judges and Politicians. The other with Philip Adams on ABC Radio National [click links to view and listen]. I was also interviewed for ABC TV’s News 24 last night after I arrived in Melbourne

Am I enjoying myself? Hell yeah!

I've also learnt something about Australia's knowledge of PNG and the Pacific: like the USA, Aussies know very little.

This lack of knowledge is graphically illustrated by the priority the ABC gives to its Pacific Beat program.

Forget the website images, visit the Pacbeat office in Sydney and you will realise where Australia's priorities are - not the South Pacific.

Highs and lows of Brisbane await Martyn Namorong

BY KEITH JACKSON

DETAILS OF THE BRISBANE LEG of Martyn Namorong’s Take the Truth to Australia tour, which begins later today, have been announced by organiser Murray Bladwell – and the outspoken Papua New Guinean writer is in for a busy time in the Sunshine State.

Martyn arrives in Brisbane on Wednesday 30 May and that night will address the Toowong Rotary Club.

On Thursday he will have separate meetings with journalism students at the University of Queensland and PNG post-graduate students at the University of Technology.

Late that night, to introduce him to a darker side of Australian life, Martyn will tour Brisbane’s back streets with the Police drug-arm support vehicle and its crew.

On Friday 1 June he will be interviewed by presenter Steve Austin at ABC Radio’s Southbank studios before meeting with PNG Attitude bloggers, wantoks and friends of PNG, followed by casual drinks and snacks, at the Sherwood Services Club, Corinda.

The following day will be slightly more relaxed but include a visit to Donations-in-Kind, a Rotary Distribution Centre, where he will meet with volunteers and assist to pack shipping containers loaded with donated goods for PNG hospitals and schools.

Martyn returns to Port Moresby on Sunday 3 June.

If you want to meet Martyn at the Sherwood Services Club contact Murray Bladwell on bladcom@bigpond.com.au

Namorong: Hitting Australia with running shoes on fire

BY KEITH JACKSON

"OMG the people I'm meeting a pretty high profile. Just beginning to realize the enormity of Take the Truth to Oz" [Awayang Namorong@Mangiwantok on Twitter]

THE TAKE THE TRUTH TO AUSTRALIA tour (with a program largely put together by Ben Jackson from Jackson Wells) is truly looking like a tour de force.

Tomorrow night blogger, writer and activist Martyn Namorong will hit Australia with his running shoes on fire.

He’ll have an intense two weeks of discussions, forums, media interviews and political meetings that will reach to the highest levels of the Australian government.

And the whole enterprise has been facilitated by PNG Attitude readers, especially Twivey Lawyers in PNG, who provided the funding to make the tour possible.

Australian politicians and journalists have responded splendidly to the opportunity to talk with a man who himself is not of high political, diplomatic, academic or commercial office and who represents nobody but his own people and nothing but their aspirations.

They are meeting with him because they want to hear, perhaps for the first time in their lives, from a young Papua New Guinean intellectual who seeks the best for his country and has shown himself ready to incur personal risk and hardship in doing so.

Martyn Namorong will meet with the man who advises Australian foreign minister Carr on PNG affairs (and may even touch fingers with the great man himself) and he will meet with Carr’s shadow, Julie Bishop, already signalled by PNG Attitude readers as a credible and formidable force in the Australia-PNG relationship.

It is instructive to note that parliamentary secretary for Pacific Island affairs, Richard Marles, has shown no interest in the visit.

Namorong will also meet with high profile journalists who write about PNG – people like Jo Chandler, Jemima Garrett and Rowan Callick – as well as media personalities like Phillip Adams, John Faine and John Highfield.

He will lead a seminar at the Australian National University and meet Rotary scholars at the University of Queensland. And so much more.

As I’ve remarked to anyone who will listen in recent days, this is the kind of interchange that the Australian government should be encouraging between our two countries – and which it has lamentably failed to achieve.

There have been some disappointments along the way – but none of them terminal.

The initial tour was postponed because of passport problems, but allowed the organisers to develop a richer itinerary – including an action-packed visit to Canberra.

Victoria University (which bills itself as an “international university”) shamefully reneged on its commitment of funding for the tour – a pretty disgraceful act – but we found a private donor to take up the slack.

You’ll be reading a lot about Martyn Namorong’s progress around Australia in the next couple of weeks. And whether you can make it to one of his gigs or not, we look forward to your participation through this blog.

Bishop to meet Namorong as Take the Truth takes off

BY KEITH JACKSON

AUSTRALIA'S FOREIGN MINISTER AND deputy Liberal Party leader, Julie Bishop, is to meet Martyn Namorong as part of his Australian tour beginning Sunday.

Martyn will arrive in Sydney on Sunday night and, after a planning meeting at Jackson Wells Monday morning, will immediately move into a flurry of media interviews, seminars, political meetings and informal events in which he will meet and speak with many Australians interested in PNG affairs.

On Monday afternoon, he will host a public forum at Jackson Wells, which will be filmed for a documentary, and later attend a reception at the Kokoda Track Foundation in the Sydney CBD.

On Tuesday he will visit the headquarters of the Australian Broadcasting Corporation in Ultimo before a private engagement with a PNG interest group. In the evening he is expected to feature on Phillip Adams’ nationally-syndicated radio show, Late Night Live together with commentator Alex Rheeney.

On Wednesday, Martyn flies to Melbourne where the tour will be managed by Linda Koerner. Here he will visit Jo Chandler at The Age newspaper and be interviewed by Rowan Callick, Asia Pacific Editor of The Australian newspaper.

He will be a guest of John Faine on his Conversation Hour on the ABC and also be interviewed for Radio Australia.

While in Melbourne, Martyn will talk with university students and members of the PNG Wantoks Group.

On the Sunday, Martyn will drive with Linda from Melbourne to Canberra to prepare for a busy two days in the national capital.

First thing on Monday 28th he will visit the new Rabaul and Montevideo Maru Memorial at the Australian War Memorial before being interviewed by Alex Sloane on ABC Canberra’s morning program.

Later in the afternoon Martyn will lead a seminar for the State, Society & Governance in Melanesia Program at the Australian National University. During the evening he will meet with Senator Bob Brown, who stepped down recently as leader of the Australian Greens.

On Tuesday 29th Martyn will meet Ms Bishop and former Labor ministers Laurie Ferguson MP and Alan Griffin MP as well as Senator Anne McEwen, who has a long-standing association with PNG. In the afternoon he will meet with PNG and other residents of Canberra at the historic Hotel Kurrajong.

We're still awaiting confirmation for a meeting with foreign minister Bob Carr.

In Brisbane, where Martyn will be from Wednesday 30th, Murray Bladwell is managing a series of public appearances, media interviews and informal social events.

Martyn will be guest speaker at a function for Rotary members responsible for PNG clubs, he will meet Rotary peace scholars and journalism students at the University of Queensland and also PNG post-graduate students from Queensland University of Technology.

By the time the tour concludes on Sunday fortnight, Martyn and Australia will have a much better knowledge of each other: the trip will be a sound model, perhaps, for reinforcing bonds between the two countries in the future.

Most commented on articles in April

BY KEITH JACKSON

APRIL SAW A SIGNIFICANT MILESTONE for contributors to PNG Attitude – for it was last month that the site registered its 10,000th comment. That’s a lot of words by any measure. I estimate about one and a half million.

The content of PNG Attitude stands on two legs: one being the articles (by myself and others) that I post each day; the other, no less important, being the responses, ripostes, rebuffs and rhetoric posted by our readers.

John Fowke observed recently that one reason he is something of a fan of this site is because of the transparency of contributors willing to use their own names in offering their views.

By and large this is true. And I do reject most comments and contributions that bear pseudonyms or false names – except where there may be good reasons to the contrary.

The two key reasons are that the writer’s well-being would be compromised in some way by the use of a real name, or where the contribution is of such substantial value that I am willing to overlook the anonymity of the source.

But these are relatively rare occurrences – and the occasional abusive anonymous comment we receive is always deleted, usually without being read.

And so we turn to a busy month of commentary. To qualify for our league table in April, an article had to score at least 10 published comments – quite a hurdle.

26 – East Sepik declares ‘independence’ from PNG (Keith Jackson). Tim Koeser, former self-styled leader of the World Indigenous Council of Jesus Christ, re-emerged as the no less self-styled President of the East Sepik Interim Government.

16 – Bicamerality: reforming the PNG parliament (Paul Oates). Paul observed that recent events in the PNG parliament revealed glaring deficiencies in the framework that took the nation into Independence in 1975.

15 - Martyn is ready to take the truth to Australia (Keith Jackson). Martyn Namorong, the man whose name is anathema to PNG's The National newspaper, is getting ready to take the truth to Australia.

15 – Is the supreme court a threat to democracy (Tiffany Twivey-Nonggorr). The leading lawyer and human rights advocate argued that the constitutional crisis in PNG has been created by certain members of the Supreme Court, not by Peter O’Neill or Michael Somare.

12 – Bougainville stoush: today’s politics or history’s legacy (Keith Jackson). A public dispute erupted between Dr Kris Lasslett, an academic specialising in the social and political impacts of mining, and Axel G Sturm, the president of the European Shareholders of Bougainville Copper.

12 – Namah’s triumph: PNG to defer elections (Keith Jackson). It looked like a signal victory for deputy prime minister Belden Namah – the wild man of PNG politics - when parliament voted to postpone the national elections for six months. But after some days of confusion, reason prevailed.

11 – Intrigue: the henchmen who sacked the storyboard (Russell Soaba). According to Russell, the anxiety of The National newspaper to rid itself of his Storyboard column began in April 2011 when a new editor was appointed by Star Printing Pty Ltd to head the national daily. One of PNG's leading authors and poets revealed all.

11 – Bougainville outlaws must be brought to justice (Axel G Sturm). "In 2004 I started to invest in Bougainville Copper because an old friend of mine told me about this investment opportunity." Innocent enough words that led to a heated debate on the recent history of this turbulent province.

10 – The circus that is the O’Namah government (Tavurvur). April's mass protest against the deferment of the 2012 general elections and the implementation of the Judicial Conduct Act was "a visibly emphatic and clear message to Peter O’Neill as to how the people of PNG feel about his government’s actions", according to Tavurvur.

10 - The National bans two prominent PNG writers (Keith Jackson). We broke the news of The National's ban on Nou Vada and Russell Soaba, the doyen of PNG literature.

10 – Government ignores Huawei security concerns (Alexander Rheeney). Confidential email correspondence revealed that PNG ambassador to India, Tarcy Eri wrote to then foreign minister Sam Abal in October 2010 to warn that the PNG government should reconsider the engagement of China’s Huawei Technologies on the grounds of national security.

Dates established for Take the Truth to Australia tour

BY KEITH JACKSON

MARTYN NAMORONG’s DELAYED Take the Truth to Australia Tour – a joint project between PNG Attitude, Twivey Lawyers, Victoria University and a number of our readers – will take place from Sunday 20 May to Sunday 3 June.

Martyn will visit Sydney, Melbourne, Canberra and Brisbane talking to the media, meeting Papua New Guineans living in Australia and Australians interested in PNG affairs, and having discussions with politicians.

Martyn is well known to readers of PNG Attitude as a Papua New Guinean social and political commentator, award-winning writer and one of the bright lights of PNG literature.

He will provide briefings and media interviews on the current political and social situation in PNG from the viewpoint of a young, activist Papua New Guinean.

Readers interested in meeting Martyn should contact city organisers using these email links:

Sydney (20-23 May) – Keith Jackson email here

Melbourne (23- 27 May) – Linda Koerner email here

Canberra (27- 30 May) – Local organiser and accommodation required (contact Keith Jackson)

Brisbane (30 May-3 June) – Murray Bladwell email here

While in Australia, Martyn will also have the opportunity to look around four of the country’s great cities and see something of the rural countryside as he travels by road from Melbourne to Canberra.

Have passport, will travel – Martyn ready to move

BY KEITH JACKSON

IT HAS BEEN QUITE A TORTUOUS journey but Papua New Guinea’s best known and most quoted blogger, Martyn Namorong, squeezed his passport out of an inefficient and corrupt immigration system this afternoon.

Planning for the resumption of his Australian lecture and meet the media tour has already begun.

The Take the Truth to Australia Tour was supposed to have kicked off this week but, when reality and the PNG passport office collided, the latter won, to the  dismay of the growing ranks of Martyn’s Papua New Guinean and Australian admirers.

Now the resumed and rejuvenated tour is likely to take place some time in the period after mid-May and, unlike the previous itinerary, will include Canberra as well as Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane.

We thank the key sponsors of this visit – Victoria University, Twivey Lawyers, Nowek Pty Ltd and Jackson Wells Pty Ltd, as well as the many individual donors who understand the need for voices from the buai market as well as the academics and big shots to talk with the Australian people.

If you’re interested in meeting Martyn or would like to contribute financially to the tour, contact me here.

Our most commented upon stories in March

BY KEITH JACKSON

MARCH WAS A VINTAGE MONTH in a vintage year for Papua New Guinea-Australia politics, but the story that dominated the month in terms of comment from readers was a personal one.

My father Stan’s death generated a great outpouring of condolence from readers which I found very touching and appreciated a great deal.

This emotional support was capped off by a series of haiku written by Michael Dom recapitulating Stan’s life and reflecting his love of Japanese culture and the Japanese people.

34 comments – Stan Jackson OAM dies after a long adventurous life (Keith Jackson). “My father, Stanley Jackson – teacher, author, environmentalist and marathon bike rider - died on Friday evening at the grand age of 98.”

26 – As Carr stumbles, Bishop announced 2nd visit to PNG (Julie Bishop). “Australia has a deep and enduring relationship with PNG, says shadow foreign minister Julie Bishop, and, while it has challenges, it also holds enormous potential.”

17 – Belden Namah has to be reined in by his colleagues (Keith Jackson). “Belden Namah is a politician out of control - and it is up to his ministerial colleagues, and especially Peter O’Neill, to sort this out quick time and pull him into line.”

16 - Man with no plan: the ‘core business’ of Mr Marles (Keith Jackson). “During Australia Week in Papua New Guinea, Australia’s parliamentary secretary for Pacific Island Affairs, Richard Marles, gave a speech about raising the profile of PNG in Australia.”

15 – Is decolonising the mind a utopian fantasy (Phil Fitzpatrick). ‘The Australians brought to Papua New Guinea a western capitalist mindset that they promulgated through their missions, schools, businesses and administrators. It was a system that had worked for them and they saw no reason why it shouldn’t work in their one and only colony.”

14 - Where women fear to tread: PNG’s national disgrace (Jo Chandler). “As a girl growing up in the Papua New Guinea township of Daru, just across the water from where the northernmost finger of the Australian mainland points into Torres Strait, Ume Wainetti enjoyed great freedom.”

14 – Australia tries to heavy PNG on national elections (Keith Jackson). “Bob Carr once told me that “strategy is bullshit” and yesterday’s casual threat to “isolate Papua New Guinea” should there be a delay in this year’s national elections appears to be an example of Pax Carriana Unstrategica in practice.”

11 – Children’s foundation gets permanent space at last (www.simbuchildrenfoundation.org). “After seven years of perseverance, helping sick children without a proper office, the Simbu Children Foundation has finally got the nod for a permanent office in the children’s ward at Kundiawa General Hospital.”

11 – Fears that PNG is moving to executive dictatorship (Keith Jackson). “Former minister Dame Carol Kidu has spoken out strongly against new laws that give the Papua New Guinea government the power to suspend judges, claiming the country could be moving towards an ‘executive dictatorship’.”

10 – Charles Lepani criticises Carr over sanctions threat (Jessica Wright). “Papua New Guinea's top diplomat in Australia, Charles Lepani, has hit out at new foreign minister Bob Carr. Mr Lepani said the PNG government was surprised and disappointed at the Senator's first foray into diplomacy in the region.”

MARTYN NAMORONG – TAKE THE TRUTH TO AUSTRALIA TOUR
10 – 20 APRIL 2012
Papua New Guinea’s leading blogger and social & political commentator, Martyn Namorong, will be in Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane mid-April for public meetings, media engagements and university visits. Final details of his program are still to be announced but if you’re interested in meeting Martyn, you should contact us here.  A PNG Atttitude Project

Private funds mean Martyn can take the truth to Oz

BY KEITH JACKSON

READERS OF PNG ATTITUDE, a leading PNG law firm and Victoria University have combined to sponsor Martyn Namorong’s Take the Truth to Australia tour.

Namorong, one of Papua New Guinea’s new breed of young, feisty social commentators and activists, will visit Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane for ten days in April.

He will talk to the media and address gatherings of interested citizens as well as giving a speech at a conference on Papua New Guinea at Deakin University.

The tour is being funded by private donations after the federal government could not make up its mind whether Martyn would be able to vary an AusAID grant (still not confirmed) to allow him to extend a conference appearance in Melbourne to enable him to undertake other activities.

Crucial funding, without which the tour could not have proceeded, was provided by Tiffany (Nonggorr) Twivey of PNG's Twivey Lawyers, a law firm with a strong social conscience that does much fine work for the disempowered in Papua New Guinea.

Earlier this week, when Victoria University offered to co-sponsor Namorong’s tour, the organisers were able to relieve the government of its onerous decision-making responsibility by making Namorong's visit totally privately funded and ensuring the writer could meet many more Australians.

The Melbourne-based Victoria University is one of the largest and most culturally diverse education institutions in Australia with 51,000 students, including more than 13,800 international students, and 5,400 research, teaching and general staff.

Namorong will be in Melbourne from 10-15 April, including a visit to the campus of Victoria University to talk with students and staff; Sydney from 15-18 April; and Brisbane from 18-20 April.

Linda Koerner is coordinating his visit in Melbourne, Murray Bladwell in Brisbane and I’m looking after Sydney.

PNG Attitude readers, and other people interested in PNG affairs, who want to meet Martyn Namorong should register their interest here.

Further information will be made available on his public appearances as a clearer understanding is obtained of the number of people who would like to meet him.

Tomorrow morning in PNG Attitude, Australia's shadow foreign minister Julie Bishop writes on the Australia-PNG relationship and asks readers for their views....

Most commented on articles in February

BY KEITH JACKSON

BETTER LATE THAN NEVER, it is said, and so it is with this month’s analysis of which of our stories attracted the most comment from readers.

At the beginning of March, when this feature would normally appear, I was bobbing around on the Atlantic Ocean, pursuing the delights of South America. And, for the most part, delights they were. Except there’s an awful lot of bad coffee in Brazil, to paraphrase the old song.

So, mug of Milo in hand, let’s have a look at those most popular stories….

29 comments – Thoughts on Martyn’s uncertain road to Melbourne (Paul Oates). Martyn Namorong’s agenda for his Take the Truth to Australia tour was parsed by Paul, enticing a lively debate amongst readers.

16 – Port Moresby hums despite the crisis (Catherine Wilson). Constitutions may be breached; tupela wantaim may be the new fashion de jour; army elements may mutiny – but good ol’ Moresby town just keeps trucking along.

12 – Australia-NZ need to prepare for PNG migration (Radio Australia). Something of a speculative piece. Most papua New Guineans like living in their homeland, thanks very much.

11 – Who does the Lowy Institute really speak for (Peter Kranz). The billionaire-funded Institute has some pretty direct and even controversial views on PNG. But who does it represent?

10 – Rabaul Queen may have carried over 700 passengers (PNG Exposed). Just how badly overloaded was the fated ferry? Meanwhile, the PNG government buggers around about funding the official inquiry.

10 – Eminent historian Hank Nelson dies in Canberra (Keith Jackson). Is it so than great historians get emotionally involved in the stories they relate? Certainly Hank Nelson commanded much respect and love for his personal as well as his academic commitment.

8 – Mutiny has polarised PNG’s political dynamics (Martyn Namorong). Martyn usually manages to come up with the right piece of analysis at the right time.

8 – Grand peace ceremony must be the next step (Francis Nii). Francis went looking into PNG customary practice to find a controversial solution to the schismatic mood in PNG.

8 – Court decision on PNG leadership put on hold (Sean Dorney). One of the many stories reporting on the confusing constitutional, judicial and political crisis enveloping PNG in the early aprt of this year and which is still far from resolved.

The 'most commented upon' articles for February will have to await my return to dry land.  Heavy-duty internet work at sea is still fiendishly difficult and prohibitively expensive.  Craving your indulgence (en route to Buenos Aires) - Keith

One hand clapping is not really genuine applause

BY KEITH JACKSON

WHEN JULIE BISHOP IS SWORN IN as Australia’s foreign minister after the next federal election – the Labor Party having ignored the lifeline offered by Kevin Rudd – let’s hope she and her staff show some real enthusiasm for PNG-Australia relationships at the level of us rank and file citizens.

As readers of PNG Attitude will know, we are in the throes of organising an extended visit to Australia for Martyn Namorong following his appearance at a PNG conference at Deakin University in Melbourne.

Readers have been enthusiastic in their support of what we have termed Martyn’s Take the Truth to Australia tour.

But not so the federal government, from which we have sought a small amount of funding, despite the fact that in the past parliamentary secretary Richard Marles has told me this is just the sort of thing he’d like to encourage – greater interchange between PNG and Australia, that is.

Let me illustrate with this email quote from a factotum in Marles’ parliamentary office:

Your idea certainly sounds interesting - a good opportunity to maximise Martyn's visit to Australia.

But I suspect there may be complications in sourcing extra funds for this proposal, given the AusAID funding being considered for Martyn's presentation at the PNG Symposium is part of a larger AusAID allocation for the PNG Symposium…

Also, securing ad-hoc funding from AusAID in the order of $3,000-4,000 would be difficult, given the much larger amounts the agency normally deals with and the processes involved in allocating AusAID funds.

In saying that, assuming Martyn receives financial support to attend the Symposium, your supplementary program could be added to his existing commitments with Deakin on 12-13 April.

For administrative simplicity, as long as it starts and ends in Melbourne, we could look into delaying his return flight to Port Moresby to enable Martyn to do some extra activities funded by donations.

This could at least de-fray some of the costs of flying him to Australia in the first place.

In other words, the most that can be expected from this arrangement is that Martyn will be permitted to extend his visit to Australia beyond the conference – maybe.

It will be a public relations disaster if he isn’t, I think I can add from the safe position of long professional experience.

Meanwhile Linda Koerner and Jo Chandler in Melbourne, Murray Bladwell in Brisbane and I in Sydney will be organising Martyn’s visits to those cities – and his public and media engagements.

And, if you’re in a position to contribute financially to Martyn’s tour, email me here for further details.

Marles, Deakin respond on planned Namorong visit

BY KEITH JACKSON

THERE HAVE BEEN SOME interesting developments in our Take the Truth to Australia project that will see Martyn Namorong visit Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane to meet with the media and with Australians interested in PNG affairs.

Overnight (Brazil time) I heard from Damian Hickey, who was at the Australian High Commission in Port Moresby when the inaugural Crocodile Prize awards were held and who recently joined the office of parliamentary secretary Richard Marles as his PNG adviser.

I’ve congratulated Damian on his appointment and taken the opportunity to reinforce my proposal to Mr Marles that the Australian government fund an extended visit by Martyn beyond the conference at Deakin University.

The plan is to involve Martyn in forums with people interested in PNG affairs and in media engagements as part of a broader process of assisting raise awareness of PNG issues in Australia.

I’ve also received a letter from Dr Jonathan Ritchie from the Alfred Deakin Research Institute which is hosting the conference at which Martyn will speak.

It clarified a number of matters relating to the funding of Papua New Guinean participants and also invites me to speak.

You can read here the full texts of PNG-born Jon Ritchie’s letter and my reply.

In brief, no substantive news yet but we are in communication.

To take the truth to Oz is a longish journey

BY KEITH JACKSON

SO WHERE ARE WE UP TO with Martyn Namorong’s Take the Truth to Australia tour?

The story so far, if you’ve been away….

The precocious and sometimes ferocious Martyn N receives an invitation to speak at a PNG conference at Deakin University.  No offer or intimation of assistance accompanies the invitation.

PNG Attitude – determined to get Martyn to Australia – sets up a fund, while at the same time imploring parliamentary secretary Richard Marles to help him out so our readers don’t need to dip into their pockets for the kind of exchange Mr Marles has put front and centre of his desire to enhance PNG-Oz relationships.

Martyn and I agree that, while he’s in Australia, he should do more than attend a conference. We want there to be meetings with PNG Attitude types (whatever they are) and the media. We decide to add Sydney and Brisbane to the itinerary.

Readers commit funds - $4,350 so far – which I’m loathe to call in until I know for sure no other help is available.

Readers also commit accommodation and organisational assistance to make sure Martyn can get around to meet people and even see a bit of the country.

Why are we doing this?

Because Martyn (26) is one of the more perceptive and articulate young voices to emerge from Papua New Guinea in recent times.  A talented writer, who won the inaugural Crocodile Prize for essays and journalism, he focuses especially on social and political issues with an insight that – when I first read his early material a year ago – blew me away.

Thanks to Martyn, a lot of us know a lot more about contemporary PNG than we knew before.

So where are we up to so far?

As of this moment (and remember I’m writing this from halfway round the globe in Brazil) I haven’t heard from the parliamentary secretary. It’s now 10 Wednesday night Australian time.  Mr Marles has had my email for three full days

I know from long experience in politics that communications to ministers and those of that ilk are often treated tardily but I have never managed to overcome the disappointment that our elected representatives should regard us so poorly.

I’ve even got a distinguished formed federal MP helping out; so far to no avail.

Meanwhile another reader comments: “Jeez you're a case, Jacko -- talk about going off half-cocked! I met with [NAME] from Deakin this morning -- yes, of course they have a funding application in with AusAID for Martyn and others and are confident of approval…”

Maybe so, but no one bothered to tell Martyn that.  And you can’t really plan anything on the sniff of a promise. So without a substantive offer to Martyn, we’ll proceed.

And, in any event, we may still need funding for the rest of his Australian sojourn.

So keep those pledges coming in here.

And what are our readers saying?

Well, most swore me to secrecy about their identity so here are some representative but anonymous comments from donors:

The whole situation [regarding no offer of assistance] demonstrates how Australians have no idea what its like in PNG for the normal villagers. I hope Martyn’s visit creates some interest

I will chip in K1,500 to help tell the truth to all those wankers down there

[We] would be very happy to provide accommodation for Martyn during his visit. As you would expect I am keen to assist with any local organisational issues

It is great that M. Namorong is being recognised

His experience is that of thousands and he gives a voice to those who are finding it hard to be heard. Much appreciate all your efforts with the blog

There’s also been a lot of media interest.

Martyn and I are working on a detailed itinerary for the visit which we’ll get round to publishing in PNG Attitude when it’s in a more developed state.

From resignation to taking the truth to Australia

BY KEITH JACKSON

IN EARLY JANUARY 2008, I quit being president of the Papua New Guinea Association of Australia, a role to which I’d been elected the previous year.

The decision shocked many people, since I had espoused the PNGAA as the prime vehicle by which effective civil linkages could be built between the two countries. At my urging, the members had voted to change the constitution to embody that objective.

But I resigned when I realised that the PNGAA was incapable – without overcoming strident opposition from a dissident minority – of achieving what most of its members wanted. A strong and active relationship between PNG and Australia.

Pity, but the decision to leave saved me a lot of strife and heartache, and I had another idea in mind.

Around this time the social media were really beginning to take off, offering new opportunities for mass, rapid communication and action.

And that’s when PNG Attitude was conceived as a spearhead for trying to build a different kind of relationship between PNG and Australia: one based on the internet which would, over time, hopefully spin off projects of more practical value.

Its first task was to establish a readership from both countries and this essentially meant a patient process of building readers and contributors.  It was a time when one reader unkindly suggested we should call the blog PNG Platitude.

But the readership grew, the contributions from both Australia and PNG flourished, old contacts were restored, politicians were harassed and lobbied (as they should be), small projects were funded by donations from readers.

And then came the Crocodile Prize – organised wholly using the internet – culminating in the first face-to-face meeting or writers in Port Moresby last September.

Since then the PNG Society of Writers, Editors and Publishers has been established – and it will have its formal birth in September – and the Crocodile Prize, with its funding base consolidating, has moved into a second and more expansive year.

This brings us, via the long route, to Martyn Namorong’s Australian tour. This represents a new venture for PNG Attitude and I hope it will be a huge success and be the forerunner of similar visits.

We still need to raise the money – but, given that we do, a thorough program for Martyn’s visit will be executed; tentatively taking him to Melbourne (11-15 April, Sydney (15-18 April) and Brisbane (18-20 April).

I hope that he will be able to speak with many readers in or near those cities (we’ll arrange appropriate functions) and we’ll also make sure he meets with the media and a number of relevant political figures.

Already a number of readers have committed funds to this project and we have accommodation covered in each of the cities. A tremendous early response.

But, in case we cannot secure government funding for the visit, we are relying on you to give us a hand.

We may not need them, but we might. It would be nice to know that, if the government doesn’t come good, our readers will.

Lawyer and writer Nou Vada urged Martyn to ‘take the truth to Australia’ – and that’s what we’ve called the tour.

So let’s get this entire PNG Attitude project on to a new level.

We may just be rank and file citizens, but we can all help build the Papua New Guinea – Australia relationship in a concrete way.

If you can commit some dollars, please contact me here.

TAKE THE TRUTH TO AUSTRALIA SPEAKING TOUR
Let's get Martyn Namorong meeting & talking to ordinary Australians & the
Australian media to raise awareness of Papua New Guinea, its people & its issues
Martyn, one of PNG's leading social commentators,  has been invited to speak at a conference at Deakin University. We hope the federal government will come good, but, in case it doesn't, we're asking readers to donate to get Martyn speaking in Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane .  Let us know if you're willing to donate here.

Most commented upon stories in January

BY KEITH JACKSON

IT IS NO EXAGGERATION TO CLAIM that January 2012 was a very big month in Papua New Guinea politics.  But then, it seems, every month is a big one.

There were two major issues that dominated reader comment to PNG Attitude – the mutiny by elements of the PNGDF under Colonel Sasa’s errant leadership and the Falcongate scandal which caused a brief breakdown in the critical relationship between Peter O’Neill and Belden Namah.

Here’s the rundown of the stories that most galvanized our readers to comment in this past month.

21 comments - Live blog: Mutiny leader gives MPs 7 days to resolve 'crisis' (Keith Jackson).  Colonel Sasa’s attempt to create conditions in which Sir Michael Somare could make a comeback went awry but caused high excitement around the world for 24 hours.

20 - O'Neill-Namah tiff demonstrates political fragility (Keith Jackson).  Apparently Belden Namah thought the prime minister had shown insufficient support for him in dealing with Indonesia over Falcongate.  The difference of opinion was expressed in Belden’s normal understated manner.

17 - Reflections on an attempted seizure of the State (Paul Oates).  Paul’s thoughtful analysis of the short lived Army mutiny. “The implications of Thursday’s actions by rogue defence personnel may be just as significant as if there had been a successful coup.”

17 - Live blog: Agwi freed; Sasa being 'dealt with', says O'Neill (Keith Jackson).  The second tranche of our live blog covering hour by hour developments with the mutiny.  PNG Attitude scored a record 5,118 page views on the Thursday of the mutiny.

12 - 1 jet + 7 points of order + 8 passengers = questions (Nichson Piakal). Nichson asked some pertinent questions about why Mr Namah was flying in the Falcon jet over Indonesia and who and what were with him, questions that so far remain unanswered.

12 - Indons admit near miss raised tensions with PNG (Keith Jackson). The Indonesian government admitted that a “technical glitch” on its part was behind what was “almost a terrible aerial accident” that had raised tensions between the neighbouring countries.

11 - Mutinous troops surrender weapons to Belden Namah (Liam Fox). The mutiny was brief as befitted its ill conceived, badly planned and poorly executed nature.

11 - Falcongate: Peace breaks out in multiple dimensions (Keith Jackson). Belden Namah finally made up with Peter O’Neill.

9 - Let's get on with it; not a time to rock the boat (Nichson Piakal). A plea for stability: “This is definitely not the time to rock the boat, Mr Namah, or any other individual or organisation for that matter.”

8 - In defence of the noble buai sellers (Martyn Namorong). There was some dispute over whether purveyors of buai should be referred to as ‘noble’ in yet another PNG Attitude article that looked at aspects of the betel nut economy.

SATURDAY MORNING in PNG Attitude.  ICARUS is not mincing words about buai bisnis.  TERRY EDWINSMITH on patrolling Papua with 1 PIR in 1968, with period photographs.  And LOUJAYA TONI's new poem - Inscriptions to a Chief....

GREAT READING in PNG Attitude tomorrow!  EXPOSED: PNG Telikom recruitment scandal.  KIUNGA: boom for some, tough going for most.  PAMPERED: A day in the life of a highlands pig.  HISTORY REVEALED: Blatchford education papers for 1968.  PLUS a sparkling new poem by Loujaya Toni.  That’s the right Attitude!

Attitude Quote of the Day
“You need to protect the spelling of “sovereingnity” so then perhaps we can really start protecting our sovereignty. The moral of the story is that Mr Namah needs a new speech writer” [Nichson Paikal commenting on a Belden Namah media statement]

Attitude Quote of the Day:
“To think that my former colleagues and I used to fly the old-fashioned Kumul B200 with nothing but our Mark 5 eyeballs to navigate our way around controlled international airspace with political heavies on board” [Lt Col Peter Aimos in Recent Comments]

Most commented upon articles in December

BY KEITH JACKSON

DECEMBER 2011 PROVED TO BE a good month for readers and for commenters, with page views hitting record highs and comments flowing to PNG Attitude like runs from Tendulkar’s bat.

31 comments– A message of farewell from The Review magazine (Keith Jackson).  The hard copy form of this blog had to give way to the realities of the limitations on the editor’s resources of time and energy.  After 10 years and 160 issues, we drew the curtain on a publication that had appeared under the various mastheads of Vintage, ASOPA People, PNG Attitude and The Review.  Readers showed that they will miss it and we thank you for the eulogies.

22 – Explaining PNG’s peaceful changes of government (Crispin Hull). The comment in the Canberra Times began “Papua New Guinea is seen as a Third World hellhole riddled with violent crime and to be avoided at all costs.”  Well this drew the crabs from indignant readers, some of whom wanted to invite Mr Hull outside to settle things man-to-man.  But, to be fair, the journalist was not deriding PNG.  As he himself said in a comment to PNG Attitude: “I was not saying PNG is a hellhole. I was saying that is the perception of most Australians and that it is a wrong perception. I was praising PNG for having peaceful transitions of government.”  You can read the piece, and the subsequent commentary, for yourself.

22 – A still, cool night that is longing for a day of unity (Keith Jackson). “9:55pm: With Papua New Guinea standing hesitantly at a crossroads, this is the end of my live blogging journey, intermittent thought it may have been.  Thanks to all of you, and there are many (over 3,000 in these last 12 hours), who have joined me for a wild political ride not yet over.”  Our first foray into live blogging had proved a huge success, with page views hitting nearly 4,000 a day at peak.  Tough going for the editor maintaining this kind of productivity but well worth the effort in terms of keeping people informed.

20 - PNG 'dragging chain' on development targets (Keith Jackson). When AusAID’s former deputy director-general, Annmaree O'Keeffe, said PNG “is really dragging the chain on meeting the millennium development goals” she provoked a fascinating debate on the role of external agencies in passing judgement on the achievement of national development targets.

19 – PNG political turmoil: O’Neill tries to cling to power (Keith Jackson). Another live blog that scored high with readers and commenters.

15 – Here’s a big question: where is AusAID (Mary Koisen).  Where was AusAID when we needed them at the grassroots? Mary asked rhetorically.  A good question, with which many readers agreed.

12 – Events of this week show strength of PNG democracy (Keith Jackson).  The last of the live blogs. “Barring a major turn of events the Somare era has reached its use by date and the O'Neill era has been legitimised and reborn. Peter O'Neill says he and his cabinet have taken control of Papua New Guinea - and the evidence for this is overwhelming.  His coalition has the parliamentary numbers and the Somare forces refuse to test their strength on the floor of the house.”

10 – Big power play behind Somare-O’Neill conflict (Martyn Namorong).  Martyn’s thesis was that “the struggle between the West (US) and the East (China) is played out in the current political crisis.”

10 – Federal MP asked to inquire into visa centres (Keith Jackson). Paul Oates maintained a growing tradition of PNG Attitude reader activism by taking up with his Federal MP Scott Buchholz the issue of Australia hiring an Indian company to manage its visa application centres in Port Moresby and Lae.

9 – O’Neill prime ministership is legal & constitutional (Peter Donigi).  Peter’s carefully constructed opinion concluding that the “vacancy in the office of the prime minister was created by operation of law” and that Peter O’Neill is the legitimate PM sparked a strong response across social media sites, with other barristers like John Nonggorr offering contrary views.

Bikpela hamamas igo long olgeta long niu yia

FOR THE PEOPLE of Papua New Guinea, 2011 is concluding on a controversial – perhaps an unfinished – note.  Angst created by the O’Neill-Somare crisis is running deep within society.

But there are things the ending of an old year, and the birth of a new, force upon us – amongst them reflection on what we might do better, and anticipation that we will do better.

There is no doubt that PNG's government needs to do better, and that Australia's needs to do better in its relationship with PNG.  And there is no reason for us to believe these expectations can't be advanced in 2012.

Meanwhile, a happy new year to each of our readers.

Ten memorable things PNG Attitude did in 2011

BY KEITH JACKSON

IT IS COMMON, as Father Time moves hesitantly towards the end of another year, that we humans set our ideals and aspirations for the year ahead and also reflect on the past 12 months.

In accordance with the latter, I thought I might try to recapitulate what, for me, have been some of the highlights for PNG Attitude over the course of 2011.

So here goes, in rough order of priority:

1. The Crocodile Prize

It always gives you a big buzz when an idea is transformed into a reality – and so it was with the Crocodile Prize national literary contest in 2011.  Indeed, we did more than mount a successful competition (400 entries, 80 writers, four categories), we also produced an anthology of the best PNG writing in 2011 and a writers’ workshop to boot.  A wonderful achievement in which we were assisted hugely by the Post-Courier newspaper and the Australian High Commission. And, as we move into 2012, with a newly formed group of sponsors and its own website, the Prize looks like being bigger and better.

2. Society of Writers, Editors and Publishers

Amanda Donigi and I had the same idea at the same time.  If the creative writing resurgence in PNG was to be sustained, it needed a strong governance platform within the country to administer its activities. Hence, towards the end of 2011, the Society was incorporated, a steering committee (largely PNG domiciled) formed, and a constitution drafted.

3. The emergence of Martyn Namorong

When still a medical student, Martyn began The Namorong Report blog in 2009 with a point by point summary of one of his lectures.  There was not much action on the blog until early 2011, when one of two posts, The land of the disenfranchised (28 February), was picked up by PNG Attitude.  A wonderfully talented writer had emerged into public view.  Martyn went on to win an inaugural Crocodile Prize award for the best essay and is now PNG’s most prolific blogger and one who has gained international recognition.

4. The great diversity of PNG Attitude contributors

The centrepiece of PNG Attitude was never intended to be its publisher and editor but its contributors.  And to succeed, the blog had to maintain a steady input of reportage and creative writing from both PNG and Australia, and this writing had to focus in some way on the relationship between the two countries.  This was an idea that managed to succeed and its continuing success depends on this unusual collaboration continuing.

5. Great commentary from knowledgeable commentators

We get our fair share of lunatics in the Recent Comments column, of course, but the feature remains a fantastic place for debate and revelation offered by our readers.  The commentary is just as well read as the main articles provided each day and provides a wonderful interactive forum that adds great value to PNG Attitude.

6. The project to build a Montevideo Maru memorial

The Japanese prison ship Montevideo Maru left Rabaul in June 1942 with over 1,000 military and civilian prisoners in its hold. It was torpedoed on 1 July with the loss of all prisoners, most of whom were Australian.  PNG Attitude and its publisher played a crucial role in establishing and fund raising for the Rabaul and Montevideo Maru Society.  The memorial will be dedicated in Canberra on 1 July 2012, 70 years after the tragic sinking of the ship.

7. The constitutional crisis live blog

An important first for PNG Attitude in 2011 was a ‘live blog’ – a continuing coverage of PNG’s tupela wantaim constitutional and political crisis drawn from published news sources and reader input.  Page views soared from the usual 1,000 a day to 4,000 and many new readers were introduced to the blog for the first time.

8. Charles Abel writes; Richard Marles gives up

Politicians generally have a hard time accommodating the social media in their communications, probably because the black arts of spin and propaganda don’t wash too well on media like blogs and Twitter.  It was good to see, therefore, PNG’s trade minister Charles Abel appearing occasionally on PNG Attitude with some well nuanced observations.  Not so Australia’s Pacific Affairs secretary Richard Marles whose failure to address issues full on led to mockery from readers whereupon Richard retired to the dressing room.

9. PNG Attitude establishes a presence on Twitter and Facebook

We were hardly in the first rush of early adopters but we got there eventually and now have a presence right across the main social media platforms.

10. Keith Jackson visits POM for first time in 35 years

I’d been to other parts of Papua New Guinea in the years since I’d gon pinis after independence but never Port Moresby.  A small event I know, but I made good the deficiency for the Crocodile Prize events of September.

We are offering $100 to the person who can write the best PNG Christmas yarn for publication in PNG Attitude.   The story, article or poem must reach here by midday Saturday and have a distinct PNG flavour or theme.  The contest is open to all readers, no matter where in the world you are.  Go to it....

A message of farewell from The Review magazine

BY KEITH JACKSON

THE REVIEW was a simple e-magazine that began as Vintage in 2002, morphed into ASOPA People later that year, developed a separate website in 2004 and blog in 2006, became PNG Attitude in 2008, and The Review shortly before its demise in December 2011.

Maybe not so simple.

But, yes, demise.  The Review published what was its final issue earlier this month after nearly ten years of production that transformed it from telling the stories of the ASOPA Class of 1962-63 to telling the stories of ASOPA to telling the greater story of the Australia-Papua New Guinea relationship.

The magazine reached its endpoint for the simple and compelling reason that it had become too great a burden for me to produce in a context where this PNG Attitude blog continues to be a demanding proposition, as does the Crocodile Prize (and its new website due to be launched early in 2012).

Something had to give, and unfortunately it was the magazine, which republished in refined form the best of this website. But PNG Attitude remains here to stay.

In fact, the magazine nearly burned out in 2006 when this blog began.  At that time, I asked readers if they wanted it to continue.  Overwhelmingly they did, and thereafter its circulation grew steadily from 200 to more than 1,200, all but three subscribers receiving it by email.

So The Review says farewell, a necessary decision to ensure I have sufficient time to devote to PNG Attitude and to the Crocodile Prize literary awards and their many associated activities – which I think have been the crowning achievement of this internet-based project so far.

It only remains to thank you – the readers - for your participation in what we have done and what we will continue to do.

If you don't read this PNG Attitude blog regularly already, perhaps now is the time to start doing so.

And, when the Crocodile Prize website is launched in a couple of months, you might like to drop in on that occasionally to catch up with the best creative writing coming out of Papua New Guinea.

And that is very good writing indeed.

Thanks again to all of you who were readers of The Review, and please stick with us here.

How our readers graphed the O'Neill-Somare crisis

THIS IS HOW THE  PNG ATTITUDE reader counter tracked the tupela wantaim political crisis of the past week.  The mechanism graphs each day's page views by blog readers.

This extract shpws the period from 20 November until last Monday.

As you can see, our readership was happily tooling along at about 1,000 a day - it's normal level - until last Wednesday when, with the crisis gathering steam it shot up to the 2,000 mark.

By Friday - the height of the O'Neill-Somare crisis and with our live blog registering events as they occur - page views leapt to a peak of around 4,000.

Then we had interest gradually fading, but it does seem we've added a hundred or so regular new readers.  Welcome!

But back to the graph - which shows a perfect representation of perhaps the greatest political crisis in Papua New Guinea' short history as a nation.  Interesting, eh?

Most commented upon articles in November

BY KEITH JACKSON

ALTHOUGH IN THE MARKET for information from all sources, PNG Attitude’s strong preference is to publish original articles from its own sources, that is, its readers.

And, when we do publish material from other sources, it is usually not gleaned from the obvious channels like the PNG daily press or the more popular PNG blogs; we try to go off the beaten track.

We do make exceptions depending on the story, but that regulation stuff is so easy to come by we feel it would be redundant for us to republish it.

And when you look at the list of the top ten commented upon pieces, a league table we produce at the end of each month, in general the articles most commented upon are … you guessed it, pieces written expressly for PNG Attitude.

This month, just in case you missed reading one of these articles the first time, or if you’d like to read it again, we’ve provided a link.

15 comments – The kiap as philosopher, and grump  (Phil Fitzpatrick).  What are fighting words?  To say disapprovingly of ex-kiaps that “one of [their] recurring themes is how the Papua New Guinean people have stuffed up their country since 1975.”  Certainly lit the blue touch paper of debate….

15 – Peter O’Neill, you’ve got it wrong on this one (Keith Jackson).  Dragging the PNG Supreme Court into the political maelstrom by taking a poke at the Chief Justice was always a lousy idea.  Admittedly the PM was overseas but, in these days of instant communication, that’s never an excuse.

14 – RH must dissociate itself from this sleazy campaign  (Keith Jackson).  A thoroughly despicable anonymous internet campaign against people (mainly women) expressing opposition to some of the practices of the RH company should have been condemned by RH and its subsidiary, The National.  It wasn’t.

12 – Neighbours: Changing mindsets on Australia and PNG  (Keith Jackson).  My meeting with Sam Riordan, Julie Bishop’s adviser on PNG affairs, canvassed many issues and showed the Australian Federal Opposition will take a fresh approach to PNG if elected to office.

11 – If only I knew: A tribute to my beautiful wife  (Reg Renagi).  This heart-rending tribute to loss and love captured the hearts of many readers, a number of whom offered stories their own experiences of dealing with profound personal tragedy.

10 – Tok Pisin should be taught in our schools  (Paul Oates).  Sometimes the simplest ideas are the best – and this one was a good one.  How better to inculcate an understanding of our nearest neighbour than to teach its lingua franca in schools?  Is anyone listening?

9 – Introducing The Review (Keith Jackson). When the PNG Attitude magazine morphed into The Review in early November, it represented more than a name change.  The new look publication promoted the role of good, original writing above trying to be a journal of record.

7 – Mama’s bilum  (Erick Kowa).  It’s rare in the Attitude annals that a poem sparks controversy.  This one did, but only because one ungracious reader decided to use it as a platform for a gratuitous swipe at the poet.  Erick was mellow in his response; but two or three Australian defenders cut to the chase in forthright Aussie fashion.

7 – What is development? Our source; the sacred land  (Martyn Namorong).  “There is no honour in not fighting to protect one’s land.”  In Melanesia, land is not a mere commodity, it is the core of spirituality and an indivisible part of the soul - “the source of everything,”  as Martyn put it.

7 – Now we’re taking PNG literature to the world  (Phil Fitzpatrick).  An initial foray into raising the Australian consciousness of PNG literature was martialled by Phil in an article for the December issue of Good Reading magazine

Neighbours: Changing mindsets on Australia & PNG

BY KEITH JACKSON

YESTERDAY MORNING, nurturing a cup of coffee in the club room of Sydney’s Shangri-La Hotel, I spent an hour and a half with Sam Riordan, foreign affairs adviser to Julie Bishop MP, Australia’s shadow foreign minister.

I began by handing over a folio of the many PNG Attitude readers’ comments on how the Australia-PNG relationship might be progressed.  I needn’t have bothered.  Sam had already read them on this website and had his own copy sitting on the table in front of him.

So the very good news is that your voices are being heard in Canberra.

Our discussion ranged across many subjects, but focused on the performance of the current Australian government in terms of trade, aid, development, regional strategy and especially the Gillard government's problems in engineering a decent relationship between our two countries.

We're close neighbours who too often forget to have a yarn over the back fence with each other.

It’s fair to say that Sam and I agreed on what seems to be the lack of a coherent strategic framework around Australia’s relationship with PNG, and the historic failure of our half billion dollar annual aid program to effectively penetrate to the grassroots people who would most benefit from it.

Sam asked me what I thought were the most critical problems facing PNG with which Australia might be able to assist.

My headline answer was national governance, mass media communications infrastructure within PNG, the targeting of the aid program, people-to-people relationships between professionals in both countries, and remedying the failure of the Australian government to engage in any sustained and comprehensible public discourse about PNG.

I pointed out to Sam that parliamentary secretary Richard Marles had made an effort to engage via PNG Attitude a bit over a year ago, but had retired to the sidelines at the first whiff of grapeshot, as you probably do when foreign minister Kevin Rudd is glaring over your shoulder.

Sam had some fine thoughts on how futile it is that aid has come to be dolloped out in multi-million dollar chunks which can be too big to swallow (my words, not his) and how, by applying smaller amounts of aid to many more micro-projects (like the Children’s University of Music and Arts, CUMA, in the Kaugere settlement, which is absurdly starved of support), a more effective development pathway may be found: a track to providing meaningful grassroots impact in PNG.

I liked this talk.  This sounded more like the stuff that works.  Smaller not bigger projects.  Funding existing but under-resourced success stories not big speculative hopes.  Aid deliverers closer to the aid recipients. More not less candour in our dealings with each other.  Massively increased interaction between our two countries – media exchanges visits, bureaucrats being seconded both ways, a connection between the official aid program and all the ex officio ones – like Rotary, Oro, Kokoda Track Foundation, Crocodile Prize and the rest.

(I pointed out to Sam that not one AusAID officer in Moresby had bothered to show up to September’s Croc Prize activities in Port Moresby, even though the High Commission staff themselves – from Ian Kemish down – had been prominent at the events and very supportive of them in every respect.  I think now as I thought at that time .... hmmm.)

Sam also presaged a possible future Coalition policy that would see more discretionary funds placed in the hand of the High Commissioner in countries like PNG.  That would be a move I’d thoroughly endorse.  Let’s face it, the people on the ground in-country tend to be more in touch with where the real needs are than the people at AusAID in Canberra.

I also argued for the maintenance of technical assistance to PNG.  The demise of the high dollar consultants should not threaten the concept of getting well oriented, well motivated, highly experienced operatives working on the ground in PNG.

Because Australia’s previous technical assistance to PNG seems to have grotesquely under-performed doesn’t mean that technical assistance is a failure.  It means that the right kind of technical assistance must be provided by the right people in the right places.

And, as mentioned above, it must be reciprocal.  For every Australian who goes to PNG to offer assistance, a Papua New Guinean should be working with an Australian company or agency – to acculturate us to our nearest neighbour as well as to themselves learn how we do things.

Sam and I spoke about these matters and many more.  I enjoyed our wide-ranging conversation.  It’s part of a useful dialogue about practical matters between people interested in the PNG-Australia relationship - a dialogue that that needs to continue and to intensify.

We ended our conversation by agreeing to stay closely in touch.  That’s Sam, me and you.

Introducing The Review.... 

On Thursday, our new look magazine – with a new concept and a new masthead – was sent to 1,200 subscribers.  If you're not one of them, you can subscribe (free) to The Review here.  And, after you've read it, we'd like to receive your Comments....

THE RENAGI APPEAL is coming to a close and currently stands at K6,800 ($3,060).  Donate via Keith Jackson - BSB 082-302 - Account 50650-1355.  In the 'Description' box, mark gift ‘FOR REG’.  Thanks to the many generous readers who have provided support to Reg at this very difficult time

The Renagi Appeal now stands at K1,929 ($870). PNG Attitude contributor and colleague Reg Renagi lost his wife in the "impossible tragedy” of the Madang plane crash.  Readers who wish to contribute to the appeal can do so by making a deposit to: Keith Jackson BSB 082-302 Account No 50650-1355.  In the Description box, mark your gift ‘For Reg’.  And drop me an email

Our most commented upon stories in September

BY KEITH JACKSON

SEPTEMBER REVEALED the grand diversity of themes characteristic of PNG Attitude: with stories that provoked people to comment ranging from the ubiquitous Crocodile Prize through educational issues to the oddity of the newborn ‘Repentance Day’ in PNG.

23 comments – The Crocodile prize winners: the best of the best (Keith Jackson).  The first year of the literary awards was an undoubted success.  Run of the smell of an oily rag with grand help from the Post-Courier and the Australian High Commission, the Prize promises a renaissance in creative writing in PNG.

15 – Some major educational ideas worth debating (Peter Kranz).  Peter, correctly, decided we should have a new category for Education in PNG Attitude and kicked off proceedings with some thought bubbles that stirred readers into responding.

14 – What a bloody-minded way to treat a sick old man (Keith Jackson).  The new O’Neill government had more than adequate numbers to control parliament, so why did Speaker Nape humiliate the ‘Father of the Nation’ by booting him out of his seat?  One of the more intriguing questions in PNG politics last month.

13 – ‘Í am still prime minister’: Sir Michael (Keith Jackson).  Sir Michael’s response was quick and firm.  And the court cases continue to deliberate on whether his statement is correct.

11 – Repentance Day: reflections on absurdity (Nichson Piakal).  This new public holiday descended (unexpectedly) on the Land of the Unexpected.  Nichson was strenuous in taking task with the need for it – and readers enjoined debate with gusto.

10 – Port Moresby & that great writers’ workshop (Keith Jackson).  My reflections on a city I hadn’t visited for 35 years and the warm comradeship of a group of emergent writers who featured in the Crocodile Prize.  What a brilliant assembly of people they are.

10 – Air Niugini & Airlines PNG merger approved (Peter Kranz).  This issue went ballistic in the PNG social media, with one Facebook page scoring over 100 comments.  A strong anti-monopolistic trend apparent in all that.

9 – Sir Joseph Nombri: the crocodile hunter (Phil Fitzpatrick).  Phil’s fine tribute to Joe Nombri contained some wonderful anecdotes and struck a chord among readers, especially those who knew him well.

9 – The trials of Dr Nadile: PM O’Neill, please intervene (Keith Jackson).  When corruption whistleblowers are targetted for harassment and unfair treatment, it is a particularly bad look.  We’re still waiting for Mr O’Neill to walk the talk on this one.

8 – Lost in the non-linearity of PNG time (Martyn Namorong).  This discursive essay on differences in perceptions of time between Melanesians and Westerners proved to be very thought-provoking for many readers.

8 – A parliament of eunuchs: is corruption biological? (Phil Fitzpatrick).  Phil’s creative hypothesis on the roots of corruption led to a rather innovative solution.

Welcome to ‘& Co’: a tribute to our Contributors

BY KEITH JACKSON

YOU KNOW what company means?  No, I'm not referring to the business entity we commonly associate with the word. More the old meaning of a close knit team: a group with a common purpose...

As in the 12th century French compaignie (a body of soldiers, or in our case warriors of the keyboard) which was itself stolen from the Latin companio meaning “companion, a person who eats bread with you”.  And drinks beer too, I guess.  And argues.

Well, I thought it was time to start depersonalising PNG Attitude a bit. And giving credit, within the limitations of titling available to me, to the 70 or so regular contributors who have made this blog so popular with so many readers.

Hence the ‘& Co’ – Co standing for our splendid company of writers, contributors and commenters  who breathe continuing life into this blog; who expose, explain, analyse and debate the issues; and who are helping build an important conversation between Papua New Guineans and Australians.

It's impossible to squeeze all your names into the masthead, so I hope ‘& Co’ may serve as a continuing tribute.  And I know you'll tell me if you think it's a lousy idea.

Our most commented upon stories in August

BY KEITH JACKSON

AS REGULAR READERS know, this website exists to maintain a people-to-people connection and dialogue between Papua New Guineans and Australians.

It does this mainly by providing opportunities for a mutual consideration of issues influencing the relationship between our two countries and which affect people’s lives.

A quick glance down the list of last month’s most commented upon stories provides a pretty good indication of the wide scope of subject matter and the pretty even balance between contributors from both countries.

14 comments – Mineral ownership lessons from Bougainville (Martyn Namorong).  Another provocative piece from Martyn set the dogs howling, the children running and the hens laying.  Land ownership is always a serious subject in PNG and one bound to generate contention.  Martyn set himself the task of apportioning responsibility for previous stuff-ups.  The outcome: a fascinating exchange on this most vexed of issues. 

13 – Your chance to input Australia’s PNG policy (Keith Jackson). Whenever we ask readers for advice, there’s always plenty on offer. So when we asked for policy suggestions to put to an Australian opposition breathing down the Gillard government’s neck, readers enjoined with gusto.

12 – Peter O’Neill is surprise new prime minister (Keith Jackson). Early August brought about the demise of the Somare-Abal led ruling coalition as frustrated MPs flocked across to the opposition benches to give PNG a new government.  The early rhetoric has been promising; but now for some action.

11 – The case for Christianity in national affairs (Ganjiki Wayne). OK, so religion and politics are easy meat in terms of getting people engaged. But Ganjiki certainly was able to provoke people into laying hands on their keyboard – no doubt after undertaking very deep thought.

10 – An open letter to the new government (Martyn Namorong).  A letter that begins “Congratulations on your chaotic power grab” certainly gained my attention, so let’s hope it caught the eye of people who matter.  One thing’s for sure, Martyn will be keeping the new breed of leaders in PNG under keen scrutiny.

9 – Was there a Rabaul atrocities cover up (Ross Wilkinson).  A most unusual entry in “Most Commented Upon”, because the article concerned was published in PNG Attitude as long ago as 8 May 2008.  But after more than three years it piqued the interest of a roaming reader who had something to say – and so the feedback flowed.

8 – New Crocodile award honours Lady Kidu (Keith Jackson). Phil Fitzpatrick and I asked Dame Carol Kidu if she would lend her name to an award for women’s literature in PNG which we could add to the Crocodile Prize.  She said yes, an anonymous benefactor stumped up the funds and away we went.

8 – Former mastas have their noses rubbed in it (Charlie Lynn).  “PNG’s rebuff to Australia during the asylum seeker debate was an indicator that we are no longer the white masta and can no longer take them for granted,” wrote Charlie. Well, PNG changed its mind with a new government in office, but Charlie’s always good for a bit of apoplexy.

8 – Young missionary recounts PNG experiences (Keith Jackson).  Not really my yarn but a fanciful piece by a ‘young missionary’ that managed to perpetuate much hyperbole about PNG.  Reader Peter Kranz found the story had appeared in the mouth of another ‘missionary’ elsewhere in the US.  Could be a hoax, a try-on or even a fully-fledged scam to secure cash from the gullible.

7 – Repentance Day: how then shall we live (Ganjiki Wayne). PNG’s newest public holiday perplexed some people, amused others and irritated a clutch more.  Ganjiki sought to make the best of the intent, however, by directing his thoughts to how proper observance of the day might assist PNG on its forward march.

7 – Through a blind man’s eyes (Joe Gurina).  This story was reprised from the Post-Courier.  When Phil Fitzpatrick read it, he wondered whether PNG Attitude readers were up to donating the money to help the near-blind Sadam get the eye operation he desperately requires.  They were – giving over K2,500.  Well done readers; well done Phil; and well done Joe Gurina for securing and writing the original story.

The Sadam appeal: readers commit K2,500

BY PHIL FITZPATRICK

YOU’VE ALL SEEN the segments on the so-called current affairs programs on television.

Sandwiched between the latest diet fad and the manufactured outrage at the most recent boat load of refugees is the mandatory sob-story.

Someone has stolen little Tommy’s bicycle from outside the bottle shop; the one he bought by labouring for years in the Sydney salt mines, the blubbering and obese single mum with a cigarette hanging on her lip tells the camera.

Or our rented fibro house inexplicably burnt down just before Christmas and all the kids’ presents are gone.

Or someone nicked Susie’s red Toyota Celica and she now has to walk two kilometres to her job at the brothel where she performs tricks to pay for her six fellow orphan’s tuition fees to law school.

And, you think, pull the other leg, it plays jingle bells.

You also wonder why the television station, if it is so concerned, just doesn’t quietly buy Tommy a new bike, get the kids some presents, and buy Susie another old rust bucket without parading them mercilessly on national television.

There’s no advertising profit in that of course and we all know that those gullible enough to buy this commercialised begging and exploitation also tend to be disposed to buying the junk that is advertised during the frequent and repetitive commercial breaks.

Which brings me to the near-blind Mavo ‘Sadam’ Manu and PNG Attitude’s little appeal.

Is this just another blatant sob-story hung out to attract the gullible and the soft-hearted?

I suppose we’ll never really know for sure.  This is a flight of faith on our part.  We do know that he is probably unaware that quite a few of our readers have been unobtrusively slipping the odd dollar or kina into an account for him to be delivered by hand in September.

I wonder what his reaction will be?  He looks like a proud and dignified man; he might be affronted by our arrogant presumption and refuse to accept our charity.  What will we do then I wonder?

And if we make too much fuss about it will his wantoks descend for their cut of the loot after we have gone?

I guess when all is said and done, we have to rely on professional journalism on the part of the Post-Courier, good faith and our intuition, and hope we are doing the right thing.

Then we will be left to wonder how many other Sadams there are out there genuinely struggling to make ends meet.

Are our meagre efforts a mere and insignificant drop in the vast ocean of poverty and despair or are they a principled message to our meaner friends that selfishness and greed is slowly killing our world.

I doubt whether Sadam fully realises where his nickname originated.  If he did he would be rightfully appalled at the evil connotations.  On the face of it, his life couldn’t be in such starker contrast.

I suppose we could muse about this and other inequities all day long.

Instead, we are just going to say, to hell with it, let’s give this esteemed gentleman a surprise on Independence Day – what he does with it is his prerogative.

For better or worse, we’ve collected K2,095.75 for him with another K400 pledged.

That’s a wonderful K2,500.  Many thanks to you all.

You can help give Sadam the gift of sight

ALTHOUGH BLIND for 21 years, there is still hope that Mavo ‘Sadam’ Manu from Domara village in the Cloudy Bay area of the Abau District will see again.

This good man, who lost his wife and his sight all within 12 months, but bravely brought up his three kids single-handedly, needs funding for specialist treatment.

PNG Attitude’s target is K2,000 of which, thanks to generous gifts of K200 from Jimmy Drekore [right] overnight and Tanya and Corney Alone and the Renbo Smile Club, now stands at K1,800. 

 Read Sadam’s story here.

You can deposit your donation into the SPSS The Crocodile Account at the Bendigo Bank BSB 633-000 Account Number 141 021 527, making sure to reference ‘Sadam’.  The funds will be delivered personally to Sadam in Port Moresby by Phil Fitzpatrick and me next month - KJ

This morning, for the first time, PNG Attitude recorded more than 1,000 page views on five consecutive days.   We're grateful to readers and contributors for enabling us to achieve this landmark

Political controversy boosts reader numbers

BY KEITH JACKSON

IT WAS A PHENOMENON I first observed working for the Australian Broadcasting Corporation.

When there was a crisis running, ABC listener numbers soared.

The heavy heat of controversy generates a thirst for information.

Well, in the last couple of days – with political turmoil breaking out in Papua New Guinea - we noticed a similar pattern on PNG Attitude (see graph).

Page views, which generally chug along at 700-900 a day, took off – almost doubling.

While on the subject of statistics, I'll share with you a few more numbers.

Like, where our readers come from.  The figures show that 60% live in Australia, 17% in PNG and 10% in the US.  The rest are scattered throughout the globe.

And of the 1,095 subscribers to PNG Attitude magazine, 41% live in PNG and 55%  are in Australia.

August's PNG Attitude magazine is out there.  Sixty pages of informative reading.  Get your free monthly email copy here.

Top 10 commented upon articles in July

BY KEITH JACKSON

IT WAS GREAT to see five new names among the contributors whose PNG Attitude articles in July triggered the greatest response from readers.

PNG Attitude is nothing if it is not the collective endeavour of the people who write for it – and you don’t have to agree with everything they say to appreciate that they take the time and trouble to say it.

By and large, I find our contributors and readers a tolerant lot. Little makes me more respectful of authors than to read the response to comments criticising, sometime strongly criticising, their words and who bounce back with a wry remark and with no offence taken.

Now let’s cut to the chase.  Which articles spurred readers’ interest so much in July, that they had to respond with a comment.  Here are the top 10….

19 responses - If we drive out God, who shall save PNG (Ganjiki D Wayne).  Say what you like about subjects that should never be broached in polite company, but religion is always good for a robust debate.  And so it proved when Ganjiki decided to subject us to some provocative thoughts on the godliness/godlessness of present day PNG.

16 - Secret group will back election candidates (Keith Jackson).  Nothing like a bit of furtive behind the scenes politicking to get the keyboards clicking.  In this case, a group of PNG expatriates living in Australia have decided they wish to see political change in PNG when the next general election comes round in 2012.

11 - Ask not what your country can do for you (Phil Fitzpatrick).  He’s “a shining light that stands out from the crowd” and his name is Ralph John Regenvanu – a Vanuatu politician who’s making waves because of his selflessness and willingness to go the extra mile in the benefit of the people.

11 - Big man politics: when the chief is away… (Bill Standish).  Everything Bill writes on PNG is worth reading and this article was well in that class: a crystal clear appraisal of the complex political currents swirling around PNG as the ailing Grand Chief is no longer at the helm of the ship of State.

10 - The scandal of Operation Sunset Merona (David Fedele).  David’s sensational footage of a cowardly joint police- military operation against West Papuan refugees on the PNG side of the border provided a rare glimpse of the underside of one of the world’s longest running guerrilla wars.

10 – The lost Melanesians (Martyn Namorong).  “You have a name for folks like me / Coconuts! / Black on the outside and white inside / Yeah sure I know my people / And maybe I speak their language / But I am not one of them”.  Not often poetry gets this level of feedback.  You don’t understand modern PNG until you understand this poem.

10 - Michael Somare resigns as prime minister (Keith Jackson).  But did he?  Or did Arthur resign him?  And is that constitutional?  A story that seemed to end everything but in fact began a whole new chapter in the political saga of Michael Somare.

10 - Somare: a tribute to a legend and his legacy (Sharlene Kylie Gawi).  Sharlene’s homage to the Grand Chief had the Somarephiles and Somarephobes arguing the toss – but the one thing you can’t deny is that the old man made his mark.

9 - Buai trade is not economically rational (David Kitchnoge).  “Buai [betel nut] vendors are the most enterprising and productive people,” David argues, “who are unfortunately directing their entrepreneurial spirit and productivity towards an economically misguided activity.”

8 - Australia's second great Papuan colonisation (Phil Fitzpatrick).  The remnants of lapita style pottery at an archaeological dig at Caution Bay on the Papuan coast indicates that people were there four millennia ago – and that they may have reached present day Australia.

8 - Need for more investigative journalism (Nelson P Thom).  Nelson is sceptical that PNG journalism has reached its investigative best and he wants to see greater probing, analysis and revelation from the Melanesian third estate.

 

Your editor has been travelling in eastern and western Europe for some weeks and on Friday and Saturday will be enjoying (?) a long flight back to Sydney.  Hence there are likely to be more than the usual delays in posting your comments, but please continue to submit them - KJ