Australian High Commission

Community Hall

By Inside PNG 21/03/2024

A new government hall built for community engagements was declared open in Ioro, Panguna District in Bougainville.

This facility is a purpose-built for community meeting spaces with kitchenettes and storage rooms, a disability access ramp, chairs and storage racks, ceiling fans, and a 9,000-litre water tank.

Delivered at a cost of K30 million, it is one of several infrastructures built by the Australian government through the 19 districts in the Autonomous Bougainville Region.

Australian High Commissioner to PNG John Feakes was in Bougainville to witness launch of Australia funded projects.

“These buildings provide meetings spaces for community governments and wards, furthering their efforts to meet their community’s development needs, ” said Feakes.

This community government infrastructure initiative supports Australia’s localisation policy, which prioritises contracting of local Bougainville-based service providers. The project created employment and skills development opportunities in the construction sector for over 200 people across Bougainville.

Minister for Community Government and District Affairs in the Autonomous Bougainville Government, Theonila Roka-Matbob, said the Community Government facilities are designed to support community governments and wards.

She added that the hall now provide a functional space for the elected women and men to work together to perform their leadership and administrative duties and for community meetings and local activities.

Recent: https://insidepng.com/increasing-access-to-electricity-in-arawa/

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Autonomous Region of Bougainville

Increasing Access to Electricity

By Inside PNG 21/03/2024

Residents in Arawa town should start enjoying a more reliable access to electricity supply with the completion of renewable energy upgrades come 2025.

This includes the Autonomous Region of Bougainville’s first commercial-scale solar farm with battery storage.

These upgrades are part of a broader suite of the Australian support for provincial power stations across Papua New Guninea and include plans to upgrade Buka’s power station.

To mark the project’s half-way point, Australian High Commissioner To PNG, John Feakes, was taken on a tour by Autonomous Bougainville Government President, Ishmael Toroama to the power station

Feakes said Australia is committed to improving access to energy in Bougainville and is supporting the ABG’s economic development and energy goals.

“The solar panels installed are already providing power to Arawa. Once fully completed in 2025, this project will further improve power supply for local businesses and enhance many facets of people’s lives, including health and education, and increasing safety and security, especially for women and girls,” said Feakes.

The PGK18.8 million renewable energy upgrades in Arawa are being implemented in two stages.

The first stage is a small solar plant at PNG Power Limited’s (PPL) existing power station that, as of March this year, has begun supplying power in Arawa.

The second stage will deliver a larger solar farm with a battery energy storage system at a new site that PPL acquired in 2023 with assistance from the ABG.

Once completed, the upgrades will decrease running costs for PPL by reducing reliance on expensive diesel fuel and will cut carbon emissions by 1,800 tonnes of CO2e in the first year alone, allowing PPL to supply more reliable power to the people of Arawa.

“Australia looks forward to jointly launching the completed project with the Government of PNG and the ABG in March 2025,” Feakes said.

Recent: https://insidepng.com/new-community-hall-ioro-panguna-district/

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Climate Change

Grants for Research Work

By Inside PNG 14/09/2023

The Australian Government has announced it will support research work towards Papua New Guinea’s Climate Adaptation and Mitigation Policy.

Australian High Commissioner to PNG, Jon Philp said this will be through the form of grants offered to the Climate Change and Development Authority (CCDA)

These funding support will is aimed at emerging cohort of climate researchers from PNG to deliver evidence-based research in support of PNG’s climate goals.

The grants will support eligible Master’s and Doctoral students in a one year program of research and the findings during the study which will be presented at the Third National Climate Change Summit next year.

It will be delivered in partnership with CCDA, the National Research Institute (NRI), and the PNG Science and Technology Secretariat.

This joint initiative between PNG and Australia is one component of Australia’s dedication to support PNG implement the climate national adaptation and mitigation goals.

Part of this partnership included the facilitating of a team of international experts from the Australian National University to attend the National Climate Change Summit in Port Moresby.

Presentations made by climate change specialists from Australia included topics on climate challenges faced by communities in the Pacific Region and how to identify solutions.

The topics covered blended finance options for climate adaptation, climate justice and social inclusion, and new research to trial carbon trading through coffee farming.

Meanwhile the application information for the climate research grant opportunities will be available on the Climate Change and Development Authority website following the conclusion of the Summit.

Recent: https://insidepng.com/new-climate-change-regulation-to-improve-carbon-trading/

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News

Bagana Assistance

By Inside PNG 11/08/2023

More relief assistance is reaching villages on Bougainville island affected by the Mt. Bagana eruption on 7th July 2023.

Yesterday the US Army airlifted the first load of relief supplies into Torokina District, three weeks after the eruption.

Through the US Agency for International Development (US AID), $ 200, 000 was injected into the International Organization for Migration (IOM) to support the humanitarian response.

IOM is leading the camp management at the declared care centers at Piva and Wakunai. Two new care centers were also declared for locals in Panguna and Kunua Districts.

With most of the water source considered unsafe for drinking, the Australian Government through the Australian Defense Force had supplied water purifying tablets.

An ADF aircraft landed in Buka on 10th August 2023, carrying with it shelter and hygiene kits.

Australian High Commissioner to PNG, Jon Philp who who flew in with Australian Defense Advisor, Colonel Travis Gordon on at the ADF aircraft C-27 handed over the supplies to Bougainville President, Ishmael Toroama.

“This support demonstrates the strength of our commitment to cooperation and friendship particularly in times of need,” said Commissioner Philp.

The New Zealand Government is assisting in this humanitarian response through collecting and testing of water samples for drinking.

Last Wednesday, a Papua New Guinea Defense Force Naval Vessel sailed into Bougainville for the first time after 23 years.

All these responses by the National Government and international partners come after a request by the Autonomous Bougainville Government to assist more than a 1000 people displaced by the eruption.

Mt. Bagana is an active volcano located on South-west of Bougainville.

While no deaths were reported, the ash fall and lava that flowed into river systems and food gardens have affected several other villages in Central Bougainville.

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