Australia aid

Australia provides support to eruption-impacted communities

In response to Papua New Guinea's request for support and the priorities identified by the West New Britain Provincial Disaster Office, Australia deployed a Royal Australian Air Force C-130J Hercules aircraft to assist with the airlift of emergency relief supplies to West New Britain.

The eruption, which took place on November 20th, has affected more than 26,000 people in surrounding communities, with up to 9,000 of them internally displaced and residing in care centres in West New Britain and East New Britain provinces.

Polye praises Australia’s K1.2bn aid

He was commenting on the Australian Government’s K1.2 billion aid package to PNG for economic growth and poverty alleviation.

“The new aid package is a continuous vote of confidence in PNG and its people,” Polye said.

“However, our alternative government’s position on the funds is that the Australian Government should help PNG strengthen its institutions, address law and order problems and use the funds on other priority areas.”

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Climate change actions: we can do at least this much

http://www.looppng.com/content/climate-change-actions-we-can-do-least-much

Everyone knows that some small island states, such as the Maldives in the Indian Ocean or Tuvalu in the Pacific, face serious risks to their survival if we do not take effective action to address climate change and curb rising sea levels.

Weather devastated provinces to get Aussie aid

Medical Faculty upgraded

With recent sponsorship from AusAid, the Faculty has benefitted from upgrades to its facilities. Administration executive officer Philip Modudula says the new facilities will contribute, and have  already contributed, to the increase in standards of the study programs for students at the faculty.

Mr Modudula said that the Medical Faculty had often been mistaken as being an institute separate from the University of Papua New Guinea, and has had its budget cut by the university as a result of receiving the AusAid donations.

Survey of Australians' attitudes to aid yields mixed results

Researchers from the Australian National University surveyed Australians about their opinions of foreign aid and what they expect from their aid programme.

One of the authors, Terence Wood, says in a nutshell, the research found most Australians support the government giving aid, even though many don't actually know how much Australia gives or where.

However, he says the public is also fairly comfortable with the amount of money given being reduced - but not to the Pacific.