Call to review aid as Rudd heads to PNG
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As Prime Minister Kevin Rudd prepares to travel to Papua New Guinea, a former PNG prime minister has called for Australia to review its multi-million dollar aid package in an effort to counter systemic corruption.
Transparency International ranks PNG as one the most corrupt countries in the world. Australia is PNG's largest aid donor, to the tune of over $300 million a year.
Former prime minister and now Opposition Leader Sir Mekere Morauta is calling for a new approach from AusAid.
"Hundreds of millions have been spent or are being spent on capacity building, but nothing really has eventuated," he said.
Mr Rudd is expected to hold a joint press conference with his PNG counterpart Sir Michael Somare when he arrives in Port Moresby today.
The pair will discuss aid, climate change, migrant workers and the future of the World War II Kokoda Track.
Mr Rudd's visit is being seen as a sign that the relationship between the two countries has improved, with Australia apparently happy to ignore the role Sir Michael's government played in the 2006 escape of Julian Moti from Port Moresby to Solomon Islands on board a PNG Defence Force aircraft, allowing him to avoid arrest on Australian child sex charges.
The Moti affair led to a halt in bilateral discussions between PNG and the former Howard government.
Tomorrow, Mr Rudd flies to Goroko in PNG's Highlands to inspect AusAID projects before continuing to Solomon Islands.
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