Australia continues to support PNG’s Law and Justice sector

Australia has re-affirmed its commitment to PNG's Law and Justice Sector.

The Acting Counsellor for Law and Justice Sector with the Australian High Commission, Nicholas Yates said this during the second day of a reflection workshop for the Law and Justice sector in Madang Province.

Addressing participants of the workshop, he said Australia is a good friend to Papua New Guinea, and both countries have worked together to strengthen safety, justice, governance and service delivery across the country.

"Through the Australia- PNG Law and Justice Partnership (APLJ), Australia supports PNG's vision for a fair, effective and accessible justice system that serves all citizens, including those in rural and remote communities.

"Australia's support extends across the law and justice sector, working alongside national, provincial and local institutions to strengthen coordination, leadership, and service delivery. This includes support to the different levels of the court system, the police, correctional services, community justice mechanisms, and the institutions responsible for addressing family and sexual violence, promoting community safety and improving access to justice," said Mr Yates.

He went on to also explain that Australia's role is not to direct or lead these efforts.

Rather, its role is to work alongside PNG counterpart in helping to strengthen local capacity, support reforms that are driven by PNG priorities, and foster partnerships that deliver practical outcomes for communities.

Mr Yates further told the participants, mainly village court officials, district administrators, llg managers, police and CS officers that they are the first point of contact for members of their communities who face conflicts, disputes and challenges.

"Your continuous engagement with your communities helps to strengthen law and order and ensure that everyone feels safe and protected.

"We recognise that effective law and justice services depend not only on strong national insitutions, but also on strong provincial leadership and community- led engagements.

"The workshop this week is an important opportunity for you to share your experiences with each other, to boost collaboration with your peers and to strengthen to coordination between all law and justice stakeholders in the province.

"I know that many of you work in remote locations, so please take the time whilst you are together to build strong relationships with each other. These foundations will support you all to better serve your communities," he said.

Mr Yates also highlighted that such gatherings are so important as they provide an opportunity to bring together those responsible for delivering services on the ground, to discuss common challenges, share practical solutions, and identify opportunities to work more effectively as one sector.

He said Australia is proud to support this work under the Australia- PNG Law and Justice Partnership program.

Also, in attendance at the meeting this week is the Independent Commission Against Corruption (ICAC) Deputy Commissioner, Thomas Eluh, who did a presentation on the work ICAC is doing in the country, Madang's new PPC, Chief Superintendent Vakaruru Uraia, and the Senior Provincial Magistrate, Fridolin Kambibel, who is also the Chairman of the Provincial Land Dispute Committee, and Deputy Provincial Administrator, Michael Pamaraka.

The meeting was officially opened by Madang Governor, Ramsey Pariwa on Wednesday.

Pariwa re- assured the law and justice sector in Madang of his government's continuous support.

"My duty, the provincial government's duty, DDA's duty, and our political leaders' duty at the sub- national level of government is to support you. The actual work of implementing and enforcing the law, implementing the policies of government is with the law and justice sector.

"And I am grateful all of you are here because I've already started the work of empowering and supporting our law and justice sector in the province.

"I'm looking forward to see if we can build a new courthouse for both the national and district court. I'd like to see that we build a new police station at Jomba too, and improve the facilities at Beon CS, but we need partners," Governor Pariwa said.