17 October 2012
Appointment of Service Providers to
Manus Island Asylum Seeker Processing Facility
The Australian Government has been working closely with the PNG Government to progress the establishment of a Regional Processing Centre on Manus Island.
With the agreement of the PNG Government, priority has been given to the construction of a temporary facility. Work on this temporary facility is nearing completion, and it is planned that the first transfer of asylum seekers to Manus will take place later in October.
Service providers have been appointed to support client transfers to the Manus RPC. These services are welfare (the Salvation Army), health services (International Health and Medical Services) and operational support services (G4S). The PNG Government was consulted before the appointment of these service providers. The service providers were appointed based on their demonstrated expertise, experience and capacity to provide services within a short timeframe.
On 11 October, the Australian Government convened a workshop in Brisbane with the service providers and official representatives from PNG, included from the Manus Provincial Government. The workshop was instrumental in working through a number of issues relating to the establishment of a Regional Processing Centre on Manus Island.
The Australian Government supports the Manus Provincial Government's aim to maximise the opportunity for local participation in employment and subcontracting activity. All service providers have been briefed on the preference to engage local contractors where capability exists within Manus Province.
Service providers have also been advised that efforts to procure supplies and equipment for the Regional Processing Centre should be focussed on Manus Province first, followed by PNG more widely. International procurement should only take place when appropriate supplies cannot be obtained effectively within PNG.
Due to the imperative to have the site ready for operation, much of the early procurement of equipment has been undertaken in Australia or Port Moresby. This is not necessarily indicative of long term procurement arrangements. There is a definite preference for purchasing locally.
In order to avoid adverse impacts on the supply of goods locally in the Manus Province, many supplies for the Regional Processing Centre will initially be sourced from PNG more broadly and Australia. The Australian Government expects that capacity and supply issues can be overcome in the medium term and enduring contracts would be put in place with local companies for supply to the Regional Processing Centre.
The Australian Government is yet to be advised of the preferred location of the site for the permanent facility on Manus. Once the site is agreed an experienced contractor will be appointed to build the facility, consistent with the consultative terms of the Memorandum of Understanding signed by both Governments on the establishment of the Regional Processing Centre.
With regard to the package of assistance to be provided to Manus Island by Australia in accordance with the Memorandum of Understanding, the two Governments have agreed to send a joint assessment mission to Manus in the near future to meet with the Provincial and Local-Level Governments and to better understand the development needs of the community. The development programs can commence as soon as practicable following that visit.
The PNG Government has the lead in liaising with the Manus Provincial Government on all matters relating to the Regional Processing Centre. We understand the PNG Government has local governance arrangements in place to update and engage with the Manus Provincial Government.