Australian High Commission
Papua New Guinea

Speech 061114 Courthouse

 

Speech for the opening of the District Courthouse and sector housing

 

14 November 2006; Vanimo, PNG

AusAID Minister Counsellor, Margaret Thomas

 

Provincial Administrator, Mr Joseph Sungi, Deputy Chief Magistrate, Mr Stephen Oli, Senior Provincial Magistrate, Mr Jack August, Provincial Jail Commander, Mr Michael Wundia, Provincial Police Commander, Mr Richard Mulou, distinguished guests, ladies and gentleman, I am very pleased to be taking part in today’s opening of the new District Courthouse for West Sepik Province, together with the related sector houses here in Vanimo.

I am particularly pleased to see such a great example of the law and justice sector working together, not only across the national agencies, but also with the Provincial Administration and other local partners. This kind of cooperation is exactly what is needed to help bring effective law and justice services to the people of PNG, and is in line with the three pillars of PNG’s National Law & Justice Policy, particular the policy’s emphasis on sectoral coordination and improved use of sector resources. The justice system can only work well where each agency in the chain - police, prosecutors, courts, correctional services - are all able to play their part. It is also critical that these formal agencies build strong working relationships with the communities they serve.

The Vanimo Court House and Housing Project has cost almost K 2.5 million. The work has involved refurbishment and extension of the existing court house to provide a new juvenile court and holding cells. The project also included the construction of 6 houses - 2 for Community Based Corrections, 2 for Correctional Services and 2 for Magisterial Services.

While I am very pleased that the Australian aid program has been able to support the law and justice sector and West Sepik Province to implement this initiative, it is also important that this be seen as a partnership, with strong commitment from the PNG agencies involved. In this case, it is particularly encouraging to know that Magisterial Services has played a lead role in managing this initiative from the beginning and has provided its own funding for construction of an additional magistrate’s house. Magisterial Services’ commitment to fund ongoing maintenance costs for this new court facility is also a good sign that the aid program’s contribution to this project will continue to provide benefits into the future.

The decision of the law and justice sector, in partnership with the Provincial Administration, to revitalise the district court facilities in Manus and to accommodate key personnel reflects a strong commitment to improve service delivery on the ground. It is also a great example of a constructive partnership between national agencies and the province. It is this kind of partnership that the law and justice sector is particularly focused on as part of its emerging provincial engagement strategy. The approach being taken here in Vanimo provides an example for the rest of the country of what effective law and justice sector coordination and cooperation can look like on the ground.

With the ongoing hard work of all the agencies involved, and working closely with the community, we can now look forward to a stronger law and justice system in the province, including a court system that will be able to deal with cases more efficiently both at the District Court level and, with circuiting judges now able to make use of these facilities, also at the National Court level. A strong law and justice sector is particularly important for Vanimo and West Sepik Province as it is becoming a centre for commercial activity, related to increasing cross border trade and travel.

Australia is pleased to be working with the PNG Government to help find solutions to the law and order challenges in PNG. A strong law and justice system is vital for the safety, security and social development of all Papua New Guineans. And like physical infrastructure such as roads, is critical to the country’s economic growth.

Australia has provided very significant support for PNG’s law and justice agencies over the last 15 years. The estimated value of that support is about K400million and significant improvements have been achieved by all sector agencies and partners. I am pleased that the aid program is able to support the sector to implement the National Law & Justice Policy, with a strong focus on fostering a coordinated sector approach, recognising that the effectiveness of each agency is, to a significant extent, dependent on the other agencies. I am also pleased that decisions about the allocation of aid program support are made by the sector itself, as part of your Government’s own annual planning and budgeting processes.

This approach recognises the importance of PNG leadership and ownership of law and justice reforms. After all, it is not the involvement of the aid program that will enable PNG to meet its law and justice goals, but the ongoing hard work and cooperation of the law and justice agencies, provincial and local level governments, and most importantly, communities - like all of you here in Vanimo - that will result in lasting change.

Let me close today by congratulating Magisterial Services and the other partner agencies in the law and justice sector, particularly the Department of Justice & Attorney-General and Correctional Services, on the successful completion of this new courthouse and sector housing. And to the West Sepik Provincial Administration and the people of the province, thank you very much for the opportunity to come and visit this beautiful place, and I wish you all the best as you continue to work together to maintain just, safe and secure communities throughout the province.

Thank you.

END