Chris Hayes (Fowler, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Hansard source

I thank the Chief Opposition Whip for bringing this motion forward as it gives us an opportunity to reflect on Australia's relationship with Papua New Guinea, particularly in the area of health. Australia and Papua New Guinea enjoy a mutually significant relationship based on strong geographic and historical ties. In fact, as I understand it, from the Western Province of Papua New Guinea you can paddle some five kilometres and make it to Australia's maritime waters. Due to our strong historical and geographic ties, Australia naturally has a very strong interest in the development of Papua New Guinea and of the Pacific in general. We have heard much about that over the past week. Australia has invested a lot of aid in Papua New Guinea. At the moment a little over $1 billion from the 2009-2010 budget alone has been allocated to PNG aid, of which a large proportion, $133 million, has been directed towards health matters, including $72 million for Papua New Guinea Health for HIV and AIDS programs—which I understand, from previous speakers, have been very much of significance in that region.

Despite this substantial development assistance, we cannot deny that the PNG health system is still incredibly fragile and certainly failing to meet Millennium Development Goals—there is no retreating from that, particularly as they relate to health. It is well established that Papua New Guinea nationals often choose to seek treatment at Australian health facilities on Saibai and Boigu islands rather than attend closer facilities in the Western Province, at Daru. There are a number of possible reasons for that. The low standards of health care in areas have been identified, including issues about governance, administration, difficulties in respect of infrastructure—the size—poor sanitation, water and water quality. Clearly, these matters all have an impact and, as a consequence, people in Papua New Guinea are making a choice to go elsewhere for treatment.

These issues, combined with a lack of qualified staff and clinical supplies and a limited diagnostic capability all contribute to a large number of the communicable diseases, including TB. As most here would be aware, tuberculosis is an infection, primarily of the lungs, caused by a bacteria that often spreads from person to person by the breathing of affected air during close contact. Overcrowding and the lack of adequate ventilation are significant reasons for the high prevalence of TB in poorer communities, particularly in Papua New Guinea. TB incidence in Papua New Guinea is rising to a rate, as I understand, of over 95 people per 100,000, compared with Australia, where it is five persons per 100,000.

One of the issues about TB in Papua New Guinea is that it is becoming largely treatment resistant. Part of the reason for that is inadequate attention being given to follow-up treatment. Once they are getting better from the drugs being administered, people tend to vacate the system, whereas the actual bacteria must be completely eradicated, otherwise it returns to its host and, then, with some degree of mutation it can be not only stronger but more resistant to drug related medication.

This is where the issue about practitioners involved in the field and working with the community becomes very important. Due to geographical proximity and the high mobility of people between Papua New Guinea and Australia, aided no doubt by the Torres Strait Treaty, there is a high risk of this disease being able to cross borders.

The government is already putting $1.1 million into AusAID to help ramp up PNG's capability for treating TB cases in the Western Province. This is an area that geographically is closest to Australia, and it is an area that people are avoiding at the moment. This investment will go towards recruiting staff at Daru Hospital and at their outreach service, which is so critically important to working at village level, particularly in the south Fly coast.

I think this has been a good opportunity for members to focus on this debate and concentrate on building proper services in Papua New Guinea.

Debate adjourned.

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