Jane Prentice (Ryan, Liberal Party) Share this | Hansard source

I was delighted to join you, Mr Deputy Speaker Scott, and my co-chair of the Parliamentary Friends of Papua New Guinea, the member for Corio, to welcome to the House today our colleagues and friends from the Papua New Guinea parliament who are with us in the chamber. It highlights the importance of our relationship with our nearest neighbouring country. As we discussed, I think every member of parliament's first trip should be to Papua New Guinea, before they go anywhere else.

The gentleman and colleagues who are with us today represent two of the most difficult seats in the Western Province. They face not only the tyranny of distance but the tyranny of topography as well, with very difficult challenges in health and access. They are doing a remarkable job in delivering services to their members out in those difficult areas. That is why I was delighted to be invited about 10 days go to the opening of the new Pacific International Hospital in Port Moresby.

This hospital is outstanding. In fact, I predict people will want to be medivacced out of Australia to this hospital. It boasts the best facilities I have seen. It has everything—X-rays, CAT scans, pathology labs, dialysis machines and four operating theatres—and is staffed by some of the best doctors and nurses from around the world. I congratulate Doctors Amyna and Mohammed Sultan for their absolute determination to make this project a reality.

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