Claire Moore (Queensland, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Women) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Minister for International Development and the Pacific, Senator Fierravanti-Wells. I refer to reports—

Government Senators:

Government senators interjecting—

Claire Moore (Queensland, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Women) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I was trying to find Senator Day's name in the question, but it is not there!

I refer to reports that funding for current HIV and reproductive health grants in Papua New Guinea will conclude in 2017. Can the minister confirm the government's intention to discontinue funding for these grants?

Concetta Fierravanti-Wells (NSW, Liberal Party, Minister for International Development and the Pacific) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I thank Senator Moore for the question. The Australian government remains committed to helping Papua New Guinea manage its health challenges, including its response to HIV. We are increasing our focus on assisting the government of PNG to sustainably deliver health and HIV services using its own resources and systems. We are supporting the government of PNG to develop its new HIV strategy and we are also working with other funding partners to support PNG to deliver HIV services. We are in the process of changing how we provide Australian aid to meet current and emerging health challenges and to ensure our funding remains effective. There will be new investments, including funding for NGOs, which will commence in 2017-18 and NGOs will remain key partners for health and HIV programs.

Senator Moore, there has been some misinformation that was put into the press and this has caused some consternation as far as some of the NGOs have been concerned. It has been raised directly with us.

Stephen Parry (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Order! Senator Cameron, a point of order?

Doug Cameron (NSW, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Human Services) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Yes, a point of order on relevance. The question was: is it the government's intention to discontinue funding of these grants? We have 28 seconds left, Mr President. I would ask you to draw the minister's attention to the question.

Stephen Parry (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Thank you, Senator Cameron. The question was asking about confirmation concerning the continuation of funding. I have been listening. The minister has actually indicated a lot of funding that will be continuing and has just started to highlight misinformation in the media. I take it the minister is directly relevant.

Concetta Fierravanti-Wells (NSW, Liberal Party, Minister for International Development and the Pacific) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Thank you. As I was saying, the Australian government does remain committed to helping PNG. There are health challenges. There are serious health challenges and we have been assisting the government of PNG to build its health systems and most especially in detecting and responding to health threats such as tuberculosis, HIV and other matters in PNG.

Stephen Parry (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Thank you, Minister. Senator Moore, a supplementary question.

Claire Moore (Queensland, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Women) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Thank you, Minister. I am still not clear about the grants. I refer to statements made by the Australian High Commissioner in Papua New Guinea to the media, saying 'new arrangements will be put in place'. Can you give us some information about what these new arrangements are? And what funding has the government provided?

Concetta Fierravanti-Wells (NSW, Liberal Party, Minister for International Development and the Pacific) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Moore, the current arrangements will end on 30 June next year. We are in discussions with the government of Papua New Guinea to put a new framework in place. We are having discussions with the government of Papua New Guinea in relation to how that will work. Our intention is to assist the government of Papua New Guinea to deliver the necessary services. So, as far as this is concerned, it is not an issue of funding; it is an issue of new arrangements. In due course we will be releasing details in relation to that, but we are discussing these matters with relevant people, including, most especially, the government of Papua New Guinea.

Stephen Parry (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Thank you, Minister. Senator Moore, a final supplementary question.

Claire Moore (Queensland, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Women) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Thank you, Minister. How does the government propose to protect the approximately 10,000 people living with HIV in Papua New Guinea who will be impacted by the discussions around the new arrangements or the discussions around cuts to the program?

Concetta Fierravanti-Wells (NSW, Liberal Party, Minister for International Development and the Pacific) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The nongovernment organisations that are delivering services will remain key partners for this program. It is important that the Papua New Guinean government do take responsibility for delivering services. We have aid partnership agreements with the government of Papua New Guinea—we give aid of approximately $600 million—but it is important that the government of Papua New Guinea do also take their fair share of responsibility. As I have indicated, Senator Moore, we are in discussions in relation to what that new framework will be. We are cognisant of the services that are currently being delivered and we want to make sure that the same standard of delivery continues.