Sir Michael Somare fielding questions from the crowd at the University of Auckland. (Photo by Jess Harkins.)

Pacific Scoop:
Report – By Jessica Harkins.

Papua New Guinea’s Prime Minister, Sir Michael Somare, is in New Zealand this week. He stopped at the University of Auckland to give his thoughts on the “new Pacific” and how he sees his country participating in future development of independent nations, Fiji, and the relationship between Papua New Guinea, Australia and New Zealand.

Sir Michael spoke of the legislation surrounding the commercialisation of Papua New Guinea’s gas resources, in the Gas and Oil Act, saying that everything possible was being done to ensure that its resources would not be exploited.

He said that the increased revenue from gas resources would ‘transform’ the country, giving it the opportunity to provide development assistance to other Pacific Island countries.

Sir Michael addressed his continued dialogue with Fiji’s military leader Voreqe Bainimarama, which has been criticised by some, saying his concern was, “the people of Fiji and their welfare.”

He again criticised the imposition of a timeframe on Fiji to hold elections, calling it “counterproductive”, adding that he: “commends the efforts New Zealand and Australia are making in dealing with the interim government and the people of Fiji.”

“We’ve tried in MSG [Melanesian Spearhead Group] to have talks with Bainimarama, chaired by Vanuatu. We’re keeping dialogue open; we want to keep our contacts very close,” he said.

Sir Michael thinks that with “constant dialogue”, there could be a change of mind on the part of Bainimarama.

Sir Michael said that if the bilateral relationship between Papua New Guinea and New Zealand was “carefully managed”, it could “provide the nexus for more enhanced regional co-operation and prosperity”.

He spoke of the changing political and economic landscape in the Pacific, saying that independent Pacific nations could now focus on standing with Australia and New Zealand and integrate with the international community, now that their sovereignty had been asserted.

“The Pacific region is going through some rapid changes that are bringing about new and more complex challenges for our countries.”

He urged leaders of other Pacific nations to “act now in concert” to address these challenges.

The Pacific Island Forum will be held in Port Vila, Vanuatu, in August.

Jessica Harkins was recently an AUT University postgraduate student majoring in journalism and is the School of Communication Studies 2009 international journalism award-winner.