Media release

22 April 2008

Travel to Papua New Guinea, 22-25 April 2008

The 18^th Australia- Papua New Guinea Ministerial Forum will take place in Madang in Papua New Guinea on 23 April. I will co-chair the Forum with my Papua New Guinea Ministerial counterpart Mr Sam Abal MP.

Many of the Australian Ministerial delegation will also take part in bilateral meeting and events on 24 April.

Six Australian Ministers and three Parliamentary Secretaries will be in the delegation, demonstrating the importance that the Government places on Australia’s bilateral relationship with Papua New Guinea.

Australian delegation:

• Stephen Smith, Minister for Foreign Affairs
• Simon Crean, Minister for Trade
• Penny Wong, Minister for Climate Change and Water
• Peter Garrett, Minister for Environment and Heritage
• Martin Ferguson, Minister for Resources, Energy and Tourism
• Bob Debus, Minister for Home Affairs
• Bob McMullan, Parliamentary Secretary for International Development Assistance
• Duncan Kerr, Parliamentary Secretary for Pacific Island Affairs
• Jan McLucas, Parliamentary Secretary to Minister for Health and Ageing

The Ministerial Forum is the primary opportunity for regular ministerial level engagement on issues of shared importance to Australia and Papua New Guinea.

Though traditionally an annual event, the Forum was not held in 2006 and 2007 as a result of the breakdown in relations between Australia and Papua New Guinea. Its resumption is another sign of the strongly rejuvenated bilateral relationship between our two countries.

The Forum follows Prime Minister Rudd’s visit to Papua New Guinea in February and bilateral meetings between Sam Abal and myself in Canberra, and recently in Auckland.

This year we will discuss a wide range of bilateral issues including Pacific Development Partnerships, the Kokoda Track, and climate change.

Australia and Papua New Guinea recently laid the groundwork for progress on these important issues at the Ministerial Forum Senior Officials meeting in Canberra on 3-4 April, involving the most senior delegation of Papua New Guinean officials to Australia.

Following the Forum I will visit a number of our development assistance projects in Madang. Our development assistance relationship with Papua New Guinea is our second largest, and is set to be further strengthened through the new Pacific Partnerships for Development as outlined in the Prime Minister’s Port Moresby declaration.

I will also attend the ANZAC Day Dawn Service at the Bomana War Cemetery near Port Moresby with Mr Simon Crean, Bob McMullan, Duncan Kerr and Jan McLucas. The service commemorates the special and unbreakable bond forged between Australia and the people of Papua New Guinea on the Kokoda Track.

Media inquiries: Mr Smith's office 02 6277 7500 - Departmental Media Liaison 02 6261 1555