Category: News and Information

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Australia Awards Scholarships offer more than a degree.  Awardees gain a world-class education and a life-changing experience at tertiary institutions across Australia and upon return, contribute towards PNG’s development.

Applications for study in 2021 are open now and close on 30 April 2020 (midnight PNG time).

Scholarships are offered in the following priority sectors: agriculture, education, governance, health, law and justice, and transport and infrastructure. Women and people living with disability are encouraged to apply.

The Toktok Bilong Strongim Nesen discussion series continues with an event on opportunities and challenges for modern universities.

PUBLIC DISCUSSION SERIES
Innovators and Educators: Opportunities and Challenges for Modern Universities

Date: Thursday 1 August 2019
Time: 4:30pm for a 5pm start
Venue: New Lecture Theatre, The University of Papua New Guinea

The keynote speaker is Professor Peter Høj AC, Vice-Chancellor and President, University of Queensland.

Joining him for a panel discussion are Professor Frank Griffin, Vice-Chancellor, The University of Papua New Guinea and Ms Lesieli Taviri, CEO, Origin Energy PNG.

Toktok Bilong Strongim Nesen is supported by the PNG–Australia Partnership and will continue through 2019 to explore themes and policy issues pertinent to Papua New Guinea and the Pacific.

 

Education is a lifelong pursuit and the Papua New Guinea–Australia Partnership is supporting public servants to continue their personal and professional growth as ethical, capable leaders through the Pacific Leadership and Governance Precinct at the University of Papua New Guinea.

For two decades Gazellah Bruder, a Port Moresby-based fine artist, has produced fabric prints but held long-term plans to expand her repertoire to sculpture.

There was no time to hesitate when the opportunity arose to submit a concept for the Constitution Walk sculptures, supported by the Australian Government through the Pacific Leadership and Governance Precinct.

The proposal was accepted and, in amongst working full-time and being a single mum, she undertook the intensive seven week process of constructing her enormous debut commission.

Gazellah’s 6-by-3 metre piece, entitled Happy Family, Happy Nation, draws on ‘integral human development’, the first National Goal and Directive Principle enshrined in Papua New Guinea’s Constitution and her own family for inspiration.

 

“Family is the foundation of every society when it comes to good governance and having a happy nation,” she said.

“The sculpture is symbolic of families nowadays – any group of people who can depend on each other – it can be five men, or it can be one mother and two children.

“I’m a single mum with two kids, it may not be ‘conventional’ but it’s a full family as far as I’m concerned.”

In between parenting, printing and sculpting, Gazellah works as creative director at the newly opened PNG Fine Art Gallery.

She believes Papua New Guinean art creates a connection between people and the spaces they occupy – be it an outdoors or in an office.

“Any space works well when there’s elements of tradition and culture in it. We feel ownership, we are attached to it and we feel that is really ours,” she said.

“It may not be where they are specifically from, but people can recognise that it has elements of PNG designs, patterns or symbols. If we see a building and there is no PNG element to it, people don’t feel comfortable with it – they don’t feel drawn to it.”

Gazellah is a firm believer that the interpretation of art is subjective. She wants her piece to be interacted with and become the subject of discussion.

“Mine is a very organic shape, it’s rounded,” she said, “we had to bend steel, twist it and hammer it in, and try to create a shape that I thought was suitable for the environment.”

“I want people to touch it, walk up close and take selfies. I want people to take shelter when it’s hot and I want kids to play. You want people to do that – you want to connect with people.

“I was listening to the people,” Gazellah continued, “they said looks like lambs, baby sheep, turtles and some saw it as happy people.”

“It can be anything. You just want people to react to it – negative or positive – you want people to talk about it and, in that way, they become part of your artwork.”

Gazellah is an Arts graduate from UPNG but has held various roles aside from painting; from being a TV children’s program presenter to working in corporate organisations and now to sculpting full time has not only coloured her curriculum vitae – but also has landed herself a big opportunity to give back to the university that she attended – having her art displayed for the community there to enjoy!

Public servants from the provinces have strengthened their leadership skills through a Pacific Leadership and Governance Precinct course. Thirty-four public servants from 11 provinces representing central agencies and subnational offices were selected to take up the Inclusive Strategic Leadership course, which was held in Port Moresby this week (eds. 21-23 August 2017). More than 50 per cent of the participants were women.

The three-day course offered participants the opportunity to develop their own strategic frameworks, engage experts on public sector leadership, sustainable and inclusive development.

One of the participants was Dr Max Manape, Director Public Health at the Eastern Highlands Provincial Health Authority, who oversees more than 120 staff across eight districts. 

Dr Manape said he is keen to share the concepts of inclusive leadership with his team and make use of key government policies – such as the Ethics and Values-Based Leadership and Management Capability Framework and the Gender Equity and Social Inclusion Policy – to plan the delivery of primary healthcare.

“This workshop has really opened my eyes to how I can make the connection from National Government plans,” Dr Manape said.

“When I get back I will bring our officers together and conduct a three day workshop to share what we learned – it will inform our planning for next year. 

We have to emphasise inclusion as part of linking the national level to the provincial level and down to the districts.”

The Pacific Leadership and Governance Precinct is a partnership between the Governments of Papua New Guinea and Australia that supports the development of ethical, capable public sector leaders throughout PNG.

Australian High Commission Counsellor Jodie McAlister said the Precinct was increasingly focused on subnational areas, in line with the Government of Papua New Guinea’s decentralisation agenda.

“Precinct short courses and other programs are being delivered to people from provincial administrations, district offices and local level governments,” Ms McAlister said.

“This is strengthening local leadership and gives public servants throughout Papua New Guinea the opportunity to develop important vocational skills.

“This subnational focus will also see the Precinct support improvements to regional training centres around the country, which will better enable high–quality training to be delivered through local institutions.”

More than 700 people have now participated in Precinct short courses which cover a range of skills required of current and emerging public sector leaders in Papua New Guinea, including ethical decision making, writing for government, public speaking and inclusive strategic leadership.

Communiqué
2017 Pacific Public Service Commissioners’ Conference

22 to 25 May 2017
Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea

1. The 2017 Pacific Public Service Commissioners’ Conference (PPSCC) was held in Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea from Monday 22 May to Thursday, 25 May 2017. A total of 24 participants from 14 Pacific Nations, the Pacific Islands Centre of Public Administration and Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat attended. The list of countries represented and their representatives is at Attachment A.

2. The theme for the conference was “Ethical and Values-based Leadership and Governance in the Pacific”

3. Funding for the conference was provided by the Government of Australia through the Pacific Leadership and Governance Precinct, and the Government of Papua New Guinea.

4. Commissioners expressed their deep gratitude to the Honourable Peter O’Neill, Prime Minister of Papua New Guinea, staff of the PNG Department of Personnel Management, other public servants and people of PNG for the organisation and hosting of the conference, as well as the warm hospitality extended to them during their stay in PNG.

CONFERENCE RESOLUTIONS

1. Pacific Leadership and Governance Precinct

The Conference expressed their appreciation for the tour of University of Papua New Guinea (UPNG) and Papua New Guinea Institute of Public Administration (PNGIPA). The Conference also expressed their appreciation for the opportunity to meet with the leaders of these organisations as well as the Precinct Advisory Board and engineers.

Several members of the Conference identified that they wanted to be part of the Precinct or to send their staff or students for training through the Precinct.

2. Jurisdictional reports

Each Pacific Island nation provided their jurisdictional report. This report covered the challenges and opportunities in the public sector in their respective countries. All members appreciated the updates and agreed to share with other members.

3. Ethical and values based leadership

PNG through Secretary Kali outlined the development of the PNG Ethics and Values Based Capability Framework. This was well received by all members.

The Conference agreed that the six (6) Values in the Framework are shared across the Pacific and can go across the public and private sectors. The Conference identified that there is a conflict between some of the Customary values, Christian values and Organisational values. As public servants, it was agreed that the public interest should be put first.

4. Future of the PPSCC

The Conference agreed on the importance of the ongoing continuation of the conference. Commissioners fulfil a dual role in providing strategic advice to political leaders in the region, as well as responding to implementing decisions of these political leaders.

It was agreed that the rationale for the Conference can be strengthened through a strong, evidence based business case, which would be important in seeking donor funding. One method for this could be a mapping exercise on capability and capacity across the Pacific region which will provide a benchmark.

The governance structure and arrangements for future conferences was agreed by the Conference with the amendment of adding linkages to domestic and regional bodies, as well as clarifying the scope of a Governing Board.

The Conference agreed to strengthen relationships with key leadership fora such as the Pacific Islands Forum and Pacific Leadership and Governance Precinct.

It was further agreed that the paper on the future of the Conference be populated with indicative costs to support discussions for each jurisdiction with their Government.

For future conferences, the Conference agreed to the following themes:

• Theme 2018: Open and Transparent Government and Leadership (e.g. ICT, Social media policies, citizen-centric policy development, citizen/public perception of the public service)
• Theme 2019: Leaders adding public value (including inclusiveness, success stories, gender, domestic and workplace violence, disability, migrants, seasonal workers, workplace bullying and harassment).

5. Membership of the PPSCC

The Conference agreed to welcome New Caledonia and French Polynesia as members of the PPSCC. It was also agreed that membership of the Conference should mirror the membership of the Pacific Islands Forum. Timor Leste will remain as an observer to the Conference.

6. Acknowledgement

The Conference acknowledged the contributions made by PICPA over the years in organising and coordinating previous conferences.

The Conference also acknowledged the high level support and contributions from Dame Meg Taylor, Secretary-General of the Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat.

7. Way forward

The Conference agreed for the Working Group to revise the paper as soon as possible on the future of the conference, taking into account the comments made throughout the conference. The Conference will provide prompt support to the Working Group.

Once finalised, the paper will be distributed to all PPSCC members to support discussions with their Governments.

The Conference has accepted New Caledonia’s offer to host the 2018 Conference in Noumea around May/June 2018 and New Caledonia will join the Working Group. The other members of the Working Group are PNG, Palau, Samoa, and Australia with support from the Pacific Leadership and Governance Precinct.

A parliamentary delegation from Australia has visited the Papua New Guinea Institute of Public Administration (PNGIPA) to learn more about the Pacific Leadership and Governance Precinct.

The event was a unique opportunity to for the staff and students promote the activities of the Precinct, an important bilateral initiative of the Governments of Papua New Guinea and Australia, to stakeholders outside PNG.

The visitors included Members of the House of Representatives from Australia, Ms Ann Sudmalis MP, Mr Damien Drum MP and Ms Madeleine King MP, and delegates from Save the Children, Australia’s largest aid and development agency dedicated to helping children.

After being welcomed by representatives from PNGIPA and the University Of Papua New Guinea School Of Business and Public Policy and the Australian High Commission, delegates joined students and staff in a Diploma of Government classroom, a course which is being delivered through the Precinct to develop and encourage emerging leaders in country.

This proved to be the highlight of the event, as the delegates and Diploma participants were engrossed in discussion on the importance of ethics and leadership to an effective public service and the unique challenges faced in PNG.

Member for Gilmore, Ms Ann Sudmalis, praised Precinct partners for the ethics and governance training being delivered to public servants in PNG.

“The training is something that probably should be happening all over the world and something that is missing in leadership,” Ms Sudmalis said.

“You establishing the course, and probably one of the first, is extra specials and to have a 50-50 gender split, my goodness, you deserve gold medals for that.”

The Pacific Leadership and Governance Precinct is supporting Papua New Guinean public servants to apply key national public service policies in ethical conduct and gender equity.

More than 80 public servants, private sector and civil society from mainly provincial and district levels of government attended the Precinct’s Diversity in Leadership for Basic Service Delivery course from 22-25 August.

Department of Personnel Management Deputy Secretary Taies Sansan urged course participants to lead inclusively and cater for all citizens when delivering basic services.

“As leaders we need to work together to ensure the needs of all our people are considered. Your purpose here is to learn about what it takes to be a leader, how to implement the policies in your work areas and how to handle service delivery” Ms Sansan said.

The short course examined the practical application of the two policies that underpin the Government of Papua New Guinea’s public service reform agenda; the Gender Equity and Social Inclusion (GESI) Policy, and the Ethics and Value-Based Executive Leadership & Management Capability Framework.

Australian High Commission Counsellor, Jodie McAlister, reiterated the strong partnership between the two governments to support ethical leadership and governance across the Papua New Guinean public service. Ms McAlister said leadership was about leading by example, and urged participants to make a stand against marginalisation of women and the disabled.

The Pacific Leadership and Governance Precinct is a joint initiative of the Governments of Papua New Guinea and Australia to promote ethical leadership within the public sector at the national, provincial and district levels.

Eighteen Papua New Guinea senior public servants have gained Certificates in Governance and Public Policy from the University of Queensland through the Pacific Leadership and Governance Precinct.

Australian High Commissioner Bruce Davis congratulated the public servants and encouraged them to apply their skills to improving governance, policy development and ethical behaviour.

“It is very good to know that your course was tailored around the government of Papua New Guinea’s Ethics and Values-Based Executive Leadership and Management Capability Framework,” he said at their graduation ceremony.

The public servants were exposed to leading thinkers in the public, private and community sectors, and attended leadership forums with senior Queensland public servants and judicial system representatives.

The students expressed a determination to implement their executive leadership plans and transform their workplaces.

“We came back with so much knowledge from this course and each one of us has objectives that we will implement when we go back to our offices and we will be discussing with our supervisors to make sure we are not restricted in implementing these objectives,” Theresa Siaguru said.

She added: “Governance is the process of making correct decisions. And when making decisions we have to take into considerations certain characteristics such as ethics, protocols, inclusiveness, transparency and effectiveness.”

The Governance and Public Policy course was delivered by the University of Queensland. Students undertook six weeks intensive coursework in Brisbane and four weeks in PNG. The course included group work, mentoring sessions and individual assessment.

The Pacific Leadership and Governance Precinct is a joint initiative of the PNG and Australian Governments to strengthen ethical and accountable leadership across the region.

Precinct courses bring together talented and motivated individuals, giving them the practical and ethical framework to advance in key national agencies.

The Precinct also offers degree and diploma courses through its partner institutions, the School of Business and Public Policy at the University of Papua New Guinea, and the PNG Institute of Public Administration.

The Papua New Guinea Institute of Public Administration (PNGIPA) will now have a stable power supply after a new power transformer and switchboard were installed at the campus.

The upgrade is part of infrastructure renewal work being undertaken through the Pacific Leadership and Governance Precinct initiative.

The new 500kVA transformer unit replaced an old 300kVA transformer installed in the mid-1960s.

PNGIPA’s role as a core Precinct training institution had placed strain on the smaller unit, raising the probability of unplanned outages and future failure.

PNGIPA Project Coordinator Anthony Tuainembe said “to cater for these new developments on the campus, the first thing to do is to upgrade the power systems to cater for the additional buildings and electricity loads”.

PNGIPA is receiving a new administration block and library under the Precinct partnership between the Governments of Australia and Papua New Guinea.

PNGIPA Librarian Eric Nandoma said the works at the campus would enable it to fulfil its role as a core Precinct delivery partner.

“The new library will be a modern and state of the art library, and maintaining constant power supply is of paramount importance to this facility,” Mr Namdona said.

The Pacific Leadership and Governance Precinct is supporting efforts to transform Papua New Guinea’s agricultural sector into a market-focused industry that will drive economic development.

Department of Agriculture and Livestock Secretary Dr Vele Ila’ava launched the three-day Precinct course, Leadership and Innovation in Agriculture, on 19 July saying there was huge potential to increase the efficiency of agricultural production.

“We must transform the agriculture sector in our country by providing accessibility for our people to established markets, recognised systems and increase the opportunities for them to convert it to wealth,” he said.

Dr Ila’ava said the sector remained the most heavily relied upon for rural development, benefiting more than 80 per cent of the population.

Course participants included mid to senior level officials from government departments, provincial administrations, research institutes, universities, industry boards and other organisations engaged in the agricultural sector.

Australian High Commissioner Bruce Davis said there were many opportunities for closer cooperation in agriculture between Australia and Papua New Guinea.

“Agriculture is extraordinarily important and its opportunities are long term,” he said.

“Australia is keen to work with Papua New Guinea through the Australian Centre for International and Agricultural Research, creating farming innovations, conducting joint activities with the private sector and providing agricultural education scholarships for Papua New Guineans,” High Commissioner Davis said.

The Pacific Leadership and Governance Precinct is an Australia-Papua New Guinea education and training initiative to strengthen leadership, management, and core public service skills in Papua New Guinea.

Public servants have been urged to set aside the wantok system at work and support a new culture of integrity that will strengthen governance and economic development.

Department of Personnel Management Secretary John Kali issued the challenge to forty emerging public service leaders nominated by government departments, agencies and provincial administrations to undergo studies with the Pacific Leadership and Governance Precinct.

The six month Diploma of Government is delivered by the Papua New Guinea Institute of Public Administration with support from the Canberra Institute of Technology.

Secretary Kali said participants had been identified as future leaders capable of contributing positively to the development of the nation.

“We need to change the working environment so we provide a service that is ethical and also empower our women colleagues,” Mr Kali said.

“When we have good and value based leaders from the top level down … they’ll know and perform their duties ethically over a period of time which will then become their culture and conduct, said Secretary Kali.

Josephine Kama, a Monitoring and Evaluations Officer with the Western Highlands Provincial Administration was among the course participants.

“Western Highlands Province is a male dominated society and it’s very challenging as a woman performing a leadership role,” she said.

“Attending this course will empower me, and I’ll get more knowledge and go back to my province and contribute positively to its development and address these challenges.”

The Australian Public Service Commission’s Jason Preece encouraged the public servants to make the absolute most of the opportunity.

“After you leave the PNG Public Service, you will reflect on your time as a public servant who successfully led, made a difference and did the best for the family, for the people of this country, and helped to build this great nation.”

The Pacific Leadership and Governance Precinct is a joint initiative of the Governments of PNG and Australia to promote ethical leadership within the public service  at the national, provincial and district level.

More PNG women will have the skills and confidence to serve on boards of management after new training being rolled out by the Pacific Leadership and Governance Precinct.

Digicel Foundation CEO Beatrice Mahuru (left) and PNG Women Doctors Association President Lydia Sirigoi (right) are among those undertaking the course, delivered by the Australian Institute of Company Directors.

It focuses on directors’ responsibilities, risk assessment and decision-making frameworks for directors on public and private boards.

Participants included senior and emerging leaders from the public and private sectors.

The Pacific Leadership and Governance Precinct is a partnership between Papua New Guinea and Australia to develop a new generation of ethical leaders who can implement Government of PNG priorities for improved service delivery for the people.

Removing barriers to the establishment of new businesses and creating a greater entrepreneurial mindset will be important factors in meeting PNG’s 2030 target of 500,000 small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs), according to an expert panel.

The Pacific Leadership and Governance Precinct recently hosted a discussion on the role of leadership and good governance in growing indigenous businesses in PNG.

The panel comprised Australian businessman and indigenous advocate Warren Mundine, PNG Indigenous Business Council Chairman Sir Nagora Bogan, and Gideon Karali, a representative from successful landowner business, Trans Wonderland Limited.

The audience included a select group of senior officials of leading government departments, agencies and the private sector.

SMEs are particularly important in developing countries such as PNG because of the role they play in poverty reduction.

“I believe that everything rises and falls with leadership,” Sir Bogan said. “As I look across the spectrum of PNG, I think we need to put a lot more effort into ethical leadership.

Mr Mundine said Australia and PNG could learn from each other on several topics, including how to create an entrepreneurial mindset among communities who have traditionally had limited involvement with business.

“Twenty-five years ago when I was a young bloke, you used to sit there and say, ‘business and commercial activity is a white man’s game’,” he said. “Well, (in Australia) we had to change that mindset.”

The Precinct is a partnership between the Governments of PNG and Australia to produce a new generation of capable and effective leaders.

Removing barriers to the establishment of new businesses and creating a greater entrepreneurial mindset were two of the key topics explored at a recent panel discussion focused on growing indigenous business in PNG.

The event, hosted by the Pacific Leadership and Governance Precinct at the PNG Institute of Public Administration, brought together indigenous business leaders from Australia and PNG to reflect on what small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in each nation can learn from each other.

The panel comprised Mr Warren Mundine, a businessman, political strategist and indigenous advocate in Australia, Sir Nagora Bogan, Chair of the PNG Indigenous Business Council, and Mr Gideon Karali, a representative from a successful PNG landowner business Trans Wonderland Limited.

The audience included a select group of senior officials of leading government departments, agencies and the private sector.

SMEs are particularly important in developing countries such as PNG because of the role they play in poverty reduction. The PNG Government has set a target of having 500,000 SMEs operating in the country by 2030.

Sir Bogan said the event provided an essential forum for discussion as PNG looks to promote huge growth in the number of SMEs in a relatively short space of time.

“It gave rise to a lot of important, exciting sharing of ideas and also intellectual discussion about this particular issue,” Sir Bogan said.

“How can we translate that into doing what we can to help our people to make the transition from being subsistence farmers to living in the villages to actually becoming entrepreneurs? That’s the biggest challenge. We have the capability to do it, but we haven’t really mobilised to get that right.”

Mr Mundine said Australia and PNG could learn from each other on several topics, including how to create an entrepreneurial mindset among communities who have traditionally had limited involvement with business.

“Twenty-five years ago when I was a young bloke, you used to sit there and say ‘business and commercial activity is a white man’s game’. Well, (in Australia) we had to change that mindset, because if we were going to lift ourselves out of poverty, if we were going to take the leadership that we needed in our communities, then it was a mind shift (to say) that ‘we can do this’.”

Mr Larry Andagali Managing Director from Trans Wonderland Limited said it was valuable to hear how indigenous communities in Australia have been working to create new business opportunities in response to the slowdown in the resources industry – something that aspiring PNG entrepreneurs should also look to address.

“When those resources are depleted we are really left with nothing, so I’d like to use that as an opportunity to reinvest other royalties and equities that we get and put them back into agriculture and more sustainable business,” Mr Andagali said. “That’s a big challenge and it was quite interesting to understand how indigenous businesses conduct themselves in Australia and what we can do in PNG.”

Mr Mundine spoke of how indigenous companies had grown off the back of the resources boom in Australia and how the Australian Government’s Indigenous Procurement Policy (3 percent of government contracts going to Aboriginal businesses by 2020) has given further support to this growth, increasing contracts by 1500 per cent in the last six months.

The Pacific Leadership and Governance Precinct is a joint initiative of the Governments of PNG and Australia to promote ethical leadership and strong governance within the public sector at the national, provincial and district level.

Dr Manoj Pandey, visiting lecturer in Economics at the University of Papua New Guinea (UPNG) under the ANU-UPNG partnership, has completed the first two sessions of a program of weekly training that will run for the next five semesters to improve qualitative and quantitative skills and report writing for a core group of 17 UPNG faculty staff.

The introductory sessions provided a background on how best to present data, and covered both classic and more modern visual representations of data. Subsequent workshops will include training in basic statistical methods, with the training culminating in 2018 with staff members working on their own research papers. Read more

 

 

 

Thirty-one new economics graduates from the University of Papua New Guinea have embarked on career paths that could influence the nation’s future.

The recent graduation of UPNG’s economics class of 2015 represents a milestone for the Pacific Leadership and Governance Precinct – a joint initiative of the PNG and Australian Governments.

Australian National University (ANU) academic Michael Cornish taught the group in their final year under the UPNG – ANU Precinct partnership.

He said many had already managed to secure jobs with big name employers, including PwC, BSP, Oil Search and PNG’s Department of Foreign Affairs.

“It’s a wonderful feeling of pride to be able to see them graduate,” Mr Cornish said.

“Hopefully what they have learned here will set them on a good pathway to a point where some of them will be future leaders of this country.”

Newly graduated economist Hera Hoi is among those to have already secured work, winning a coveted role with BSP.

She said it was a great opportunity to apply her skills and she hoped in the future to contribute to PNG’s development by contributing to public policy development.

“In the future I’d like to do some research work and hopefully get into some policy stuff,” Ms Hoi said.

The Precinct partnership has reinvigorated the teaching of economics at UPNG, with the establishment of a new School of Business and Public Policy (SBPP).

The number of ANU staff at the SBPP has since risen to four, expanding the school’s capacity to deliver high quality courses in economics and public policy.

The SBPP will also receive a new faculty building under the Precinct partnership containing international standard teaching, research and study areas.

The school’s Dean, Professor Lekshmi Pillai, said the relationship with ANU was key to the school’s strategy to promote academic excellence.

“Given the human resources constraints we have, the access to ANU faculty will be critical,” he said.

The Pacific Leadership and Governance Precinct aims to forge a new generation of PNG leaders giving them the ethical, intellectual and practical framework to usher in a new era of development.

Understanding the difference between managing and leading staff is crucial to effective leadership, a lesson that PNG public servants took from  a recent short course held at the the Pacific Leadership and Governance Precinct.

The short course, Leading with Strategic Intelligence – Shared Values and Leading Coalitions in PNG, was attended by 16 public servants from national and provincial governments and was delivered by the Australian Centre for Public Management.

The three-day course included a coaching session envisaged to help participants as leaders to self-reflect and develop an awareness of their leadership style and the impact on team dynamics.

“This course has helped me resharpen my tools to lead my organisation,” said Annemarie Kona, Acting First Assistant Secretary at the Department of Education.

“It has challenged me to know myself as a person, and to have a greater awareness of myself before I approach others. I think that’s important if I’m going to be a positive influence on the staff that I work with.”

Grace Yap and Linus Kuravi, both managers from Nonga Hospital in East New Britain, said the course provided a rare opportunity for provincial staff to receive high quality training.

“We’ve learnt a lot, especially about management and leadership skills. When we go back to our province we are planning to disseminate some of the information that we have learnt here to our colleagues who are in managerial positions, and also to the provincial administration.”

“I am a leader who should focus more on ethics in my public sector field and contribute meaningfully to service delivery. We need to make sure the public service machinery is free of corruption. A patient walking out of my hospital is this measure of success,” said Sister Theonila Watt who is the Director of Nursing Services at  Nonga Hospital in the East New Britain province.

Sister Watt is one of 22 participants from across 5 provinces, 9 government agencies and for the first time – the health sector, who attended the Pacific Leadership and Governance Precinct short course from 21-23 March on Ethical Decision Making in Leadership.

The three day course by Australia’s The Ethics Centre highlighted the important relationship between ethical leadership at all levels of government and delivering services to the people.

The training included simulations, hypotheticals and practical tools to implement the PNG Government’s 2013 National Public Service Ethics and Values-Based Leadership and Management Capability Framework. The framework centers on key values such as respect, integrity, honesty, accountability, wisdom and responsibility.

Key components of the course were leader’s decision making skills, conflicts of interest, role of leaders in modelling ethical behaviour and how to influence organisational change.

Sister Watt believes the course has been an opportunity to collaborate across sectors, “In order to be in an ethical system, we need to learn from each other.”

The PNG-Australian Government’s Pacific Leadership and Governance Precinct works towards strengthening senior executive leadership and supporting improvements to transparency and accountability in service delivery.

February 22, 2016

A group of PNG public servants studying for a Graduate Certificate in Governance and Public Policy say the course is helping them improve policy and governance in their departments, and has boosted their skills and confidence.

The participating 18 mid to senior level public servants have been drawn from a range of national agencies and government departments. This semester they will focus on the legal aspects of policy and how they relate to governance.

The course, offered as part of the Pacific Leadership and Governance Precinct’s Executive Leadership Program, is delivered by the University of Queensland and involves study in PNG and Australia.

The study supports emerging leaders in the PNG public service, equips them with skills to negotiate challenging policy issues and provides a network to support each other as they progress.

 

The PNG-Australian Government’s Pacific Leadership and Governance Precinct has signed a three year agreement with the University of Queensland to deliver the country’s premier training for senior public servants – the Executive Leadership Program.

The program will develop a cadre of ethical and accountable public officials with the capability to lead and deliver equitable government services to Papua New Guineans.

 

The Executive Leadership Program will:

·         Provide an avenue to embed the PNG Ethics and Values-Based Leadership Framework in the PNG Public Sector

·         Bring together institutions and high performing senior public servants

·         Build powerful incentives among potential future PNG leaders, including leaders of the Autonomous Region of Bougainville

 

ELP will comprise of two strands:

1.       Precinct Future Leaders Program: a series of activities for a selected cadre of high performing individuals

2.       Precinct Initiative Program: training across four thematic areas including; diversity and gender in leadership, corporate skills for the public sector, private sector and economic development, decentralization and subnational governance.

 

The Executive Leadership Program will commence July 2016.

To find out further information contact info@pacificprecinct.org

 

With the support of the Australian Government, a total of 328 public servants graduated with certificate and diploma qualifications last week from the PNG Institute of Public Administration’s  Waigani, Kokopo and Madang campuses.

Minister for the Public Service Sir Puka Temu urged the graduates to go out and serve their country, as the nation’s founders did 40 years ago.

“I want amongst you to be the next Sir Michael Somare, leading the nation,” he said. “The nation demands your skills.”

The PNG IPA is part of the Pacific Leadership and Governance Precinct – a landmark partnership between PNG and Australia to develop the next generation of Pacific leaders.

A total of 96 graduates completed qualifications provided by the Australian organisation CIT Solutions, and with the support of the Australian Public Service Commission.

Department of National Planning and Monitoring Aid Coordinator, Yvonne Vavine, completed studies in governance and management.

“This achievement can really help me carry out my duties effectively, particularly working with other departments and agencies. It is a huge bonus to my career having an Australian qualification [through CIT Solutions],”she said. 

“Information is power”, explained Laura Wawun-Kiri, Practice Manager from the Office of the State Solicitor. “Knowing how you manage and use it ethically is important not just in leadership roles but across all levels. Some people use it for corrupt purposes; you can use it for better decision making, helping others, stopping corruption and encouraging accountability,” she said.

Laura is one of the 36 participants who attended the four day short course on “Information studies for law and justice” facilitated by the University of Queensland for the PNG-Australian Government’s Pacific Leadership and Governance Program. The course covers a range of topics including; principles of information within the Ethical Leadership and Management Framework, using information in investigation, traditional and modern approaches to using the media, legal considerations when reporting unethical activities.

Laura explained the different sensitivities of information she deals with on a day to day basis at the Office of the State Solicitor. “Where I work we have to design security measures to protect the information that we hold. The course has introduced other ideas and concepts such as approaches to deal with staff breaches and the interviewing technique called the PEACE model.” 

Networking with other agencies across the law and justice sector has proven beneficial to participants of the short course, as well as the exposure to meet and hear from former Ombudsman Commissioners Ila Geno and John Toguata. “The training has been more than just theory, we have heard inspiring examples from real people such as Ila Geno and the ethical decisions he had to make in his career. Seeing how both Ila Geno and John Toguata back each other shows us that people who think alike and are inspired by the same things can support each other. We can’t do this alone.”

 

The Papua New Guinea Government is bringing the skills and experiences of world-class training institutes to PNG through the Pacific Leadership and Governance Precinct.

Key Precinct stakeholders visited the Joondalup Learning Precinct last week, a West Australian institutional partnership comprising the Western Australian Police Academy; the West Coast Institute of Training, and the top-ranked Edith Cowan University.

The Precinct delegation, led by Department of Personnel Management Secretary John Kali, included PNG Institute of Public Administration Director Angori Wewerang and UPNG’s Executive Dean Professor Lekshmi Pillai.

Secretary Kali said the initiative would promote the growth of the new Pacific Leadership and Government Precinct by providing its institutions the opportunity to learn from the Joondalup Learning Precinct.

Secretary Kali said, “PNG’s new Pacific Leadership and Governance Precinct has a vision to help usher in a new generation of ethical and effective Papua New Guinean leaders.

“The Precinct will in time become a centre of excellence in the Pacific for leadership development. This will rely on our partners learning from international success stories. The approaches taken in Joondalup have helped us develop new ideas to improve our own program. We therefore hope to continue our contact with JLP into the future,” he said.

Australian Minister Counsellor Rod Hilton said generating linkages with Australian learning precincts would support future collaborative work.

Mr Hilton said, “The Australian Government’s aid program strongly supports Papua New Guinea’s vision for the Precinct. The exchange with the Joondalup Learning Precinct will assist PNG’s Precinct in establishing quality mentoring and scenario-training programs,” she said.

Its partner institutions, UPNG and the PNG Institute of Public Administration, will hone the talents of public and private sector executives to usher in a new era of development.

The PNG Precinct partners have learnt about JLP approaches to institutional governance, their role in educating the WA public sector, best practice approaches to quality assurance in a tertiary setting, optimum corporate management systems in the tertiary education sector and methodologies for realising effective institutional collaboration.

Key meetings included those with JLP Board members, its senior management and senior officials of the West Australian public service commission – including the Commissioner, Mr Mal Wauchope.

PNG Precinct partners and their counterparts from Australia’s Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade will be working on a Record of Understanding for the two institutions as an outcome from the visit. The RoU will outline the expected areas of ongoing cooperation between the two institutions as the Precinct vision is realised over time.

The Pacific Leadership and Governance Precinct was formally launched on November 6, 2015, through a special ceremony marking its important role in building the region’s leaders of the future.

The Precinct launch was attended in Port Moresby by Australia’s Minister for Foreign Affairs Julie Bishop, PNG’s Minister for Foreign Affairs and Immigration Rimbink Pato, PNG’s Minister for the Public Service Sir Puka Temu, and PNG’s Minister for Higher Education Malakai Tabar.

More than 150 senior figures attended the event, representing government, the private sector and civil society.

Guests were given a preview of major new infrastructure works which will transform the Precinct’s partner institutions – the University of Papua New Guinea and the PNG Institute of Public Administration.

“Make no mistake: this is nation-building work,” Minister Bishop said.

“This is the sort of reform that will help build the vibrant, successful, inclusive and fair nation of Papua New Guinea, and it is every bit as important as those first few steps along the path to nation-hood taken by PNG’s founding fathers 40 years ago.”

Minister Temu said: “The Pacific Leadership and Governance Precinct – is something I passionately believe in.

“This is the kind of project I believe has been long needed in PNG. As demonstrated through our recent national achievements, we have shown that we can and will capitalise on this new opportunity.”

UPNG’s School of Business and Public Policy will receive a modern building to underpin its planned transformation into a revitalised and regionally recognised centre of excellence for leadership development.

PNGIPA – which is being transformed into a new School of Government – will get a new library wing, meeting rooms and an administrative building.

The Precinct’s new brand was also officially unveiled. It features a stylised Kumul (Bird of Paradise) and a Pacific-inspired weave design.

Hundreds of students have already commenced Precinct-supported courses. However, student numbers will continue to rise, supported by Australian-funded teaching staff.

Minister Tabar said PNG needed high-performing, ethical and technically proficient leaders “that can capitalise on our abundant wealth in mineral and petroleum resources, and map the course of future generations”.

“The Pacific Leadership and Governance Precinct institutions – the University of Papua New Guinea School of Business Administration & Public Policy and the PNG Institute of Public Administration will be among the flag bearers for our nation-building effort,” Mr Tabar said.

Work is underway to strengthen the curriculum at both institutions, with a focus on governance, public policy and ethical decision-making.

The Precinct aims to strengthen leadership capabilities in PNG and across the Pacific, through degree and diploma courses in public policy, management and economics.

The empowerment of the next generation of PNG’s women leaders will be a major point of focus for the Precinct. An executive leadership program is also providing mid-career public servants and private sector managers with the skills they need to step up into senior leadership roles.

The Precinct complements PNG’s Ethics and Values-Based Leadership Framework, and Australia’s focus on supporting governance improvements across the region.

Watch the Pacific Leadership and Governance Precinct video outlining the Precinct’s past, present and future.

 

 

Australia’s new Minister for International Development and the Pacific says getting more women into leadership positions will drive economic development in Papua New Guinea by boosting productivity and business confidence.

In one of his first official engagements in his new role, Minister Steven Ciobo said the under-representation of women in the formal economy, particularly in leadership roles, was preventing PNG in reaching it’s full economic potential.

He told an audience of female executives in Port Moresby today (October 9) that Australia wanted to do more to support the economic empowerment of PNG women and girls.

“As a friend and partner of Papua New Guinea, Australia recognises that women’s leadership in both the public and private sectors is vital to PNG’s prosperity and stability, and will help to forge a stronger, more inclusive and successful nation of the future,” he said.

“Research shows that of women had the same access to credit, markets and technology as men, the returns – in both the informal and formal sectors – would increase significantly.”

Mr Ciobo was addressing a masterclass for female managers offered through the Australian-funded Pacific Leadership and Governance Precinct. The Women in Leadership workshop helps participants strengthen their skills as managers and influencers of workplace culture.

“The Pacific Leadership and Governance Precinct provides opportunities such as this course for women to foster greater collaboration between the private and public sectors in PNG, and contribute to better economic growth and the provision of public services,” he said.

“We want to see women having more of a say in running their family, their community, their workplace and their country,” he said.

The Australian Government’s support for PNG women falls into three specific areas: reducing violence against women; increasing women’s economic empowerment; and improving the ability of women to take on senior leadership roles.

In Melanesia, women occupy only a third of jobs in the formal economy, and men typically earn 20-50 per cent more than women because they work in jobs that attract higher salaries. The 2012 Economist Intelligence Unit placed PNG among the world’s bottom five nations in its Women’s Economic Opportunity Index.

“Women in PNG need access to agricultural resources and finance. They need to be empowered to become leaders in business, in politics, in education, in law and order and in the wider community,” Mr Ciobo said.

“I believe initiatives such as the Pacific Leadership and Governance Precinct will enhance women’s voice in leadership and decision-making, and will be the foundation for the future of this relationship.

“I applaud the Government of PNG for its commitment to building a new generation of ethical and effective public sector leaders in PNG, particularly those who are working to address barriers that restrict women’s full participation in economic activity.”

Minister Ciobo’s address was followed by a panel discussion which also featured UPNG’s Professor Betty Lovai, The Voice Executive Director Serena Sumanop, Origin Energy General Manager Lesieli Taviri, Internal Revenue Commissioner Betty Palaso and Dr Christine Nixon.

The two-day Women in Leadership Course was delivered on behalf of the Precinct by the Australian and New Zealand School of Government.

It was designed to complement the PNG Department of Personnel Management’s gender equity and social inclusion policy.

The workshop was facilitated by former Victoria Police Chief Commissioner Dr Christine Nixon.

Future public service leaders are drawing inspiration from the renewal of the PNG Institute of Public Administration, where the nation’s founders planned its first independent government.

The historic institution – formerly known as the PNG Administrative College and home to the famous Bully Beef Club – is being rejuvenated as part of a new leadership precinct.

PNGIPA Director Angori Wewerang, who is marking his 12 month anniversary in the job, said he’d seen a dramatic change in the outlook of students during that time.

“The public servants who are doing training here are seeing the difference in the programs provided. There’s a new energy here. At nights they are staying after classes to do more studies. Good things are happening. And that’s what I believe will shape them when they go back, to bring back new value to their workplaces and make a difference in their communities,” he said.

The institution, which will be known as the PNG School of Government, is receiving new Australian-funded buildings and a revamped curriculum.

The school will be part of the Pacific Leadership and Governance Precinct, which will also include UPNG’s School of Business and Public Policy.

The changes seek to re-affirm the national importance of the institution where, in the early 1970s, the now-Grand Chief, Sir Michael Somare talked into the night with Bully Beef Club contemporaries about how PNG would become independent.

“My vision is to transform this place, to provide leadership training and development programs for Papua New Guinea public service leaders who will be able to lead and guide this nation through the next 40 years,” Mr Wewerang said.

Mr Wewerang said there was immense goodwill towards the institution from within and outside the public service.

“Australia’s support is vital,” he said. “Of course, it is not just the infrastructure that Australia is contributing towards. It is also helping to strengthen the training programs we provide.”

The PNGIPA is partnering with the Australian Public Service Commission and other Australian institutions such as CIT Solutions, to improve the quality and focus of the courses offered.

They will undertake a week of intensive coursework at the University of Queensland before returning to continue their studies in PNG.

The course is being offered as part of the Precinct’s Executive Leadership Program.

Theresa Siaguru, a Principal Advisor in the Department of Prime Minister and National Executive Council, said she was keen to build on her 40 years of experience in the public service.

“The training exposes us to thinking and perceptions which break away from our culture,” she said.

“We want to set the pace professionally and intellectually, and come back and make a difference.”

“I am excited and genuinely appreciate the support from the Precinct and the role of UQ in delivering this training.”

The course is being delivered by the University of Queensland but is tailored to the PNG context to ensure its relevance.

Students will undertake six weeks in intensive coursework in Brisbane and four weeks in PNG over the next 12 months. It will include group work, mentoring sessions and individual assessment.

The Pacific Leadership and Governance Precinct is a joint initiative of the PNG and Australian Governments to strengthen ethical and accountable leadership across the region.

Precinct courses bring together talented and motivated individuals, giving them the practical and ethical framework to advance in key national agencies.

The Precinct also offers higher and vocational courses through its partner institutions, the School of Business and Public Policy at the University of Papua New Guinea and the PNG Institute of Public Administration.

Some of PNG’s biggest sports stars urged Games athletes to apply their leadership skills learnt in sport to their careers in the public service and business at a Leadership4Life event held 12 July 2015. The event was hosted by the Pacific Leadership and Governance Precinct at the PNG Institute of Public Administration.

Australian High Commission Minister-Counsellor Rod Hilton said: “The Leadership4Life event recognises sport as an important platform for harnessing ethical leadership qualities. These are values relevant to the workplace, business, families and communities.”

PNG’s first ever Olympic medallist, paralympian Francis Kompaon spoke about his person journey to win silver in Beijing and how sport had taught him the value of self-belief. “It’s all about the mind,” he said.

“If you think that you can’t do it, that’s it – you can’t do it. And that goes back to everyday life. You have to have a strong mind. You have to think of yourself winning, and working towards your goal.” Kompaon currently works at international accounting PWC as a tax and legal consultant.

Takale Tuna, the Pacific’s premier sprinter of the late 1980s and early 1990s said sport had taught him valuable lessons that he’d applied in his 20 year career as a senior public servant.

Speakers also included former PNG netball captains Julienne Leka-Maliaki and Emily Taule, former Track gold medallist Takale Tuna, and American-Australian basketball champion Cal Bruton, aka “the Black Pearl”, who represented his country and coached four NBL teams.

Mr Hilton encouraged Pacific Games athletes to use the attributes they had developed through sport to lead and unite their communities and work places.

Australia supports the Pacific Leadership and Governance Precinct – a landmark partnership between the PNG and Australian Governments to prepare the next generation of Pacific leaders. The Precinct offers diploma, degree and executive short courses through its partner institutions, the University of PNG and the PNG Institute of Public Administration.

Click here to watch the Winning Edge video.

Guests at this week’s respected Waigani Seminar have received an important briefing on the Pacific Leadership and Governance Precinct’s vision to build the next generation of ethical and accountable PNG leaders.

The theme of this year’s Waigani Seminar, “Charting the Future through Effective Leadership and Good Governance” complements the Precinct mission to strengthen leadership and governance in Papua New Guinea.

Acting Secretary for the Department of Higher Education Research Science and Technology, Professor David Kavanamur said the Precinct’s work was underpinned by the PNG Government’s Ethical and Values-Based Leadership Framework.

“With this framework in place we can work towards the next country of leaders. Transforming leadership will improve the bottom line for the public service,” Professor Kavanamur said.

The Precinct partnership between the PNG and Australian Governments will deliver new facilities to the University of Papua New Guinea and the PNG Institute of Public Administration. Both institutions will also receive curriculum and capacity support to improve the education experience for their students and to develop highly-skilled graduates for PNG.

UPNG’s School of Business and Public Policy Dean Professor Lekshmi Pillai detailed Precinct initiatives to be undertaken at the School over the next 12 months. They include a significant partnership between the School and the Australian National University’s Crawford School, the development of a school building, technical advisory assistance and executive leadership training with the University of Queensland.