Senate Submission: Inquiry into economic and security challenges facing
On October 17th FDC made a submission to the Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade Inquiry into the main economic and security challenges facing Papua New Guinea and the Island States of the Southwest Pacific. A copy of the submission is in the Australian Senate’s website and can be accessed through this link: http://www.aph.gov.au/Senate/committee/fadt_ctte/swpacific/submissions/sublist.htm
The submission emphasises the importance of supporting economic development in PNG, Solomon Is, Vanuatu and Fiji and asks the Australian government to include these countries in the recently approved labour scheme for Pacific workers. The submission also calls for more research and funds to develop ways to reduce the cost of remittances to the Pacific and to support microfinance activities in these countries.
There were a total of 62 submissions to this inquiry.