PNG’s high commissioner in Canberra, Charles Lepani, issued the warning ahead of expected Australian cabinet discussions on a trial of the scheme this week.
The scheme will see Pacific islanders allowed into Australia to help pick and package seasonal crops. No announcements have been made, but there is speculation that PNG will not be included.
“It will be a tragedy if that happens,” Lepani told participants at a conference in Sydney on the planned scheme. “It will set our PNG-Australia relations in a very negative light again.”
Relations between Australia and PNG had improved under the current government after souring under then-Prime Minister John Howard.
“There is no reason, no reason whatsoever that Australia should forget or exclude Papua New Guinea from any initial pilot programs on seasonal labor,” Lepani said.
He said poor relations with Port Moresby have security and economic implications for Australia.
“All these will be put to the test if I may venture to say on this labor mobility issue or seasonal worker issue,” Lepani said.
An economist from the Australian National University, Satish Chand said New Zealand’s very successful seasonal work visa scheme targeted a number of other Pacific countries, and that Australia has a responsibility to PNG.
He said he also heard that the Australian scheme will exclude Papua New Guinea.
“If we did it would be bad economics, it will be bad politics, and it will be bad international relations,” he said. “On the bad economics remember PNG is the largest pool. So if you wanted workers then you go to the largest pool rather than a pool that’s already being tapped into by New Zealand.”
Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd is expected to announce the scheme at the Pacific Islands Forum in Niue in August.
