Corruption Crisis in PNG: Implications for Australia

Presented by Professor Jason Sharman, Deputy Director, Centre for Governance and Public Policy, Griffith University and ARC Future Fellow

 

About the presentation

Papua New Guinea, Australia’s closest neighbour is plagued with corruption.  Recent reports suggest that most, if not all institutions, may be compromised.  In June of this year matters came to a head when an arrest warrant was issued for Prime Minister O’Neill, who is alleged to be embroiled in bribery and fraud.  Add to this PNG’s usual socio-economic conditions and the situation is frightening.  PNG’s social indicators are among the worst in the Asia Pacific region. Approximately 85 per cent of PNG’s mainly rural population is poor and an estimated 18 per cent of people are extremely poor. Many lack access to basic services or transport. Poverty, unemployment and poor governance contribute to serious law and order problems. On the other hand, Australia is heavily dependent on PNG in its “stop the boats” endeavours and major investment activities, including oil and gas, among others.  A substantial proportion of Australia’s annual total aid money is allocated to PNG; AUD519m in 2013–14 and AUD577 in 2014–15.  The foregoing paints a very bleak picture.  The big question currently making the rounds is: what does this most recent crisis mean for Australia and how should Australia respond? 

 

About the speaker

Professor Jason Sharman graduated with his PhD in Political Science from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, before going on to work at American University in Bulgaria and the University of Sydney. In 2007 he took up anARC Queen Elizabeth II Fellowship at Griffith University, jointly hosted by the Centre for Governance and Public Policy and the Griffith Asia Institute. Sharman’s research is currently focused on money laundering and tax havens, as well as sovereignty and empires. Sharman has authored five books, and placed articles in journals including International Studies Quarterly, European Journal of International Relations, Comparative Politics, European Journal of Political Research and Journal of Economic Perspectives.He has also conducted research with the World Bank, Asian Development Bank, Commonwealth Secretariat, Financial Action Task Force on Money Laundering, Pacific Islands Forum, Asia-Pacific Economic Co-operation and various private sector groups. Sharman’s work has been featured in major media outlets like the Economist and theNew York Times, and has been taken as evidence by the United State Senate Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations.

 

Date: Tuesday, 26 August 2014

Venue:     N54 (Bray Centre) meeting room 2.02, Nathan campus 

Time:  2.00 – 4.00pm

 

To RSVP please contact Natasha Vary on (07) 3735 5322 or events-gai@griffith.edu.au by 5.00pm Friday 22 August 2014.