Australia promising more for its Pacific COVID-19 response
The Australian government says it will help move more essential medical equipment to Pacific countries to help them prepare for COVID-19.
There are more than 150 confirmed cases in the Pacific, mostly in Guam, French Polynesia and New Caledonia.
But there are grave concerns about whether countries like Papua New Guinea can handle even a mild outbreak.
With borders closed, it's facing logistical challenges that the Minister for the Pacific and International Development Alex Hawke says Australia will help with, in collaboration with partners like the Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat.
A formal announcement is expected within days.
“Australia facilitates a huge amount of movement of goods and people through the Pacific,” Minister Hawke told Pacific Beat.
“We're a transit country, we've got the capacity to move goods and people in many ways that other countries don't”.
The Minister defended the speed of the government's assistance to regional neighbours during the global COVID-19 pandemic.
Both the Opposition Labor and the Greens have called for the Government to step up its response and commit more aid to the region, which already has an under-resourced health systems.
“The Minister needs to ensure and provide evidence that there will be targeted extra support for our Pacific neighbours during this crisis and beyond,” the Greens spokesperson for International Development Dr Mehreen Faruqi told Pacific Beat.
“Our aid budget shouldn't fall victim to COVID-19.”
Minister Hawke said that Australia is already “repurposing any aid funding that is available for the Pacific into immediate relief in terms of health matters and COVID-19 matters and I think you can see that trend continuing”.
He also confirmed that there would be no further cuts to aid when the budget is handed down, which has been postponed from May to October after the Government announced stimulus measures worth more than AUD$200 billion (US$121 billion) to help Australians and the national economy.
Minister Hawke also told Pacific Beat that Australia is not in competition with China to help countries in the region cope with the coronavirus emergency.
China has ramped up its aid to the region this week, including promising ventilators and test kits to nations like the Solomon Islands.
The Australian High Commission also announced this week it is providing a COVID-19 testing machine for that country.
Minister Hawke denied there's any geostrategic incentives to Australia's assistance.
“There's no competition on trying to save lives," he said.
“I think we welcome any international effort from many country, from any multilateral agency, from any bank or anyone that wants to do something for the Pacific. So we're calling for it. Australia plays a leading role in calling for it, that includes from China”.
But he went on to highlight the need for countries to send high-quality equipment.
“We'd make the point that every country has got a responsibility to make sure the equipment they're sending is in good order, that it works and that it doesn't add to the burdens in country,” he told Pacific Beat.
“It's probably why in a country like Australia we take a very careful approach, it does take a little bit longer but we do ensure that when we respond, it's a high quality response”.
The ABC revealed this week that authorities have begun seizing faulty Chinese-made face masks and other protective clothing that is being exported to Australia to help halt the spread of coronavirus.
Meanwhile, the Australian Government will “imminently” announce a decision that affects thousands of Pacific workers currently in the country, whose fate is in limbo because of the coronavirus emergency.
Many workers from countries like Vanuatu and Tonga have been worried about their visas expiring, with their governments at home closing borders to international travel to prevent the spread of COVID-19.
Minister Hawke says they're aware of the stress it's causing but says government agencies have been working on solution for several weeks.
“With the crisis hitting Australia, we've had domestic priorities which have taken precedence with our economy but we're very grateful to the people of the Pacific who come here to work,” he said.
“Most of the visas are set to expire on June 30 naturally anyway. To those people today I would say, an announcement will be coming imminently that will provide the certainty about what their options will be,” he said.
SOURCE: ABC/PACNEWS
There are more than 150 confirmed cases in the Pacific, mostly in Guam, French Polynesia and New Caledonia.
But there are grave concerns about whether countries like Papua New Guinea can handle even a mild outbreak.
With borders closed, it's facing logistical challenges that the Minister for the Pacific and International Development Alex Hawke says Australia will help with, in collaboration with partners like the Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat.
A formal announcement is expected within days.
“Australia facilitates a huge amount of movement of goods and people through the Pacific,” Minister Hawke told Pacific Beat.
“We're a transit country, we've got the capacity to move goods and people in many ways that other countries don't”.
The Minister defended the speed of the government's assistance to regional neighbours during the global COVID-19 pandemic.
Both the Opposition Labor and the Greens have called for the Government to step up its response and commit more aid to the region, which already has an under-resourced health systems.
“The Minister needs to ensure and provide evidence that there will be targeted extra support for our Pacific neighbours during this crisis and beyond,” the Greens spokesperson for International Development Dr Mehreen Faruqi told Pacific Beat.
“Our aid budget shouldn't fall victim to COVID-19.”
Minister Hawke said that Australia is already “repurposing any aid funding that is available for the Pacific into immediate relief in terms of health matters and COVID-19 matters and I think you can see that trend continuing”.
He also confirmed that there would be no further cuts to aid when the budget is handed down, which has been postponed from May to October after the Government announced stimulus measures worth more than AUD$200 billion (US$121 billion) to help Australians and the national economy.
Minister Hawke also told Pacific Beat that Australia is not in competition with China to help countries in the region cope with the coronavirus emergency.
China has ramped up its aid to the region this week, including promising ventilators and test kits to nations like the Solomon Islands.
The Australian High Commission also announced this week it is providing a COVID-19 testing machine for that country.
Minister Hawke denied there's any geostrategic incentives to Australia's assistance.
“There's no competition on trying to save lives," he said.
“I think we welcome any international effort from many country, from any multilateral agency, from any bank or anyone that wants to do something for the Pacific. So we're calling for it. Australia plays a leading role in calling for it, that includes from China”.
But he went on to highlight the need for countries to send high-quality equipment.
“We'd make the point that every country has got a responsibility to make sure the equipment they're sending is in good order, that it works and that it doesn't add to the burdens in country,” he told Pacific Beat.
“It's probably why in a country like Australia we take a very careful approach, it does take a little bit longer but we do ensure that when we respond, it's a high quality response”.
The ABC revealed this week that authorities have begun seizing faulty Chinese-made face masks and other protective clothing that is being exported to Australia to help halt the spread of coronavirus.
Meanwhile, the Australian Government will “imminently” announce a decision that affects thousands of Pacific workers currently in the country, whose fate is in limbo because of the coronavirus emergency.
Many workers from countries like Vanuatu and Tonga have been worried about their visas expiring, with their governments at home closing borders to international travel to prevent the spread of COVID-19.
Minister Hawke says they're aware of the stress it's causing but says government agencies have been working on solution for several weeks.
“With the crisis hitting Australia, we've had domestic priorities which have taken precedence with our economy but we're very grateful to the people of the Pacific who come here to work,” he said.
“Most of the visas are set to expire on June 30 naturally anyway. To those people today I would say, an announcement will be coming imminently that will provide the certainty about what their options will be,” he said.
SOURCE: ABC/PACNEWS
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