PNGAA Library

Speech by His Excellency, Charles Lepani, High Commissioner to Australia at the "Sharing Histories: Kiap Tribute" Event

Senator Lundy, and Excellency, Major General Michael Jeffery.

This is  a wonderful occasion, and I'm very grateful for the invitation to participate here, to thank you all, the kiaps, and your families and children who are here today. On behalf of the Government of Papua New Guinea, and the people of Papua New Guinea, I say thank you.

Thank you also the National Archives for this wonderful effort to recognise and store away for use of future generations of Australians and Papua New Guineans the means by which to remember the sterling efforts of young Australians who were in Papua New Guinea to assist in creating the nation that it is today.

Often I have been to occasions like this, particularly for the PNG Association of Australia and I have pressed those attending for one thing: please write—rather than sit in coffee shops in Manly, or tea houses, and exchange reminiscences—write about your memories, your reminiscences. The young generation of Australians and Papua New Guineans can then share your knowledge of those challenging times in creating the nation that today is Papua New Guinea.

I have my own recollections: growing up in Trobriand Islands, and in Port Moresby, and before I came to Australia. The story of Patrol Officers, Assistant District Commissioners, (in our case, in Trobriands, we didn't have a District Commissioner). The District Commissioner was in Samarai, our headquarters, but yes, we had very good officers. My father served with them as a Storeman and a Clerk. He was sent to Port Moresby to train. He became a Clerk in the Treasury office, cleaning the windows of the Director for Treasury then, whose son I happened to meet here. He was the Deputy Secretary of Foreign Affairs, and now your Ambassador in Italy.

My father used to talk about the kiaps, the Assistant District Officers he worked with in Trobes, like Turner, and Owen the red-headed kiap, Mr Owen. Of course, Mr Whitehouse was the famous one before the war period. He was a tough one. Trobrianders used to be very scared of him.

Then in my school years in Charters Towers, I came across Mr Phillip Bouraga, the first Papua New Guinean kiap who was admitted to your ASOPA training. He was doing his senior year to repeat maths to get to ASOPA, and I was studying in grade seven, in Charters Towers.

So I've experienced a fair bit of kiap contact. Even in my first job. I was trained as a trade unionist by Bob Hawke and his cohort in ACTU. I then came back and worked for PSA. Those were transition days. Australian kiaps and Australians were leaving public service, and the PSA made a major effort to get you your "golden handshakes", I was part of that team, though very peripheral as a junior officer in the Public Service Association.

My father used to come to Kaugeri, where we lived, with these small payslips that he was to type for your pays when he worked at Treasury. Some of you, if you got the wrong pay slips, or were underpaid, [can] blame him for it!

However, let me on a serious note repeat how wonderful it is that National Archives has taken on this role, to reinvigorate the experiences that you have had in Papua New Guinea, and establish the record about which all Australians and Papua New Guineans should be proud, particularly the young generation.

My job here in Canberra is also not just dealing at government-to-government level. I enjoy most going to Rotaries, Councils, and schools that come to the High Commission. When I go out to talk to them it's very important we maintain and sustain this relationship that you've contributed so much to build in Papua New Guinea. The young generation of both our countries need to learn. The Kokoda Foundation is one group that is spearheading a lot of work in building up the Kokoda tradition, the iconic story between Papua New Guinea and Australia and our friendship.

At times politics can be tough between our two countries, and so can politicians, but as friends we continue a substantive role to play between our two countries. That's part of the reason why it's very important to write your memories down, and store them away so it will be accessible to future generations.

The other story I want to tell you is how our present Prime Minister, who would, I think be the last generation of Papua New Guinean leaders who straddles effectively both Western modern and past tradition cultures. The young generation of leaders have a different perspective on life.

Two things that I remember Grand Chief Sir Michael Somare has mentioned to me. A couple of us, two years after independence were having a drink in his office just after the Budget Session. I was Head of the Planning Office. I remember he said, "Charles, I think we really started off on the wrong track. There are certain parts of the country we should fence and let the kiaps run, and there are certain parts of the country we should get independence for."

Today, he continues to preach this sentiment when he's here in Australia. He's asked the former Prime Ministers if we could have some of the retired judges, retired teachers, even retired patrol officers to go back and help in extension services, the delivery of services. That's the key issue today. We've got public service, we've got a lot of money—more money than we've ever had—but to effectively deliver the services that you did so well, that's what we, the country and the leaders, are seeking to regenerate amongst our public servants.

The key word today is not patrol officers, but "petrol officers". As some of you may know, if a station calls and says "Can we have these supplies, or can we see you on a patrol?", the answer is: "Oh, no, Sori, nogat petrol."

These are the difficulties of today's development that Papua New Guinea faces. We have challenges. We have good prospects and good potential, but we do look forward to your continued friendship and support. At government level we have had very good and growing support from the Australian governments, both previous and current: in the development effort; the two reviews of universities; and the development cooperation treaty, which is the essence of our relationship in your aid program.

We think, at least the Prime Minister and I agree on this, that aid can be good, but it can also be bad for our relationship. Australians, as I've always said—some of you might have heard me say this—think that it's "a waste of taxpayers' money". Papua New Guineans think it's "boomerang money". There's a lot of confusion going on, that has gone on, but the latest review has been very good, that is, to not only start reducing Australia's aid, but also build it into investment, trade, and give the money to investors, and to NGOs to help in the effective delivery of your aid. Papua New Guineans also share this view.

So in conclusion, once again, Ross, thank you very much for the effort your gallery has put into this day, but also to store in the Archives the reminiscences and the records of this great bunch of Aussies. Thank you.