Oz-Dev: PNG Economic and Public Sector Program

For the past eleven years, AusAID’s key mechanism of support to economic and public sector governance in Papua New Guinea (PNG) has been through the PNG Advisory Support Facility (ASF). The ASF provides technical assistance personnel (advisers) for up to three years to work in central agencies, national line departments and provincial governments in support of priority public administration and reform agendas, and is due to complete in March 2010. The ASF has also supported Government of PNG (GoPNG) initiatives such as the Public Sector Workforce Development Program (PSWDP), Financial Management Improvement Program (FMIP) and Support to Auditor General’s Office (SAGO). The Government of Australia (GoA) also provides support to economic and public sector governance in PNG through the Strongim Gavman Program (SGP) (formerly the Enhanced Cooperation Program), which places senior Australian Government officials in the Departments of Finance and Treasury, the Internal Revenue Commission and the Auditor General’s Office. There are also smaller 'twinning' schemes between Australian agencies and their PNG counterparts including the Departments of Treasury and Finance and Administration and the Australian National Audit Office.EPSP is a significant initiative, conceived and designed collaboratively by the GoPNG and GoA. It replaces the existing ASF and will address the needs of central agencies in their role as key enabling institutions supporting effective government in PNG, with a focus on the equitable delivery of services to the men and women of PNG. EPSP provides an integrated framework to contribute to the priority outcomes of the Papua New Guinea-Australia Partnership for Development. In particular, EPSP will be a centrepiece for efforts to achieve priority outcome 4: An Efficient and Effective Public Service. 

EPSP will adopt a new approach. The EPSP will facilitate high level PNG coordination and management of resources supporting economic and public sector development by working directly through the Department of Prime Minister and National Executive Council (PM&NEC) to the Central Agencies Coordinating Committee (CACC). At the agency level, the Program will build stronger relationships and foster joint problem identification, development of support packages and teamwork. Most initial support will focus on agencies and managers than can deliver demonstrable results within a reasonable timeframe.