Peter O'Neill

Turnbull committed on climate: PM O'Neill

Peter O'Neill will soon be dealing with his fourth Australian prime minister since 2011.

He has already invited Malcolm Turnbull to visit Port Moresby and is especially buoyed by the new leader's enthusiasm for tackling climate change.

"I think he will prosecute the case better," O'Neill told AAP.

He hopes Turnbull is able to win over some of his cabinet colleagues on the issue.

PM O'Neill held talks with former prime minister Tony Abbott on the sidelines of the Pacific Islands Forum last week before he was ousted from office.

Australian minister apologises for Pacific ‘lapping waves’ quip

Dutton had made the comments as he chatted to Prime Minister Tony Abbott Friday ahead of an event which appeared to be running late, quipping as a microphone hovered overhead that “time doesn’t mean anything when you’re about to be, you know, have water lapping at your door”.

Abbott had just returned from the Pacific Islands Forum (PIF) meeting between regional leaders in Papua New Guinea, where combating climate change was a key issue.

“I should have realised the mike was there and didn’t,” Dutton told Sky News.

Development partners told to align support to regional priorities, PM O’Neill

Pacific Leaders engaged in meaningful roundtable discussion with the development partners Friday where they were briefed on decisions made on climate change, the 10 year fisheries roadmap, information and communication technology (ICT), cervical cancer and West Papua.

Prime Minister Peter O’Neill of Papua New Guinea told journalists after the meeting that the donors and partners were very engaging in the dialogue.

Pacific Islands Forum will showcase PNG, says Peter O’Neill

The host, Prime Minister Peter O’Neill, told The Australian the Port Moresby summit “will showcase PNG’s energy and diversity, and we shall take leadership roles in some issues we are passionate about”.

These would include “climate change — and how the Pacific should position itself in that ­debate” in the run-up to the Paris World Climate Summit, “and about economic integration of the Pacific as a means of supporting the development of the region and mobilising skills”.

Papua New Guinea, hurt by commodities drop, on brink of Greek-style crisis

The projected budget deficit in Papua New Guinea's has been revised up, hitting 9.4 per cent, which is more than double last year's deficit and getting close to the 12.3 per cent figure which helped tip Greece into meltdown last year.

The budget implosion will come as a shock to leaders in PNG and also Australia, who have consistently played down the impact of corruption and sliding commodity prices.

PM likens West Papuans to Kanaks movement

However, he said what the MSG leaders will be focusing on is to try and find the right organisation that is going to represent them at MSG.

He said in order for that to happen, West Papua leaders must be elected, mandated and properly appointed to participate in the MSG.

“We cannot expect anybody coming up from the streets and telling us that we represent these groups of people,” he said  

However, O’Neill emphasised that “we have to do it properly and that is in an orderly manner that we want to allow our brothers and sisters in West Papua to participate.