PNG to raise manus concerns

PNG foreign minister will raise concerns with Australia his people are not benefiting from the Asylum seeker detention centre on Manus Island.

Papua New Guinea's foreign minister will raise concerns with Australia that his people are not benefiting from hosting the asylum-seeker detention centre on Manus Island.

Prime Minister Peter O'Neill told the nation's single house of parliament that Rimbink Pato will discuss the matter with Australian counterpart Julie Bishop next month.

"This is a matter of great significance and I can assure you the Foreign Affairs Minister will consider this a high-priority agenda," Mr O'Neill told the chamber on Wednesday.

Mr O'Neill said in a statement he agreed the Australian government could hire local earthmoving and construction companies for projects in and around the centre.

Australia is flying in food items, toiletries, timber, machineries and other accessories, which companies in Manus are capable of supplying.

The Australian government is also flying in drinking water, MP John Hickey said.

Mr O'Neill said despite Australia using its own funding for procurement purposes, it should honour its commitments by utilising and engaging local suppliers.

The comments come amid heavy criticism of the centre by a long-term supporter of the scheme, Manus MP Ron Knight.

Mr Knight, who is currently in Port Moresby to attend parliament, told the ABC he had received reports some guards at the centre were harassing locals.

"They have been getting drunk in town and other areas," Mr Knight on Wednesday.

"Getting on public motor vehicles in a drunk condition and on the way to the base, forcing the driver to stop so they can get off, relieve themselves in front of women and children and also they have been harassing women on the buses on the way to the base."

He also received letters from constituents about a guard who had allegedly been harassing female students at local schools.

Mr Knight says there have been claims the man had been trying to lure the girls into his car.

He said, while only a minority of the guards at the centre behaved badly in public, complaints made to the police have so far gone unanswered.

"The Prime Minister is taking this very seriously and he's going to take this up with his counterparts in Australia and with immigration... and also with (security firm) G4S," he said.

In a statement, G4S said it is very concerned about the allegations and has launched an internal investigation.

The company also says it will comply with a police investigation.

Australia currently houses 1,157 male asylum seekers at its Manus facilities on Lombrum Naval base.


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Source: AAP


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