19 Aug 2008

PNG to apply strict criteria in choosing labour for Australia

1:51 pm on 19 August 2008

Papua New Guinea's foreign minister, Sam Abal, says it will set stringent criteria to determine who will get to work in Australia under a new scheme for horticulture workers.

The three-year pilot will allow up to 2,500 workers from PNG, Kiribati, Tonga and Vanuatu to take up seasonal work similar to a seasonal labour scheme run in New Zealand.

Mr Abal says Australia's inclusion of PNG in the scheme is a vote of confidence in PNG's young generation.

He went on to say the PNG government will not allow a few louts to spoil this opportunity if appointed, because PNG wants the programme to be available to PNG.