Papua New Guinea has allegedly been accused of "trailing behind" with its preparations for the seasonal workers' programme to Australia.
The guest worker scheme allows 2,500 people from Vanuatu, Kiribati, Tonga, and PNG to pick and pack fruit in Australia for seven months a year.
The Australian Federal Opposition has accused the Rudd Government of bungling the plan to give Pacific Islanders special visas to work in Australia.
And the Australian Prime Minister's office has confirmed the programme was some months behind.
But PNG's Foreign Affairs office told the Post Courier that preparations were still on schedule and a final report was due to PNG's Foreign Minister.
The scheme was designed to help the industry overcome labor shortages, particularly in Griffith in New South Wales and Swan Hill in Victoria.
