Labour mobility programme takes next step towards transition to the ABG
LABOUR mobility is central to Australia and New Zealand’s commitment to build a stronger Pacific family.
Through the Pacific Australia Labour Mobility (PALM) and New Zealand Recognised Seasonal Employer (RSE) schemes, Bougainvilleans have the opportunity to travel to Australia and New Zealand for work, send money home to their families and learn new skills to strengthen Bougainville’s economic development.
This also enables businesses from Australia and New Zealand to employ productive and reliable Bougainvilleans to fill a range of important jobs.
To date, 136 Bougainvilleans have been deployed to Australia and New Zealand through these schemes.
The Autonomous Region of Bougainville (ARoB) Recruitment Hub is one of the recruitment hubs in Papua New Guinea (PNG) implemented by the Papua New Guinea Labor Mobility Unit (PNGLMU).
Since its establishment in 2022, the ARoB Recruitment Hub has operated under a special arrangement with the Australia and New Zealand-funded Bougainville Partnership programme, in collaboration with the Autonomous Bougainville Government (ABG).
While currently managed by Bougainville Partnership, the Hub will transition into an ABG-operated unit in the future.
Recently, a two-year Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) was signed with the ABG’s Department of Commerce, Trade, Industry and Economic Development (DCTIED),and the Regional Member for Bougainville, the Honourable Peter Tsiamalili Jnr to extend the collaboration.
This agreement alone represents a significant milestone in the transition process and the ongoing collaboration between the ABG, the Honourable Peter Tsiamalili Jnr, and the Governments of Australia and New Zealand to work closely together to increase the number of Bougainvilleans participating in the schemes.
As part of the MOU and to ensure sufficient resources for the program, the Office of the Regional Member has committed to contribute K 1,000,000 and the ABG a further K 600,000.
These contributions will help leverage the funding currently being provided by the governments of Australia and New Zealand and support the sustainability of the programme.
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