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In this chapter, we examine the uneven nature of development within and between rural and urban spaces in Papua New Guinea (PNG). We focus on the types of livelihoods available in urban and rural spaces and the ways these have shaped social and environmental outcomes. This analysis highlights three key issues. First, it shows the importance of thinking about development processes, networks and enclaves in addition to more traditional ways of framing development challenges and opportunities. Second, it points to the importance of PNG’s rural spaces for policymaking and politics. Finally, it notes that while large-scale development projects, such as mining and liquified natural gas, have significantly shaped urban and rural spaces over the past two decades, due to economic shifts, it is becoming less likely PNG will reshape its urban and rural spaces as dramatically in the years to come.

Speakers

Dr John Cox
Honorary Lecturer, School of Culture, History and Language, Australian National University

Dr Grant Walton
Fellow, Development Policy Centre, Australian National University

Joshua Goa
Tutor, Division of Social Work, School of Humanities, University of Papua New Guinea

Dunstan Lawihin
Lecturer, Division of Social Work, School of Humanities, University of Papua New Guinea

This presentation is based on the speakers’ chapter, ‘Uneven development and its effects: Livelihoods and urban and rural spaces in Papua New Guinea’, in the ANU-UPNG edited volume, ‘Papua New Guinea: Government, Economy and Society’, available for free download.

The ANU-UPNG seminar series is part of the partnership between the ANU Crawford School of Public Policy and the UPNG School of Business and Public Policy, supported by the PNG-Aus Partnership.

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Did living standards improve in Papua New Guinea over the last two decades, and especially as a result of the resource boom of the 2000s? This question remains unanswered to date. The best source to answer it is the PNG Demographic and Health Surveys for 1996, 2006 and 2016–18. Analysis of these surveys leads to three conclusions. First, there are clearly some ways in which living standards have improved: more households have rainwater tanks; more children are at school, albeit from a low base; and childhood mortality rates have fallen. Second, there are areas of regress: less access to traditional media and worse health services. Third, there are areas of stagnation: no growth in the importance of non-agricultural jobs, and little sign of significantly improved status for and equity of women. Overall, the results show some benefits from economic growth, but also areas of real concern, and little sign of the structural transformation needed for sustained and successful development. Interestingly, the analysis also reveals a trend to convergence between urban and rural living standards.

Speakers

Dr Manoj Pandey is a Lecturer in Economics, working as part of the partnership between the ANU Crawford School of Public Policy and the UPNG School of Business and Public Policy.

Professor Stephen Howes is Director of the Development Policy Centre.

This presentation is based on the speakers’ chapter in the forthcoming ANU-UPNG edited volume on contemporary issues in PNG.

The ANU-UPNG seminar series is part of the partnership between the ANU Crawford School of Public Policy and the UPNG School of Business and Public Policy, supported by the PNG-Aus Partnership.