PAPUA NEW GUINEA

Press, Volume CXIV, Issue 33448, 1 February 1974, Page 17

PAPUA NEW GUINEA

Bill for ‘golden handshake’ (N.Z. Press Assn.—Copyright) CANBERRA, January 31. The Australian Government is faced with a payment of about s9om over the next 10 years to expatriate Australians working for Papua New Guinea’s Public Service. Government sources in Canberra say that under the Papua New Guinea Staff Assistance Act, the Australian Government bears the responsibility for staff-entitle-ment payments to members of the Papua New Guinea Public Service whose employment is terminated by the Papua New Guinea Government.

There are about 1200 expatriate public servants in Papua New Guinea, and their entitlement would be about $58,000 each. However, there is no suggestion that the 1200 will leave Papua New Guinea in a mass exodus. “In fact, we are trying to ensure that they retain their jobs, and are not forced to leave,” a Government source said today.

It is understood that the greater proportion of the $58,000 “golden handshake” will consist of normal superannuation entitlement, and the remainder, loss-of-job compensation, accrued long service, and recreational leave, removal allowances, and resettlement allowances.