An Australian diplomat in PNG nominates and then withdraws from the race to replace former PM Julia Gillard, while raw coffee prices fall as consumption flatlines.

The Second Secretary at the Australian High Commission in Port Moresby made headlines in Australia last week. Early in the week, Lisa Clutterham emerged as a surprise favourite to replace former Prime Minister Julia Gillard in the safe Labor seat of Lalor. However by the end of the week, she had withdrawn, after an ABC radio interview in which she revealed she had no connection with the area and had joined the ALP less than a month earlier.

* * *

As it happens Clutterham’s main supporter, new Trade Minister Richard Marles, visited PNG this week as part of Kevin Rudd’s delegation. He was interviewed by ABC Radio on that topic as well as bilateral trade.

* * *

The timing of Kevin Rudd’s visit to PNG so soon after returning to office was applauded by Jenny Hayward-Jones but what of its substance? There was, she said in The Lowy Institute’s Interpreter blog, ‘not so much that was startlingly different to what was announced during Prime Minister Gillard’s visit but some progress on existing items of cooperation.’

* * *

An article in The Economist (Brewed Awakening, 13 July) provides some context for the fall in the international coffee price. Although global demand for the premium arabica coffee variety (the mainstay of the PNG coffee industry) is flat*, production is increasing, especially in Brazil (which produces a third of the world’s coffee, versus PNG’s 1%).

* * *

An update on the review of the Pacific Plan currently being conducted by Sir Mekere Morauta has been published by Seini O’Connor on the Devpolicy blog.

* * *

Need a new mobile phone case? Lost a chess piece? Then just make your own, with the world’s first 3D printer for home use.

(* Not in the Business Advantage PNG office, however.)