The Foot Report & the creation of the state of PNG
14 Sep 2016 — The findings from this visit, known as the Foot Report, were critical of Australia's role in the slow pace of political change and development in ..
The period after World War two was a time when colonial nations sought independence. The industrial revolution sent nations out into the world to seek colonies for raw materials and markets.
The premier colonizer was Britain with the British Empire. China was colonized by several nations pushing for raw materials and markets.
Germany took colonies in Africa and New Guinea but lost New Guinea that passed to Australia after World War 1. Papua was ceded to Australia by Britain. The Dutch took Indonesia and passed the nation over after the war.
France took colonies in Indo-china but was removed in the 1950s by the Viet Minh in Vietnam. The final blow came with the invasion of Asia by Japan seeking its own empire in the Greater Asian Co-Prosperity Sphere. There was a great need for oil, iron and coal.
Japan was a late comer forced into aggressive occupation by gun boat diplomacy in the 1850s but destroyed by the USA after the attack on Pearl Harbour.
After the war, the colonies did not want their overlords back but sought independence led by India. Papua and New Guinea were late to the independence table.
Australia regarded Papua and New Guinea as a source of gold and plantation produce. Little was done in the post-world war 1 period.
But there was a parliamentary system, an education system with many expatriate teachers and law and order organized by police and kiaps. The PNGDF was placed under command of newly promoted senior officers.
But then the Foot Report brought the UN pressure on Australia to grant independence. This was severely resisted until the Labor Government took over. Gough Whitlam supported independence which was granted in 1975.
The reins of government were taken by Michael Somare who became GC Sir Michael Somare and one of the most famous leaders on the planet.
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