The PNG Medical Blog team had the pleasure of attending the Community Justice Fund grant awards at the Australian High Commission on Wednesday, 10th September, 2025. The awards were presented by PNG’s Minister for Justice & Attorney General, Hon. Pila Niningi MP. and Australia’s Attorney-General, Hon. Michelle Rowland MP.
The Community Justice Fund (CJF) is part of the Australia–PNG Law and Justice Partnership, an Australian Government initiative supporting locally driven projects that tackle gender-based violence, sorcery-related harm, corruption, and tribal conflict. It also backs efforts that promote safer communities and fairer access to justice.
CJF funding goes toward practical, community-focused work: awareness campaigns, support services, training, partnerships, and more. We were honoured to be one of five recipients this year, alongside Christian Health Services, ADRA PNG, Queen Pads, and Callan Services National Unit.
The CJF is still relatively new, with its first round of recipients awarded just last year. Its goal is to support organisations working directly in their communities to address pressing issues, especially through awareness and engagement.
With the program starting at 3 p.m. that day, I left the office telling my colleagues I had an event to attend, while Dr. Inaido flew in from Alotau and Dr. Umo came straight from the operating theatre at Pom Gen Hospital after surgery.
We had the chance to mingle with last year’s recipients, who had booths set up showcasing their work. We chatted, exchanged contacts, and connected with teams from Christian Health Services, Queen Pads, and Callan Services National Unit, among a few others. It was an opportunity to meet people from other organisations whose work overlapped with our own.
The formal ceremony began at 4 p.m., with speeches from the Australian Attorney-General and the Australian High Commissioner to PNG, His Excellency Mr Ewen McDonald, as well as former recipients of the grants such as Queen Pads and The Salvation Army.
The event concluded with photo sessions and refreshments. We left at 5 p.m. after a final exchange of contacts and wishes of congratulations.
Beyond the financial support, the grant felt like a vote of confidence in the work we’re doing with the Blog; an affirmation that storytelling, education, and community engagement can make a difference.
As the Attorney-General put it:
“The Community Justice Fund grants show what partnership in action looks like, supporting our Pacific community leaders to drive real change in their communities.”
PNG Medical Blog team pictured with Australia’s Attorney-General the Hon. Michelle Rowland MP and Papua New Guinea’s Minister for Justice and Attorney General, the Hon. Pila Niningi MP.
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