Wednesday 10 April
Official Launch | Paradise Cinemas (invitation only) | 6.00pm
The Official launch of Australia Week 2013 at Paradise Cinemas will include a VIP reception followed by a film screening of award-winning Australian Film The Sapphires.
Public Concert | University of PNG | 1.30pm
Visiting Australian band Bending Rodriguez, together with PNG legends The Sanguma Band will collaborate and share their musical talents and culture in a free concert in the Auditorium at UPNG. Winners of an essay competition for Secondary and High School students to be announced
before the concert.
Australia Week Golf Day | PNG Golf Club | all day
Four ball Ambrose golf competition to be hosted by the Australian Defence Staff. Australian High Commission agencies and their PNG counterparts will be vying for great prizes and the honour of being Australia Week Champions.
Flickerfest Award-Winning Short Films | University of PNG | 7.00pm
We are proud to once again hold a Short Film Festival as part of Australia Week. Ten of the best, and funniest, short films, will be screened at the UPNG Main Lecture Theatre from 7pm. Open to the public and free.
Thursday 11 April
Citylights Street Art | Konedobu, Port Moresby
An exciting addition to Australia Week for 2013 is Citylights – Port Moresby. Renowned Australian urban artists Andy Mac and Tim de Haan will collaborate with eminent Papua New Guinean artist Martin Morububuna to hold workshops with local established and emerging artists and will also create public art installations.
Chef Andrew Fielke | Cooking up a storm in Port Moresby
After a popular appearance at Australia Week 2012, renowned Australian Chef, Andrew Fielke, is back in PNG and will share his expertise and passion for cooking using traditional local produce with up-and-coming PNG chefs. Andrew and the local chefs will be out and about at the markets
gathering the best of local produce and then present a cooking demonstration creating a menu of exciting dishes using both PNG and Australian traditional produce and cooking techniques.
Australia Week LIVE Concert | Lamana Hotel | 7.00pm
A highlight of Australia Week, the Australia Week LIVE concert at the Lamana Hotel will feature Melbourne-based band Bending Rodriguez with their unique blend of high energy rock & roll, reggae undertones, and Spanish styles. Also performing are PNG music legends, The Sanguma Band – this iconic band is back together and will get the crowds grooving. Also on the line-up is the hugely popular PNG Hip Hop and RnB band, Animal Audio.
Australia Week Cocktails and Dinner | Lae Inter Hotel | 6.00pm
In conjunction with the Lae Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Australia Week comes to Lae, with cocktails and dinner. Speaking at the dinner will be visiting Australian parliamentarians and representatives from the Cairns Chamber of Commerce and Industry.
Friday 12 April
Australian-PNG Alumni Association reception and Launch of Public Art Project | Konedobu | 3.00pm
Australia Week’s keynote speaker, Tim Costello AO, is CEO of World Vision Australia, and one of Australia’s most sought after voices on social justice issues, leadership and ethics. Mr Costello will address the Australian-PNG Alumni Association and will also launch the Citylights – Port Moresby public art project.
Keynote Speaker Address and Sponsors’ Gourmet Grazing Dinner | The Atrium, Airways Hotel (invitation only) | 6.00pm
In the sumptuous surrounds of The Atrium at the Airways Hotel, VIP guests and Australia Week sponsors will hear Tim Costello AO present the Australia Week Keynote Speaker Address, followed by a gourmet grazing dining experience prepared by Australian chef, Andrew Fielke. Andrew Fielke is an internationally acclaimed consulting chef specialising in creating unique dishes using Australian native ingredients and is recognized as one of the foremost pioneers in this field.
Saturday 13 April
Andrew Fielke Cooking Master class and Degustation Dinner | Airways Hotel
Presented by Airways Hotel, Andrew will host an exclusive Master class during the day and in the evening he will prepare a five course degustation dinner with matching Australian wines.
Cricket on the Local Green | Tubuserea Village | 10.00am
The Australian High Commission cricket team will take on the Tubuserea First Xi on their home turf. Tubuserea is located 40 minutes’ drive SE from Port Moresby and has a proud cricketing tradition. Come along to enjoy some social cricket and a BBQ in a family environment.
Sunday 14 April
AFL Day | Amini Park | From 10.00am. Main game at 3.00pm
Featuring Round one of the local AFL competition this promises to be an exciting day of Australian Rules football with a passionate crowd of supporters for a rematch of last year’s Grand Final between the University Tigers and the Gordon’s Kokofas. The day will also involve a showcase ‘Old Boys’ match, women’s football, Niukick for kids and visiting junior players from Rio Tinto’s Indigenous Development program.
29th Australia-Papua New Guinea Business Forum and Trade Expo | Gateway Hotel | 6.00pm
Welcome Dinner – The Forum theme is “Infrastructure: Time for Action”. The theme aims to capture the important message that Papua New Guinea has unprecedented opportunity to turn the economic value of today’s resources boom into tomorrow’s future prosperity for all its people.
Monday 15 April & Tuesday 16 April
29th Australia-Papua New Guinea Business Forum and Trade Expo | Gateway Hotel
The program for the Forum includes an overview of the political and economic climate, especially issues which effect business and investment, and will include specific sessions by expert presenters on doing business in PNG, including topics such as PNG Economy, Roads, Maritime Transport, Energy and Power Supply and Resource updates. There will be an opportunity for delegates to engage in lively interaction with presenters in most sessions.
Participants have an unparalleled opportunity to learn about business opportunities in Papua New Guinea, and to network with senior Australia and Papua New Guinea based policy makers and senior businesspeople.
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Additional events around Papua New Guinea
PNG Society of Writers Association presentation: Dame Carol Kidu – A Remarkable Journey
– University of PNG | Port Moresby | Thursday 18 April | 7:00pm
– Divine Word University Presentation | Madang | Friday 19 April | 7:00pm
Flickerfest 2013 National Screening | University of Technology | Lae,
Screenings of ten of the best short films entered in the 2013 Australian short film festival, Flickerfest, will be screened at the University of Technology in Lae.
Masalai blog 
THE FACE-LESS SOLDIER
O land of beauty and the brave
By one shot! All innocence lost
Where strange men bled lay wasted
As morning’s bugle gilded the skies
History’s verdict was proclaimed
Captured in such ragged prose
You of ancient mother’s angel
A lily in period’s pages pressed
Along elves’n fairies of folklore.
In distant pubs halls and malls
While reflecting over ale or two
Many mighty deeds regaled aloud
Of knights mice and man alike
In forests fields and everglades
With blood sweat and tears, spent
Scattered, consecrated, they lie
Flooding arid eyes all around
Toast to mate-ship’s truest heroes.
B’what manner of man cannot recall
The way like Moses you led out
Against Pharaoh’s fiery wrath
How you slipped the devils noose
That fateful night by Oivi’s Creek
Or rising to courage under line of fire
Setting ablaze both man and spirit
Still unfazed by hordes of sight unseen
Who can ever forget you now!
Tell us, who can ever forget you!
O proud Orokaiva Warrior, plumed
Like a spear to the skies you stand
In your hands both life and death
When jungle claimed you as its own
Foes whispered you- Green Shadow !
Sacred lightning, blurred darkness
Old men forget, but you not, how
Ridge by ridge and creek by creek
Carved out your name forever, by
History’s hand once writ cannot.
On Calvary’s way you have trod
Climbed your own Mount of Olives
Kokoda Isurava Deniki and Buna
Thru Gona’s kunai flats, Golgotha!
As sunset offered deaths pale sting
You stood, and smiled at its squint
As only an Orokolo Warrior would
And together as destiny’s brothers
Filled Kumusi with Horri’s tears.
Like the gushing of the Mambare
Your innocent life poured out
Daring angels to come measure
For a cause not your own-
If only the rocks would sing!
Or wail like the thrashing Eora!
A ragged and bloody tune be
An ode to ultimate sacrifice
A requiem of love supreme.
Though ill tuned and unprepared
While Curtins’ drawn and left wanting
O’er Blamey’s blunderings in the dark
Fought like warriors all possessed
Moving men and mountain alike
Deserving of accolades all equal
But alas! to linger in the shadows
A nameless and faceless solder!
Dirge to tragedy worse than death.
As dusk threatens to seize your days
You contemplate life’s passing tide
As did Henry the Fifth of age
On Saint Crispin’s Day recount
You strip your sleeves
And show your scars
Call out to all with ears
Nay! I was there beside thee!
When baptized in miry fire!
In lands and skies far and near, rise
Noble shrines and lordly tombs
In hallowed undulating meadows, lay
Names epitaphs in marble inscribed
But as for you in this fading light
Only rocks rills and mystic valleys
Herald your poignant deeds indeed
Now with undiscovered dead repose
In firm clasps of eternal anonymity.
Let now this cry go out from here
To every village in every valley
From Wapenamanda to Wakunai
Let no clanging of silver be heard
No vain fluttering of ribbons be seen
For you were there beside him !
Creek by creek and ridge by ridge
Cast together as destiny’s brothers
Yet, denied thrice at crow of dawn
The lesser path of man he chose
Ever to wander in soul-less sully.
Hear now! History’s verdict we proclaim!
Neither angels, elves nor fairies suffice
Nor medals of backyard foundries entice!
Now thru ancient gates you march
To the land of your fathers’ spirits
A land of promise and of plenty
Of rich rare and raving beauty
Where God rules in truth and is just
Where men walk and not grow weary
On treks paved in gold and silver
Here, we proclaim you, immortal!
We see you now, plain as you were
Warrior by birth and gallant in death
And in the timeless paean of Pericles
As heroes the whole earth their tomb
Yours with blood and valor, a nation!
And round the fires of every hut at night
As we pass the gourd and dakka around
In singsing places where brave men stand
We singe the bristles and call your name
And never let our sons forget your deeds
Theirs is a land of the proud and ancient
Where warriors are born but never shall die.
A Ballad of Tribute.
(A Tribute to the Proud but forgotten Warriors of the Papuan Infantry Battalion & our Carriers who sacrificed their all that we might be a Nation)