Promoting Effective Public Expenditure | Crawford School of Public Policy

Summary

PNG is experiencing a minerals boom and confronts serious challenges in translating increased resource revenues into effective development outcomes. Together with the National Research Institute of Papua New Guinea the Development Policy Centre undertook the “Promoting Effective Public Expenditure Project (PEPE)” over a three year period (2012-2014).

The PEPE project aimed to better understand how PNG allocates its public funds and then how their funds are provided to and used by those responsible for delivering basic services.

The project consisted of two inter-related components. The first focused on analysing the allocation of PNG’s public resources through the budget process. The findings of this analysis, as well as the surveys discussed below, were then presented at twice yearly budget fora to provide a more systematic understanding of how PNG allocates its public resources, which helps reveal the government’s policy priorities.

The second component focused on understanding local expenditure dynamics and reforms. Through an expenditure tracking survey focused on local schools and health facilities, we were able to better understand whether funds were been effectively managed to deliver services. In particular, we focused on recent reforms to see whether they were yielding improvements in service delivery.

If you are interested in receiving further information about this project, please contact, Colin Wiltshire.

PEPE final report: A lost decade? Service delivery and reforms in Papua New Guinea 2002-2012

Stephen Howes, Andrew Anton Mako, Anthony Swan, Grant Walton, Thomas Webster and Colin Wiltshire
October 2014
This report presents the results of a 2012 survey of 360 primary schools and health clinics across eight provinces in PNG, from the nation’s capital to its most far-flung and inaccessible regions. Many of the same facilities were visited at the start of the decade in a similar study. By combining the two surveys, we can assess progress on education and health service delivery over time, and analyse the impact of important policy reforms.

» Full report PDF [PDF 5.8 MB]
» NRI Spotlight summary [PDF 1.3 MB]
» A3 flyer summary [PDF 4.1 MB]
» Individual chapters from the report are available on the PEPE publications page.

Read a short analysis

Budget fora

As part of our budget and expenditure research with PNG’s National Research Institute, budget forums were held twice a year at the NRI in Port Moresby. The first PNG budget forum was held on 12 September 2012 and focused on a 10-year budget trend analysis. The second forum analysed the 2013 PNG Budget and took place in early 2013. The third forum presented preliminary findings from our PEPE health and education expenditure tracking and facility surveys.

The fourth forum presented analysis of the 2014 PNG Budget and released further findings from the PEPE survey on PNG’s free education and health policies. Our latest budget forum was held on 30 October, 2014. We launched our joint report with NRI, A lost decade? Service delivery and reforms in Papua New Guinea 2002-2012, and considered its implications for the 2015 PNG budget. Presentations and videos from these budget forums are provided below

PNG budget forums were open to the general public and held at the NRI Conference Centre in Port Moresby. For further information, please contact Ron Sofe or Colin Wiltshire.

Service delivery and reform in Papua New Guinea, 2002-2012: A lost decade? - 30 October 2014

Forum background

» October 2014 Budget Forum flyer
» Full report PDF
» NRI Spotlight summary
» A3 flyer summary

Presentations

A lost decade? Service delivery and reforms in Papua New Guinea 2002-2012
Professor Stephen Howes, Director, Development Policy Centre, ANU
» view presentation
PEPE research implications and the 2015 budget
Paul Flanagan, Visiting Fellow, Development Policy Centre, ANU
» view presentation

Implementing the policies from the PNG Budget: Evidence from the PEPE Project - 10 April 2014

Forum background

» April 2014 Budget Forum flyer
» April 2014 Budget Forum program

Welcome Address
Dr Thomas Webster, NRI Director

Session 1: 2014 PNG National Budget

Accountability and transparency at provincial, district and local levels
Dr Ken Ngangan, Acting Secretary, Department of Finance
» view presentation
Analysis of 2014 PNG Budget & Relevance to PEPE Research
Professor Stephen Howes, Director, Development Policy Centre, ANU
» view presentation

Session 2: Providing free Health and Education services

PEPE findings on Health financing and implications for the free Health policy
Mr Colin Wiltshire, ANU and Mr Andrew A. Mako, NRI
» view presentation
Nazarene hospital advice: partnership in planning for free/subsidised health plan
Dr Scott Dooley, Hospital Administrator, Jiwaka Province
» view presentation
School subsidy spending and the free education policy
Dr Anthony Swan, ANU
» view presentation

PNG’s Lost Decade? Budget Forum - 19 September 2013

Forum background

» September 2013 Budget Forum flyer
» September 2013 Budget Forum program

Presentations

Welcome and forum overview
Dr Charles Yala, Acting Director, NRI

Session 1: National analysis

PEPE survey: Key findings
Professor Stephen Howes, Director, Development Policy Centre, ANU
» view presentation [pdf]
Policy implications
Dr Thomas Webster, Director, NRI
» view presentation [pdf]

Session 2: Provincial analysis

PEPE survey: Health findings by province
Mr Colin Wiltshire, ANU and Mr Andrew Mako, NRI
» view presentation [pdf]
PEPE survey: Education findings by province
Dr Anthony Swan, ANU and Dr Grant Walton, ANU
» view presentation [pdf]

The Focus and Implementation of the 2013 PNG National Budget - 7 February 2013

Forum background
» February 2013 Budget Forum flyer (pdf, 130kB)
» February 2013 Budget Forum program (pdf, 170kB)
» view video

Presentations

Welcome Remarks
Dr Thomas Webster, NRI Director

Session 1: 2013 National Budget – Overview and Assessment

Overview, Rationale and Implementation
Hon. Don Polye, MP, Minister for Treasury
» view presentation (pdf, 2MB)
» view video
Accountability and Transparency
Hon. Mr James Marape, MP, Minister for Finance
» view presentation (pdf, 353kB)
» view video
Analysis and Assessment
Professor Stephen Howes, Director, Development Policy Centre, ANU
» view presentation (pdf, 1.1MB)

Session 2: National Budget – Commentary and Reporting back from the field

Commentary on Budget Presentation and Analysis
Mr Tim Bulman, Country Economist for PNG and Solomon Islands, World Bank, and Mr John Leahy, President, PNG Chamber of Commerce & Industry
» view presentation (pdf, 1.4MB)
Promoting Effective Public Expenditure Survey: Reporting back from the field
Mr Colin Wiltshire, ANU and Mr Andrew A. Mako, NRI
» view presentation (pdf, 2.8MB)

2012 Budget Forum, 12 September 2012

Forum background
» 2012 Budget Forum flyer (pdf, 130kB)
» 2012 Budget Forum program (pdf, 137kB)

Presentations

Launch of joint NRI/ANU Research Project
Thomas Webster and Stephen Howes

Past Budget trends: Lessons for the future
Professor Stephen Howes and Mr Andrew A. Mako, Devpolicy, ANU
» view presentation (pdf, 786kB)

Panel Session 1: Discussion of Budget Trends
Mr Stuart Schaefer, Head of Aid, AusAID PNG
» view presentation (pdf, 293kB)

Sovereign Wealth Fund
Mr Anthony Yauieb, Deputy Secretary, Economic and Financial Policy, Department of Treasury, PNG
» view presentation (pdf, 319kB)
» view speech (pdf, 96.4kB)

Panel Session 2: Discussion on Sovereign Wealth Fund
Mr Matt Morris, Development Policy Centre, ANU and Mr Richard Conn, President, Port Moresby Chamber of Commerce - National Government development priorities for the next five years
Minister Hon. Charles Abel MP , Member for Alotau and Minister for National Planning, PNG
» view presentation (pdf, 3.8MB)

Panel Session 3: Discussion of Government development priorities
Mr Paul Barker, Executive Director, INA

Expenditure survey

As part of The PNG Promoting Effective Public Expenditure Project, we conducted an extensive nationwide expenditure tracking survey of more than 360 schools and health facilities. Fieldwork was conducted from September to December 2012, where survey teams travelled to some of PNG’s most rural and remote locations in order to complete over 1276 separate surveys.

Publications

A lost decade? Service delivery and reforms in Papua New Guinea 2002-2012

Stephen Howes, Andrew Anton Mako, Anthony Swan, Grant Walton, Thomas Webster and Colin Wiltshire; October 2014

This report presents the results of a 2012 survey of 360 primary schools and health clinics across eight provinces in PNG, from the nation’s capital to its most far-flung and inaccessible regions. Many of the same facilities were surveyed at the start of the decade. By combining the two surveys, we can assess progress on health and education service delivery over time, and analyse the impact of important policy reforms.

Financing PNG’s free primary health care policy: user fees, funding and performance

Colin Wiltshire and Andrew Mako, June 2014

This was the first major publication to be released from our Promoting Effective Public Expenditure project, with findings presented in June at the 2014 PNG National Health Conference in Port Moresby. The publication uses health financing results from PEPE expenditure tracking surveys to inform the implementation of PNG’s free primary health care policy.

Resources

Related Devpolicy Blog posts and In Briefs

2015

Eliminating project fees in PNG schools: a step too far? by Grant Walton on April 20, 2015.
Education and development: limitations and unintended consequences by Grant Walton on January 28, 2015.

2014

Papua New Guinea’s Tuition Fee-Free policy: is it working? by Grant Walton, Anthony Swan and Stephen Howes on December 10, 2014.
Fourth time’s the charm: a brief history of ‘free education’ policies in PNG by Grant Walton and Anthony Swan on December 9, 2014.
Unique data set shows how to make service delivery work in Papua New Guinea by Stephen Howes, Andrew Anton Mako, Anthony Swan, Grant Walton, Thomas Webster and Colin Wiltshire on October 30, 2014.
Good news on the gender front in Papua New Guinea by Stephen Howes, Andrew Anton Mako, Anthony Swan, Grant Walton, Thomas Webster and Colin Wiltshire on October 17, 2014.
The Infrastructure Development Authority in PNG: recent developments by Matthew Dornan and Anthony Swan on September 9, 2014.
Road management in Papua New Guinea (part 1): the maintenance challenge by Matthew Dornan on September 3, 2014.
Road management in Papua New Guinea (part 2): the Road Fund and National Road Authority by Matthew Dornan on September 5, 2014.
Financing health facilities and the free health policy in PNG: challenges and risks (Part 2) by Colin Wiltshire and Andrew Anton Mako.
Financing health facilities and the free health policy in PNG: challenges and risks (Part 1) by Colin Wiltshire and Andrew Anton Mako on July 15, 2014.

2013

PNG’s lost decade? Understanding the differences between health and education by Thomas Webster, Andrew Anton Mako, Stephen Howes, Anthony Swan, Grant Walton and Colin Wiltshire on September 27, 2013.
PEPE team revisits surveyed provinces to share preliminary findings by Colin Wiltshire on September 16, 2013.
Without fear or favour? O’Neill’s District Authorities to build capacity and consolidate MP powers in PNG by Colin Wiltshire on January 13, 2014.
Reflections on the PNG Budget Forum: Can devolved funding be effectively utilised by Colin Wiltshire on April 3, 2013.
Urban primary schools in Papua New Guinea: A decade of (rusty) swings and roundabouts by Grant Walton on March 13, 2013.
Challenges and opportunities at the frontline of service delivery in PNG: Enga province by Andrew Anton Mako on March 1, 2013.

2012

Service delivery realities in Gulf Province, PNG by Colin Wiltshire on December 6, 2012.
PNG’s experience with rapid revenue growth: lessons for the future by Andrew Anton Mako on August 31, 2012.
Thomas Webster on visas, Porgera, PNG elections and the resource boom by Thomas Webster on May 31, 2012.
Benefits from mining in Papua New Guinea – where do they go? by Margaret Callan on September 10, 2012.
Lessons from PNG’s budget trends over the last decade by Stephen Howes and Andrew Anton Mako on November 12, 2012.
Remarks on PNG’s budget trends by Thomas Webster on November 12, 2012.
Fee Free Tuition Policy Management Manual

This manual was distributed to schools by the PNG government in 2012.

» View here

2002

2002 NRI/World Bank Public Expenditure and Service Delivery Survey 2002

This is the report based on the facility survey undertaken by the World Bank and NRI in 2002, which was updated through our 2012 survey and 2014 report.
» Full report

2002 Wok Bung: A qualitative study of twelve primary schools in Papua New Guinea

This report is complementary to the 2001 World Bank/NRI PESD study. It is a qualitative study of twelve of the schools involved in the quantitative study.

Full report (pdf, 3.9 MB)

Chapter One: Setting the Scene
» Setting the Scene(pdf, 3.9 MB)

Chapter Two: Eastern Highlands
» Magitu Primary School(pdf, 344 kB)
» Siokiei Primary School(pdf, 345 kB)
» Yonki Primary School(pdf, 380 kB)

Chapter Three: East New Britain
» Bitapaka Primary School(pdf, 242 kB)
» Kabaleo Primary School(pdf, 224 kB)
» Nawnaram Primary School(pdf, 274 kB)

Chapter Four: Morobe
» Kalasa Primary School(pdf, 418 kB)
» Siki Primary School(pdf, 296 kB)
» Pindiu Primary School(pdf, 333 kB)

Chapter Five: National Capital District
» Koki Primary School(pdf, 303 kB)
» Hohola Primary School(pdf, 214 kB)
» Tatana Primary School(pdf, 231 kB)

Chapter Six: Making Sense of the Schools
» Making Sense of the Schools(pdf, 353 kB)