Marian Faa

Cairns

ABC Papua New Guinea correspondent🌴🌺 Views are mine, but you’re welcome to share them. DMs open. ♻️ and ❤️ are not endorsements.

Articles

PNG hospital staff expose dire maternity services

1 week ago | abc.net.au | Marian Faa

Women are being forced to give birth on the floor due to a lack of beds In Papua New Guinea's main hospital. Years of alleged neglect by hospital management has prompted staff to speak out, saying the facility simply can't cope.
In Papua New Guinea's main hospital, thousands of women were left on the floor after giving birth

1 week ago | abc.net.au | Marian Faa |Theckla Gunga

Less than 24 hours after giving birth, Christina Paulus is lying on the floor of a busy corridor in Papua New Guinea's main hospital. Nurses hurry around with charts. A cleaner wheels a mop bucket past her head. Beside her on the linoleum floor, another woman's baby starts to cry. As she rolls over to settle her newborn, Christina winces in pain. She lost more than a litre of blood during the birth. "The wounds are there. So when I'm sitting on the floor, it's uncomfortable," she says.
PNG's first Cardinal prepares for Papal Conclave

3 weeks ago | abc.net.au | Marian Faa

It's been an emotional few days for Catholics in Papua New Guinea who were visited by Pope Francis late last year. And for the country's first ever cardinal, there is an important job ahead as he prepares to join the conclave in Rome for the first time.
Artificial intelligence being used to speed up visa processing in Papua New Guinea

1 month ago | abc.net.au | Marian Faa

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Pope approves canonisation of Peter To Rot, who will be PNG's first saint

1 month ago | abc.net.au | Marian Faa

Catholic preacher Peter To Rot will become Papua New Guinea's first saint, after the pope approved his canonisation. Born on the island of East New Britain, Peter To Rot was held in a Japanese prison during World War II for practising Catholicism. A missionary in PNG said Pope Francis told him last year he wanted to canonise Peter To Rot himself. Papua New Guinea will soon have its first saint after Pope Francis approved the canonisation of local preacher Peter To Rot overnight.
PNG government's grand schemes - ABC listen

1 month ago | abc.net.au | Marian Faa

Papua New Guinea's government wants to develop a space agency, become a leader in post-quantum cryptograph and acquire a luxury island with a Congolese musician. These are among a series of grand schemes laid out in a secret cabinet decision. But critics say the PNG government should focus on the basics like education, healthcare and access to power.
PNG cabinet slammed for 'grand shopping list' of ideas including luxury island, spy agency and F1 track

1 month ago | abc.net.au | Marian Faa |Theckla Gunga

Papua New Guinea's national cabinet is facing a fierce backlash after resolving to expedite what has been called a "grand shopping list" of projects, including the development of a space agency. Seventy projects are outlined in a confidential cabinet decision that has been seen and verified by the ABC.
Large drone spotted near border with PNG as Chinese warships passed nearby

2 months ago | abc.net.au | Marian Faa |Stephen Dziedzic

Papua New Guinea's Foreign MinisterJustin Tkatchenko says he was not notified about a sophisticated drone that flew into the country's air space around the time a Chinese naval vessel navigated the border between PNG and Australia. Villagers spotted the drone flying about 6km inland of Mabaduan village on the PNG coast, in an area only a few kilometres from the Australian border.
Human skulls taken for scientific research in 1800s returned to Papua New Guinea's Rai Coast

2 months ago | abc.net.au | Hannah Meagher |Marian Faa |Theckla Gunga

Asel Tui's childhood on the Rai Coast of Papua New Guinea was coloured with tales of a legendary Russian explorer and scientist who sailed up to his village 150 years ago. But no one ever mentioned the skulls. "My ancestors didn't tell me anything about it. Maybe they were frightened," he told 7.30. Mr Tui can sit under a tree and look at the stone monument erected in memory of Nikolai Miklouho-Maclay, the Russian scientist who explored the area in 1871.
PNG hit by cyber attack

Feb 12, 2025 | abc.net.au | Marian Faa

Papua New Guinea's national tax office has been hit with a massive cyber attack - potentially exposing sensitive data belonging to hundreds of thousands of people. Australian citizens and businesses operating in the country have also been impacted and tax agents are tearing their hair out over the incident.