Lae police station Photo: Supplied
Papua New Guinea's Police Minister Peter Tsiamalili Jr says the additional funding for police in the 2025 Budget will make the country safer.
The minsiter said the government knows what is required to support plans to strengthen the police force, the Post-Courier reported.
The increased spending will allow for higher wages, greater numbers, and help create a force that is relevant to modern law and order challenges.
When revealing the new Budget, PNG Treasurer Ian Ling-Stuckey said, "it gives the police more than they asked for."
"We will give them a 19 percent increase in wages so they are able to grow the force by 10,000 by 2030," Ling-Stuckey said.
"We have increased their goods and services budget to K158.6 million, an extraordinary increase of 67 percent in just one year."
Tsiamalili said there will also be more money for critical resources such as vehicles, fuel, housing, office accommodation, and ammunition.
Business analysis company Pricewaterhouse Coopers (PwC) has given Budget the thumbs up.
PwC is forecasting robust GDP growth of 4.9 percent this year with 4.7 percent next year.
Inflation in PNG is expected to be 4.5 percent.
It said the key highlight is the move away from the resource sector, which will be growing more slowly.
PwC told Sunday Online this heralds a move to a more balanced and sustainable economy.
PwC said the allocation of more than a third of spending to health and education reflects a strong commitment to social development and human capital investment.
