Talk:Port Moresby

Comments

• I removed the reference to the Economist's ranking of Port Moresby as the worst place in the world to live in. This sort of bad press seems unecessary to me -- not to mention false(!), and potentially damaging -- though others may have different views about this sort of issue. -- 163.1.159.220 16:01, 5 October 2005 (UTC)
  • Disagree. With no offence intended, PM has received the unwanted title on other occations (among them a UN 2005 Quality of Life survey). The article currently informs us that the city "does have some problems with crime". Corrupt police and rampant gang culture: this may just be my POV, but the wording sounds a bit mild. Also; this is an encyclopedia, not a travel magasine. I am reverting. If anyone wants to discuss this; please feel free, but please provide some strong arguments for excluding infromtation from this encyclopedia. --Swift 21:07, 11 October 2005 (UTC)
  • Well, okay. I won't push it. But really, I just think these kinds of rankings are ridiculous. Is Port Moresby more dangerous than Baghdad (or anywhere else in Iraq)? Kabul (or anywhere else in Afghanistan)? Bogota? Jerusalem? Pyongyang? Kyrgyzstan? Just about anywhere in Cote D'Ivoire, Congo, Liberia, Somalia, Zimbabwe, etc. etc? 163.1.159.220 21:12, 17 October 2005 (UTC)
    • Granted. But then again, no ranking is really perfect. The UN QoLS didn't look at Baghdad or rural Afghanistan and the EIU probably didn't either (I haven't tracked the report down). The article mentions that only 127 places worldwide were compared (only capitals?). It is (hopefully) obvious to all what that means in therms of limitations of that ranking. If anyone can find the report (or perhaps a list of the bottom ten) and link to it from the article, that would certainly put things into perspective (a mention of the criteria used in the report would also be informative).--Swift 00:33, 19 October 2005 (UTC)
      • One thing that can be said in defence of the EIU mention is that most people will only have heard of POM from such "worst cities" rankings. It is regularly listed at the bottom of such surveys, and so its part of the identity of the city even if the surveys are questionable. Having said that, there is no reason to simply present the EIU ranking as if it conferred a special insight. Rather, restate the EIU mention as one reason POM is well known and transition to a discussion of perception versus reality of the city's "law and order problems."
        • Firstly I note that the article cites 1994 as date of report whereas Guardian article looks to be dated 2004. Is an adjustment necessary? In relation to the comment itself.. there is no doubt POM is crime riden and has deteriorated over the years since independence. The EIU ranking is for livability - while serious crime situation contributes negatively to this there are other factors to be taken into account - to cite a few --- public transport - shocking in POM, housing - outrageously expensive or of poor quality, availability of basic foodstuffs - average at best, availability of consumer and luxury goods - poor, telecommunications (telephone and internet) - average but one of the worlds most expensive, arts/culture - in POM nonexistant - granted rich culture generally in PNG but transport/communications difficult and expensive meaning difficult to access, level of corruption and public service - shocking, healthcare - poor....................... I wont continue. Note that I lived in POM for a number of years and enjoyed it imensely so have no axes to grind nor am I an Australian expat. I agree that the press get great enjoyment out of sensationalising PNG generally but - no smoke without fire.--Wabat 10:38, 2 May 2006 (UTC)

• I just read an article by the BBC saying Port Moresby is the worst place to live according to the EIU. Here is the article. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/business/4306936.stm (KingYaba 17:02, 29 May 2007 (UTC))
  • The article reflects this very report (you read the 2004 one), under #Capital city of an independent PNG. Aliasd 17:36, 29 May 2007 (UTC)

• I'm new to commenting on articles on Wikipedia so apologies if this remark has been placed in the wrong section/area. I haven't actually left a negative comment before, however the prose of this article is horrendous. It honestly does not make any sense in some places, and in the places where it does make sense the historiography is simplified beyond belief. For instance the discussion over MacArthur's role as Supreme Commander of the South-West Pacific Area and his relationship with the Australian Commonwealth Government projects him as a hero, whereas the truth is (as always in history) much more complicated. He shouldn't be cast as persuading the Australian Government at any rate against their will to defend Port Moresby; after the fall of Singapore the Australian Military Command was fully aware of the strategic necessity of outposts. — Preceding unsigned comment added by 90.245.16.130 (talk) 12:41, 9 February 2013 (UTC)

The wording of such reports needs to be looked at closely ... e.g. "city" or "capitol". PM is certainly not the most dangerous town to reside in. If the UN is making such claims, then it just proves the UN are the world's most expensive bunch of charlatans. Plenty of towns in Africa and South America are much more dangerous. "Livability" is another matter. It includes such problems as housing availability and essential supplies, rather than just lawlessness. PM always was a comparatively dangerous place even in colonial times. After WW2, the colonial media, mainly the Australian Broadcasting Commission, usually ignored such problems as the colonial administration did not want to jeopardize future investment and expansion from overseas. 220.244.75.119 (talk) 02:41, 31 May 2014 (UTC)

Pre-colonization

The section discussing the city before colonization is, quite frankly, a joke. No time period is mentioned and the text gives absolutely no background on the people discussed--very uninformative. Someone who knows more about the subject should create some significant additions. ~~

Pre-European history is mostly guess work, as there were no written languages. The "victor writes history" principle is very applicable when trying to research villagers' oral accounts recorded by early explorers. As noted by Parkinson, the truth varied from clan to clan. The article's coverage of early colonial history is a joke too. The original capitol was at Samaria Island, but this is not mentioned. Hubert Murray (1861-1940) demarcated the city area from the surrounding villages, during the 1920s and 30s. Sometimes with military force. (The current govt. is effectively doing the same thing with encroaching "newtowns".) Murray's intention was to have colonial (Australian) law inside the city, and traditional Melanesian practices elsewhere. He was also under strict instructions not to pursue "justice" outside of the colonial areas, as some earlier Administrators had done. His post-WW2 successor, Jack Murray, ended the native restriction laws in PM. The consensus of colonial residents was that this action commenced the reign of crime in PM. PM police remained armed with 303 rifles during foot patrols, until late 1964, when full-dress uniforms were issued.` The armed foot patrols ended then.220.244.75.119 (talk) 03:52, 31 May 2014 (UTC)

The Hiri voyages apparently started from Hanuabada and a few nearby villages. There's some anecdotal evidence that these voyages may have only started a few years before PM was established. The similarity of the Lakatois, particularly the sails, to Polynesian craft is obvious. As noted by Parkinson, Samoans explored the PNG islands no earlier than a few generations prior to colonization, as the arrival stories were still fresh on Nuguria.220.244.73.38 (talk) 01:29, 19 November 2018 (UTC)

Crime, unemployment etc

Could we have some evidence for these assertions? I love the Guardian, but on Port Moresby I do not trust it anymore than other newspapers. Having lived there I know that if one thing happens, e.g. Prince Charles going here to open Parliament, mobs of journalists go there and file reports on all kinds of horrors that are not really researched and annoy the people who live there, in some cases because they are over the top and in other cases because they minimise the problem. Bduke 11:23, 16 January 2006 (UTC)

• The Guardian is cited and the link to the article is provided. Verifying all the information (by factchecking every article and survey used) would be an impossible task. Based on the source, the reader will have to make up his/her own mind as to how credible it is. If you can demonstrate the inaccuracy of those reports then, please, mention that. If not; it's the best we've got. Sorry.--Swift 21:11, 16 January 2006 (UTC)
  • I would have to say that the Guardian article doesn't make for a very robust source. You mention that it would be impossible to verify all the information, but there isn't hardly any concrete statement to verify--it is mostly anecdotal evidence. "Murder rates are exceptionally high" is a pretty subjective statement, for instance. Yes, POM has high crime rates, but anyone who says that it is the "worst place in the world" has believed too many exaggerated tales from Australian expats. The page definitely needs a section about the crime problem, but including an article full of anecdotal evidence for calling it "the worst place in the world" severely compromises the integrity of the article. You seem to have a bit of an axe to grind, Swift, but try to objectively consider the scholastic properties of the cited article.--70.137.65.66 04:46, 27 April 2006 (UTC)

Referencing the Guardian AND without going through fully the source detail??? You have got to be kidding. I'd not bother reading Wiki for facts and information on this subject, and couldn't be bothered even trying to remedy some of the rubbish here. JP.

Population of Port Moresby

The number given 5,959,000 (2005) from the website http://www.bbc.co.uk/weather/world/city_guides/results.shtml?tt=TT003090 refers to the whole country, not just this one town. Otherwise it would make Port Moresby bigger than for exemple Berlin which is very unrealistic. Meursault2004 (talk) 17:05, 21 April 2008 (UTC)

Fixed. aliasd·U·T 13:03, 22 April 2008 (UTC)

Picture from space needed?

It just seems to me like it is making the infobox too big, which is a reason why all the images in the article don't fit all too well. maybe put somewhere else in the article? Whatever everyone else wants I guess, just a thought.

P.S. Sorry for removing the original flag picture before, trying to quickly neaten up the images and didn't notice it was different to the one in the infobox. Anoldtreeok (talk) 12:30, 16 July 2010 (UTC)

BEEPS

The photo of BPs shows the *NEW* building. The original building existed from 1911 to Jun 2009. It underwent a large expansion in late 1970 to include an air conditioned food supermarket. Only the bell tower survived the 2009 fire, and was incorporated into the new building. Burns Philp traded until 2006 in Australia, but withdrew from PNG in the early 90s. The exit of colonials and the downturn of copra made trading uneconomic. Arch rival Steamships also abandoned retailing and diversified into production and mining supplies.

Australia as an independent country etc

I'm editing out Masalai's irrelevant stuff about the Treaty of Westminster, it's ratification by the Commonwealth of Australia and it's supposed links to PNG. I'm not sure why the user has an ongoing obsession with this issue but it's not only irrelevant, it's disingenuous if not a falsehood. Colonies don't cease become colonies by passing legislation saying their not. Any reputable source will tell you Australia became effectively independent in 1901 at federation notwithstanding some legal and foreign relations matters nominally still referring back to the UK parliament. To suggest Australia wasn't an independent country from 1901-1942 is laughable and moronic. Tigerman2005 (talk) 02:39, 16 July 2015 (UTC)

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