NEW IRELAND GOVERNOR UNVEILS RECORD-BREAKING K500 MILLION REVISED BUDGET TARGETING INFRASTRUCTURE, AUTONOMY, AND ECONOMIC GROWTH
In the center Governor Chan and Member for Kavieng and Treasurer Ian Ling Stuckey flanked by members of the provincial assembly after handing down of the revised 2026 New Ireland Provincial Government budget. Picture supplied.
New Ireland Governor Byron Chan, has handed down a record-breaking K499, 573,388 revised provincial budget to the New Ireland Assembly this week.
Themed “New Ireland Destiny,” the massive financial plan marks a substantial K113.5 million increase from the initial K386 million budget passed earlier this year by then-Acting Governor, Walter David Schnaubelt.
The spending spike is heavily fueled by a K105 million surge in National Government development grants alongside climbing internal revenue driven by rising global gold prices and a hard-fought royalty increase from 2% to 3% on the Lihir and Simberi gold mines.
Key Funding allocations at a glance,
the revised budget spreads significant capital across several major sectors to drive socioeconomic growth:
| Sector | Allocation | Primary Focus |
| Infrastructure | K268.3m(62% dev. budget | Road sealing, island ring roads, bridges, jetties, and hospital upgrades. |
| Economic Sector | K95.3 million | SME infrastructure,market developments, downstream |
| Health | K47.8 million | Free primary healthcare, hospital redevelopments, and emergency services. |
| Social & Education | K35.9 million | Subsidized education,teacher/nursing college funding, and university planning. |
| District & LLG Support | K27.8 million | Direct grants,administrative infrastructure, and 2027 election preparation. |
| Community Development | K26.9 million | Youth, sports, women’s initiatives, and elderly/disabled pensions. |
| Law & Order | K8.0 million | Police reservists, community justice, and Vagrancy Act enforcement. |
| Autonomy | K5.5 million | Securing political self-reliance under historic regional declarations. |
Infrastructure takes center stage dominating the government’s spending agenda in an aggressive K268.3 million infrastructure package.
Major transport commitments include a K20 million continuation for the 36-kilometer Lanzarote highway, K37 million for Kavieng town roads sealing, and multi-million kina allocations for the Anir Island, New Hanover, and Mussau Island ring roads.
Additionally, K50 million worth of road and bridge construction contracts have already been awarded to ensure work begins immediately.
Economic Autonomy and Private Partnerships to build long-term provincial self-reliance, the economic sector’s funding has more than doubled to K95.3 million.
Governor Chan announced that the New Ireland Provincial Government (NIPG) has locked in critical Memorandum of Agreements (MOAs) with private investors and national agencies.
These deals will establish a balsa processing factory in Namatanai, a fish cannery in Kavieng, local rice harvesting programs, and a K10 million climate-resilient farming initiative backed by the Department of Agriculture & Livestock.
For Health, Social Services, and Legacy Programs.
The budget heavily reinforces free primary healthcare and subsidized education.
Funding highlights include K10 million for Kavieng Hospital facilities and K10 million for teacher and nursing colleges. The NIPG is also moving forward with a technical committee to establish a dedicated New Ireland University, backed by an initial K500, 000.
Crucially, Governor Chan emphasized that this budget preserves the signature welfare legacy of the late Grand Chief Sir Julius Chan. This includes ongoing funding for elderly and disabled persons, the “Roof Overhead” clean water program, and widespread solar lighting distribution across the province’s ten Local Level Governments (LLGs).
Governor Chan urged fellow leaders to set aside differences and rally behind the new fiscal framework. “Today I stand here to ask our leaders in this Assembly to unite and work together to implement this budget for the good of our children and their children,” Governor Chan stated, seeking swift passage for the Appropriation Bill.
