The founder of a charitable group that works with vulnerable children in Papua New Guinea's capital, Port Moresby, says the updating of child protection laws needs to be backed by a boost in resources.
Father John Glynn has welcomed the revision of the Lukatim Pikinini Act, which allows courts to declare a child under its protection.
Photo: RNZ
But Father John says social agencies are struggling to cope with the skyrocketing number of street children in Port Moresby, and simply changing legislation will do little to address this.
"I don't know what the ultimate solution is except the government is going to really have to focus on the problem and put serious money, really big bucks, into cleaning up the whole area of social services, of caring for people in need."
John Glynn says the government has its priorities wrong when it's investing hundreds of millions in roads and stadiums, while Port Moresby only has three gazetted child protection officers.