Parliamentary Secretary for Pacific Island Affairs Richard Marles visited the remote Pacific nation of Kiribati on 3 August to see some of the activities being funded by Australia's $30 million aid program in the country for 2012-2013.
A small archipelago, spread over a vast area of ocean, Kiribati faces some of the most difficult development challenges in the Pacific.
Health, education and telecommunication services are of a very low standard and problems such as domestic violence and poor maternal health make life especially tough for women.
According to UNICEF, the neonatal death rate in Kiribati is 19 for every 1000 born and 20 do not survive beyond the age of one.
The announcement by Mr Marles that a new, Australian-funded maternity ward will be opening at the Betio Hospital later this year was warmly welcomed by the people of Kiribati.
'This maternity ward will help save lives. It will support more than 1200 women from Betio and the surrounding region each year and, by providing health care when and where it is needed,' Mr Marles said at the hospital.
An extra $3.1 million to help communities connect with each other and the world
While in Kiribati, Mr Marles also announced new Australian funding to help reduce the crippling phone and internet costs that have been undermining growth in the country. In 2011, only 12 per cent of the population had access to telecommunication services. Australia will provide $3.1 million to a World Bank led development project aiming to increase that figure to 60 per cent by 2017.
'Reliable and affordable communications are the cornerstone of community relationships and development,' Mr Marles said.
'Improved communications encourages a more mobile workforce and, despite vast distances between islands, can help preserve links between I-Kiribati communities.'
More information
AusAID at work in Kiribati
Kiribati–Australia Partnership for Development