Australia PNG defence pact: Anthony Albanese insists treaty will be signed amid last-minute roadblock

A new defence treaty between Australia and Papua New Guinea has encountered a last-minute obstacle after Papua New Guinea’s cabinet was unable to approve the agreement.

The national executive failed to consider the treaty as planned last night due to the absence of several ministers, preventing the cabinet from reaching quorum.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese insists he and and Papua New Guinea’s Prime Minister James Marape will proceed with signing the treaty in Port Moresby on Wednesday as scheduled.

Mr Marape told local media last night that “the process is still running” and “we’re not yet at the point of signing.”

When asked if the deal is happening, “we certainly do, and PNG of course is a sovereign nation are just going through their processes and that’s appropriate,” Mr Albanese told Nine.

When pressed on certainty: “Yeah, it will get done. It has the very strong support of the Government. They go through. Remember one of the things that happened was with their Cabinet, of course, because of the celebrations, the Cabinet didn’t have quorum yesterday,” he said.

The treaty is reportedly legally binding and compels Australia and PNG to defend each other if either is attacked.

The agreement, which has been years in the making, is set to be signed on Wednesday – a day after the 50th anniversary of PNG’s independence from Australia.

In a statement on Tuesday marking the anniversary, the Prime Minister announced Australia would build a new ministerial wing for PNG’s Parliament, saying the “gift recognises our common understanding of the democratic principles that underpin the modern Australia-PNG relationship, and the role of our parliaments in reflecting the voices of our people”.

“Our support for the expansion of Parliament House is an investment in Papua New Guinea’s democracy and sovereignty that will benefit future generations,” Mr Albanese said.

“At a ceremony held in Port Moresby on the day of independence in 1975, Australia’s then-Prime Minister Gough Whitlam observed ours is ‘a relationship of equals, based on mutual respect, understanding and trust’.

“As close neighbours and warm friends, the future prosperity of our two nations are bound together.”

The Albanese Government has kept mum on the details of the deal, publicly acknowledging only that it is defence-related.

PNG’s Government has not been so tight-lipped.

Citing a copy of the treaty included in a submission to PNG’s national cabinet, the ABC reported it declared an attack on either Australia or PNG “dangerous to the other’s peace and security” and promised to “act to meet the common danger”.

“The treaty is meant to prepare our militaries to be battle-ready and for a very bad day,” the submission is reported to have said.

“It has the ability to bite and like a crocodile, its bite force speaks of the interoperability’s and preparedness of the military for war.”

- With Newswire