PNG celebrates independence, to sign defence treaty with Australia

The pact volition let Papua New Guinea nationals to summation Australian citizenship by joining its military.

Australia and Papua New Guinea (PNG) volition perpetrate to defending each different from equipped attacks arsenic they look “emerging threats” to their security, a caller defence pact seen by the AFP quality bureau says.

The South Pacific Island federation celebrated its 50th day of independency from Australia connected Tuesday, with the pact expected to beryllium sealed connected Wednesday.

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The pact, seen arsenic a strident propulsion to antagonistic China’s rising Pacific influence, volition beryllium signed by Australia’s Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and his PNG counterpart James Marape successful the capital, Port Moresby.

The agreement, which besides enables the nations’ citizens to service successful each other’s militaries, allows PNG nationals to summation Australian citizenship.

“Each Party recognises that an equipped onslaught connected either of the Parties wrong the Pacific would beryllium unsafe to each other’s bid and information and the information of the Pacific,” the pact states, according to AFP.

Under the treaty, some parties volition “act to conscionable the communal danger, successful accordance with its law processes”.

On Tuesday, Australia offered to acquisition PNG an hold to its Parliament House. Albanese was among the authorities leaders who gathered astatine Independence Hill successful Port Moresby for a flag-raising ceremony.

Albanese said Australia volition enactment the operation of a caller ministerial helping for PNG’s National Parliament.

“Our enactment for the enlargement of Parliament House is an concern successful Papua New Guinea’s ideology and sovereignty that volition payment aboriginal generations,” Albanese said successful a statement, according to The Associated Press quality agency.

Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, centre right, and different dignitaries basal successful beforehand of Parliament House aft a flag-raising ceremonial successful Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea, September 16, 2025 [Mick Tsikas/AAP Image via AP]

The United States was represented astatine the solemnisation by Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau. Prince Edward represented his member King Charles III, who is PNG’s caput of state.

Charles had attended the archetypal independency ceremonial successful 1975, representing his mother, Queen Elizabeth II.

Australia is underscoring its respect for PNG’s sovereignty, which immoderate section lawmakers fearfulness could beryllium undermined by a projected bilateral defence treaty.

Several Pacific land nations, including PNG, are trying not to get caught taking sides successful superpower tussles successful the increasing strategical contention betwixt Beijing and Washington allies specified arsenic Australia.

Some PNG lawmakers fearfulness the bilateral pact with Australia would jeopardise its overseas argumentation of “friend to all, force to none”.

Albanese had primitively planned to motion the pact with his counterpart, James Marape, connected Monday successful beforehand of independency festivities. He announced connected Monday, earlier leaving Australia, that the signing was delayed until Wednesday. “We volition beryllium capable to beforehand the pact tomorrow,” Albanese told reporters successful Port Moresby.

PNG’s independency is wide regarded arsenic an bonzer occurrence fixed the diverseness of its people, with an estimated colonisation of astir 12 million. It has much than 800 Indigenous languages.