Original article by Ben Packham
The Australian – Page: 1 & 2 : 17-Sep-25

The federal government’s push to forge closer ties with Pacific nations has received a second setback in as many weeks. Papua New Guinea’s cabinet has yet to endorse a defence treaty with Australia, which Prime Minister Anthony Albanese had hoped to sign today; he is visiting PNG to mark its 50th anniversary of independence from Australia. PNG’s Prime Minister James Marape stated on Monday that his government is "not yet" at the point of signing the treaty, which will commit the two countries to defend each other in the event of war. Former Biden administration adviser Kurt Campbell has suggested that the delay in signing the treaty could be due to Chinese influence. The Vanuatu goverment refused to sign a bilateral security agreement last week during Albanese’s visit to Port Vila.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE PRIME MINISTER AND CABINET, PAPUA NEW GUINEA. OFFICE OF THE PRIME MINISTER