Prime Minister James Marape has welcomed Australian Deputy Prime Minister and Defence Minister Richard Marles to Papua New Guinea, saying the relationship between the two countries has reached an historic level of trust and cooperation.
In a statement last evening, Mr. Marape said Mr. Marles’ visit came just over a month after the Papua New Guinea–Australia Mutual Defence Treaty, known as the Pukpuk Treaty, formally entered into force on July 8, elevating the two countries to formal allies.
He said one of the major opportunities from the strengthened defence relationship was the shared ambition to progressively open pathways for up to 10,000 Papua New Guineans to serve in the Australian Defence Force (ADF).
“I want to welcome Deputy Prime Minister of Australia, the Honorable Richard Marles, to Port Moresby and Papua New Guinea once again,” Mr. Marape said.
“The Australia–Papua New Guinea relationship could not be better. We have Ministers from both sides visiting each other, Deputy Prime Ministers visiting each other, and Prime Ministers visiting each other regularly. We are moving deeper into our relationship.”
Mr. Marape said the frequent high-level visits demonstrated that the relationship had moved beyond traditional diplomacy into a deeper partnership based on geography, history, security, mutual respect and shared economic interests.
He said cooperation now covered defence and security, policing, education, infrastructure, labour mobility, trade and investment, health, disaster response, sport and people-to-people connections.
“The relationship between Papua New Guinea and Australia is not simply a relationship between two Governments,” Mr. Marape said.
“It is a relationship between neighbours, families, businesses, churches, communities, Defence Forces and generations of people whose histories have been intertwined.”
Mr. Marape said the Pukpuk Treaty was one of the most significant achievements in the bilateral relationship.
The treaty was signed by Mr. Marape and Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese in Canberra on October 6, 2025, and became PNG’s first formal alliance with another country.
Under the treaty, PNG and Australia recognize that an armed attack on either country would represent a danger to the peace and security of both countries.
The agreement provides for deeper defence cooperation, capability development, interoperability and integration between the PNG Defence Force and ADF while recognizing the sovereignty of both nations.
Mr. Marape credited Mr. Marles with playing an important role in strengthening the defense relationship between the two countries.
“His leadership in the Defence portfolio and the work he has undertaken with our Defence leadership have helped bring the Papua New Guinea Defence Force and Australian Defence Force closer together,” he said.
The Prime Minister said the proposed pathway for up to 10,000 Papua New Guineans to join the ADF would provide thousands of young people with employment, professional training and internationally recognized skills.
“One of the major tangible outcomes we are working towards is opening the door for up to 10,000 young Papua New Guineans to serve in the Australian Defence Force,” Mr. Marape said.
“This is a significant opportunity for our people.”
He said eligible Papua New Guineans would have the opportunity to enter a professional defense force, earn an income, gain qualifications and develop careers, with eligible non-Australian recruits potentially having a pathway to Australian citizenship under Australian law.
The recruitment pathway is already being developed. Eligible PNG citizens who are permanent residents in Australia became able to apply to join the ADF from January 1, 2026.
PNG and Australia are now working on the next phase, including how direct recruitment from Papua New Guinea could operate.
Mr. Marape said the process must be properly implemented so qualified Papua New Guineans could access the opportunities.
“The process has started, and Deputy Prime Minister Marles comes again to Papua New Guinea as we work to make sure that we are moving faster rather than slower in this space,” he said.
Mr. Marape stressed that the ADF recruitment pathway would not come at the expense of the PNG Defence Force.
“We will not abandon our own Defence Force,” he said.
“Our Government is committed to strengthening the PNG Defence Force across its land, maritime and aviation capabilities, including building its personnel strength, infrastructure, technology and professional capability so that it can effectively defend our sovereignty and serve our people.”
He said the Government wanted a stronger PNGDF operating alongside a stronger defense relationship with Australia.
Mr. Marape also linked the proposed ADF pathway to PNG’s broader labour mobility partnership with Australia.
More than 5,000 Papua New Guineans are already participating in labour mobility arrangements, with the Government aiming to increase that number to 10,000, 15,000 and eventually 20,000.
“Australia can become an important alternate employment market for many of our young Papua New Guineans coming out of our School and Training systems,” Mr. Marape said.
He said the ADF recruitment pathway and labour mobility arrangements could eventually create tens of thousands of employment and training opportunities for Papua New Guineans.
“This is what I mean when I say our relationship with Australia must produce tangible results,” he said.
“Defence cooperation must produce opportunities. Labour mobility must produce opportunities. Education partnerships must produce opportunities. Trade and investment must produce opportunities.”
Mr. Marape said PNG’s relationship with Australia was also moving beyond a traditional aid-recipient model towards an economic partnership based on trade, investment, employment, skills and shared prosperity.
“Our relationship must increasingly be about growing together,” he said.
“It must translate into more jobs for our young people, greater investment into Papua New Guinea, better infrastructure, stronger institutions, greater trade and a stronger Papua New Guinea economy.”
The Prime Minister also acknowledged Mr. Marles’ longstanding connection with PNG and his repeated visits to the country.
He said the Australian Deputy Prime Minister had developed a strong understanding of PNG and its people and had invested considerable time in strengthening bilateral relations.
Mr. Marape also credited Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, saying their close working relationship had enabled the two governments to make major decisions based on trust.
“Our two nations have shared history, shared geography and increasingly a shared responsibility for the peace, security and prosperity of our part of the world,” Mr. Marape said.
“We entered our second 50 years as an independent nation with our relationship with Australia stronger than it has ever been.”
He said the challenge now was to convert that political relationship into practical benefits for ordinary Papua New Guineans and Australians.
“The prospect of up to 10,000 Papua New Guineans serving in the Australian Defence Force-with employment, training, skills and a potential pathway to Australian citizenship-is a major opportunity for our young people,” Mr. Marape said.
“As we enter the next 50 years, we want this relationship to produce greater security, more jobs, stronger Defence capability, more trade and investment, better opportunities for our young people and greater prosperity for both Papua New Guinea and Australia.”