Australia and Papua New Guinea to ‘completely combine’ army in defence treaty, minister says

Australia and Papua New Guinea’s army forces will turn out to be “totally integrated” as a part of a landmark defence treaty between the 2 nations, the ABC can reveal.

The main safety settlement is predicted to be signed this week as Papua New Guinea marks 50 years of independence.

Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, Defence Minister Richard Marles and Minister for the Pacific Pat Conroy are resulting from arrive in Papua New Guinea on Monday forward of the celebrations.

PNG’s Defence Minister Billy Joseph mentioned the deal was a “mutual defence treaty” that will see the nations work collectively to defend one another’s territories.

“We’re not talking about interoperability, we’re talking about totally integrated forces,” he informed the ABC.

“Australian Defence Force (ADF) and PNG Defence Force (PNGDF) both working together closely, using the same equipment … fighting together, defending our sovereignties as an integrated force.”

Dr Joseph mentioned the pact would include an article much like Article Four of NATO’s founding treaty, which says member nations should seek the advice of when any of them feels their territorial integrity, political independence or safety is threatened.

The deal will permit the ADF to recruit Papua New Guinea residents and the PNGDF to recruit Australian residents, a briefing doc seen by the ABC mentioned.

It can also be understood that the treaty will present a pathway for Papua New Guineans to realize Australian citizenship by serving within the ADF.

Speaking with the ABC’s Insiders program on Sunday, Defence Minister Richard Marles mentioned there was no query they’d be paid the identical as Australian recruits. 

“This is something we would be doing hand in glove with PNG as we walk down this path,” he mentioned.

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“Numbers will clearly be managed and we need to be careful about how we do that if we’re walking down this path.

“I’m very happy to see the joy that [PNG Defence Minister] Billy [Joseph] is bringing to this and it does, to be sincere, mirror the way in which during which we have been going about this settlement because the second we first met to do that refresh.”

The neighbouring nations have, since June, been conducting formal negotiations over the defence treaty, which could have major implications for Australia’s national security capabilities.

A submission is expected to be presented to PNG’s cabinet for approval on Monday before it can be signed by both countries’ prime ministers.

Dr Joseph mentioned he anticipated unanimous help for the settlement inside Papua New Guinea’s parliament, which might want to ratify the settlement for it to take impact.

Defence pact a ‘massive strategic step’ for Australia

The deal comes during a time of increasing geo-strategic competition in the region between China, Australia and the United States.

Dr Joseph said “exterior influences” had been working to undermine the Australia-PNG treaty, but he did not elaborate when pressed for details on the comment.

Michael Shoebridge, founder of the defence policy think tank Strategic Analysis Australia, said Canberra wanted to cement its place as the security partner of choice in the region.

“This is a fairly large step for PNG to say, ‘Yes, we agree, you really are our safety associate of alternative, and we imply it sufficient to place it right into a treaty,'” he mentioned.

“I feel it says that is as shut as you may get to an alliance relationship.”

However, the deal was unlikely to curtail Beijing’s growing economic influence in Papua New Guinea, Mr Shoebridge said.

“There is gigantic political affect given to Beijing due to the rising financial dependence. And that is true for Australia, so I’m sure it is going to be true for PNG,” he said.

In August, Australian Deputy Prime Minister Richard Marles travelled to PNG to open an upgraded naval base on Manus Island, signalling the new agreement would give both countries access to each other’s defence bases.

“It’s actually clear … that we would like to have the ability to function out of one another’s services,” he told the ABC in August.

“When you take a look at what we’re about to signal within the lead as much as independence … you take a look at this base, you set that collectively, and this can be a actually massive strategic step for our nation.”

PNG could need assistance to match Australia’s ‘champagne tastes’

The deal between Australia and Papua New Guinea will send a message to the wider Pacific, Dr Joseph said.

“Other nations in our area look to us,” he mentioned.

“Even although we respect their sovereign selections, we have now chosen the place and who we should always put our belief in on the subject of safety.”

He mentioned the settlement wouldn’t compromise the sovereignty of both nation and might be amended sooner or later.

Since Papua New Guinea was proclaimed independent from Australia in 1975, the two countries have maintained close defence ties with joint training programs, military exercises and significant investments in infrastructure and equipment.

Mr Shoebridge said the integration would need to be managed carefully so that it would be “two sovereign nations and their militaries working collectively, quite than the PNGDF simply changing into a sub-component of the ADF”.

“PNG is about to have fun 50 years of independence, and I doubt anybody in PNG desires to compromise that independence or be seen to compromise that independence,” he mentioned.

There may also be significant financial implications for Australia, Mr Shoebridge said, if the two militaries aspire to use similar equipment.

“[Australia’s] defence power just isn’t often called a set of cut price basement customers; they have a tendency to purchase the costliest options for all the pieces,” he mentioned.

“I can think about there needing to be some additional price range help for PNG to their army to permit them to have the champagne tastes that our army has.”