ANDREW GREENE: PNG defence treaty delayed by independence celebrations as Albanese faces Pacific power test

Within minutes of landing in Papua New Guinea on Monday, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese confidently declared the country was about to “move forward with Australia” by signing a historic defence treaty, bringing both neighbours and militaries ever closer.

Only last week, similar hopes of clinching a sweeping security and economic agreement with Vanuatu had evaporated just before the PM flew into that country on his way to the Pacific Islands forum.

Some members of Vanuatu’s ruling coalition government had last-minute nerves about the document’s wording to do with “critical infrastructure”, and whether it would prevent future cooperation with Australia’s strategic rival, China.

While Australian officials have long been concerned about Beijing’s rising influence in Vanuatu, the Albanese government has always been far more optimistic about securing further security cooperation with its “close friend” Papua New Guinea.

Mr Albanese has now confirmed that logistical issues related to this week’s nationwide celebrations for Papua New Guinea’s 50th anniversary of independence from Australia have led to last-minute complications on the defence treaty signing.

“The PNG Cabinet, of course, yesterday was due to meet. They didn’t have quorum, because everyone’s gone back to their places where they’re from, to celebrate this as a celebration throughout the entire nation,” Mr Albanese told reporters on Tuesday.

Now as the Prime Minister prepares to join Prince Edward and other dignitaries for the PNG’s Golden Jubilee festivities, he’s stopping short of saying whether the sweeping defence agreement will be signed before he returns home.

“So, we will be able to advance the treaty tomorrow. Prime Minister Marape is dealing with his Cabinet, trying to deal with that remotely, but we’ll work those issues through, and it’s understandable and we respect the sovereignty, of course, of PNG.”

Someone who is no doubt keeping a close eye on the developments is President Xi Jinping’s special envoy, Huang Runqiu, who has been sent to Port Moresby as China’s official representative to observe this week’s independence celebrations.

Australia remains certain its new defence treaty will soon be signed, unlike the similar draft agreement with Vanuatu, but the last-minute complications have highlighted the complexities of Pacific diplomacy, particularly when China is also bearing large gifts.