“Sold! Your safety for a Rugby Ball”

To the South, Australia’s Foreign Policy Objectives pertaining to its security remains the same, but the approach seems to possess the ability to take on different shapes. To its North PNG security issues have gone from out of the fire and into the frying pan in recent years and the view from the simple overtaxed taxpayer is that the PNG National Government is either confused, doesn’t care or simply doing nothing to address the exacerbating national law and order issues.

Australia and PNG have enjoyed a long mutual relationship based on the shared history and geographical location. While the relationship is mutual and entrenched, past PNG Prime Minsters have butted heads with Australia over issues which had seen the relationship gone from love to hate but quickly to love again as both Governments want the people to see and believe. But a deeper look into the world of international foreign policy objectives fuelled by the undercurrents of geopolitics, politics and politicking driven by real time national interests in international politics, security and economic interests there lurks a silhouette of patronizing, bullying and my interests over yours in the PNG Australia relationship.

Post War on Terror Australia decided to take on a more hands on approach in the Pacific to ensure its security which had seen the rise Cooperative State Interventionism approaches in the RAMSI and the failed Enhanced Corporative Program (ECP) to PNG. While on face value the approaches were positively lauded, it actually was more of a band aid solution which did nothing for the recipient states own ability to combat their own security and law and order issues. Eventually both arrangements turned sour when state sovereignty issues were called into question and for PNG its Constitution reigned supreme.

Yesterday, a big announcement was made down south with a photo session seeing PNG PM and Australia PM with rugby balls in hand. A PNG NRL Bid fully funded by the Australian Tax Payers! Yay!! It seem too good to be true until The Age revealed on its website that there was an escape clause in the agreement allowing the termination of the agreement should PNG seek to engage China in a security or policing pact.

And the view from the simple overtaxed tax payer? Our safety and security was and never is not of any importance to our National Government. This long-entrenched relationship with Australia has birthed enduring security alliances which has left PNG with what? Improved policing? Improved Intelligence? A defence force with improved capacity in all aspects? ?Why can we not seek a better security pact with China if they can offer us with what we want and what we need in terms of improving the capacity of our security forces to combat rising law and order issues.

At the end of the day, the security of simple tax paying Papua New Guineans have become another rugby ball to be kicked around to secure Australia’s insecurity. We have been given a rugby ball to play around with to forget our security failures and law and order issues.