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Australia will secure entry to PNG's military facilities and personnel under a freshly signed pact that will see the two countries come to each other's defence if either is under attack.

“We have told them that Australia is our security partner of choice and they understand our alliances here... Other aspects of our relations have never been compromised,” stated PNG's Prime Minister.

The pact will allow as many as 10,000 nationals of Papua New Guinea to serve in the Australian Defence Force. They will also have the option to become Australian citizens.

Agreement Specifics

Known as the Pukpuk Treaty (signifying "crocodile" in Papua New Guinean pidgin), the two-nation deal is the most recent in a line of deals forged by countries in the Pacific and countries competing for a security presence in the Pacific zone.

This agreement possesses significant force and, in the manner of this predator, its strength speaks of the cooperation and preparation of the armed forces for hostilities.

Hostile action on either country would be “dangerous to the other's peace and security” so each must “address the collective risk”.

Deeper Partnership

The deal also covered greater collaboration around cyberspace and electronic combat.

In prior statements, the defence official from Papua New Guinea said that the agreement would mean that defence personnel from each country would be “fully combined”.

• To begin with, to limit foreign presence in PNG by ensuring it does not have the comparable reach to facilities.
• Additionally, to resolve Australia's recent challenges building defence numbers.
• In conclusion, the pact also demonstrates a stance to other global powers.

The advantages of the deal were multi-faceted, according to a defence analyst.

“PNG has an oversupply of able-bodied citizens who are willing to do this kind of work,” the expert noted, adding that numerous individuals would be interested in the opportunities of living in Australia and perhaps obtaining citizenship.

Pacific Consequences

The deal is a component of a termed centralized security framework of security agreements in the Pacific – with Australia at the core and island nations being the allies.

There are concerns that the treaty could weaken the nation's non-aligned international approach by associating PNG with its partner on all security matters.

The two nations need greater clarity on the anticipated outcomes, duties and assurances.

This agreement also included regular collaborative training which were about “communicating intent,” to “highlight joint defence capacity and swift mobilization against outside risks”.

This treaty would help modernise PNG's army, bringing a notable improvement in both material and confidence.