Prime Minister James Marape has formally welcomed Jamie Isbister, Australia’s High Commissioner-Designate, to Papua New Guinea who arrived on Monday this week.
Isbister replaces H.E. Ewen McDonald, who served in PNG from May 2025.
Prime Minister Marape met with the incoming High Commissioner at his office in Melanesian House, Waigani, where High Commissioner-Designate Isbister presented his formal credentials, marking the commencement of his diplomatic tenure in PNG.
In accepting Isbister’s Letter of Introduction, Prime Minister Marape expressed his administration's full institutional support and took the opportunity to acknowledge the contributions of the former High Commissioner in expanding bilateral relations.
Key discussions during the meeting centered on the practical implementation of existing bilateral frameworks, notably the Papua New Guinea-Australia Mutual Defence Treaty, also known as the Pukpuk Treaty, and outcomes from the recent 32nd PNG-Australia Ministerial Forum.
PM Marape highlighted that the security framework was initiated by Papua New Guinea to address cross-border issues such as illegal fishing, drug trafficking, and domestic security stabilization.
High Commissioner-Designate Isbister noted that under these agreements, the recruitment of Papua New Guinean personnel into the Australian Defence Force has commenced.
The leaders reviewed historical and structural ties, noting that the majority of the current Papua New Guinean population was born after the country achieved independence in 1975.
Prime Minister Marape emphasized a shifting dynamic toward modern economic and commercial integration rather than historical colonial contexts.
He highlighted emerging Australian private sector investments in regional manufacturing and infrastructure as models for deeper business-to-business cooperation.
Key administrative matters raised during the meeting included:
Visa Policy Reform: PM Marape urged further progress on multi-entry and diplomatic visa access for Papua New Guinean citizens to enhance people-to-people connections.
Shared Security Space: Addressing regional defence architecture, the Prime Minister contextualized the foundational logic of the Pukpuk Treaty.
“We share a fence, and we have to protect this space. Our job now is to make sure the kids born after 1975 on both sides, understand that we are locked in together.”
“They need to see that looking out for each other makes sense, because if someone strikes Australia, they hit PNG, and if they strike PNG, they also hit Australia. We will always be drawn into defending one another.”
Historical Partnership: Reflecting on the shared history between the two countries, the Prime Minister rejected standard colonial definitions.
“We were not some far-off colony; we were one territory growing up and building our futures together.”
“When we parted ways in 1975, it was not like the bitter separations you saw in Africa. We came from the same house. As I always say, we are joined at the hip.”
Development Assistance: Prime Minister Marape expressed appreciation for Australia’s ongoing development assistance across the health, education, and policing sectors, including a recent AUD 7 million (PGK 21 million) contribution toward El Niño climate response efforts.
Institutional Exchanges: Isbister reaffirmed Australia’s commitment to expanding the Pacific Australia Labour Mobility (PALM) scheme, educational scholarships, and institutional sports initiatives such as the NRL Chiefs program, to build long-term youth engagement.
The meeting concluded with preliminary logistical coordination for a proposed official visit by the Governor-General of Australia, H.E. Sam Mostyn, in April 2027.
The visit will be timed to align with regional ANZAC Day commemorations and will occur ahead of Papua New Guinea’s scheduled issue of election writs for the 2027 National General Elections.