Snapshot 3:Mon, Oct 6, 2025 7:02:47 AM GMT last edited by SofiaLanfri

Australia, PNG Sign Historic Pukpuk Defense Treaty

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1 day ago

Above: **Watermarked Getty Image. Kindly Replace** Australia's Prime Minister Anthony Albanese greets Papua New Guinea's Prime Minister James Marape before a signing ceremony of a long-awaited mutual defence treaty at Parliament House in Canberra on Monday. Image copyright: David Gray/AFP/Getty Images

story last updated 1 day ago

The Spin

The Pukpuk defense treaty represents Australia's first alliance in over 70 years and elevates PNG to the same level as the USU.S. and New Zealand. This historic agreement demonstrates Australia's commitment to regional security through diplomacy rather than relying on distant powers. The treaty makes Australia safer by focusing on actual defensive priorities instead of wasteful programs like AUKUS.

Australian The Saturday Paper

The Pukpuk treaty risks destabilizing PNG by militarizing a country that needs coastguard capabilities, not combat readiness for foreign conflicts. Australia lacks the capacity to defend PNG effectively and could be drawn into Indonesian border conflicts or tribal violence. This rushed agreement abandons PNG's neutrality policy without proper parliamentary debate or public consultation.

Devpolicy The Conversation

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