People in any job do not "deserve high praise" for merely doing the job they are paid to do. See also the nonsense about medical people being 'heroes' for working with China virus patients or, just a couple of days ago, and man being hailed a hero for saving his own wife from a shark. Who wouldn't do that!

Certainly, Australia needs to see that its neighbours don't fall under the spell of Communist China - for our own good. But those neighbours, including PNG, need to start doing more for themselves. To date, they seem to be addicted to handouts, and don't appear to be too fussy about who does the handing out.

<The PNG defense air wing is run down, as is the very limited naval force, and the police need the most modern surveillance equipment available.>

The Australian Police have a significant force attached to the PNG Police Force. The two Battalions are staffed & trained by Australians & The Australian Army does regular exercises with the PNG Army. (PIR 1 & 2) I have no information on the RAAF or RAN contribution.

<The ongoing investigation into the drug haul near Port Moresby will no doubt reveal the extent of PNG engagement, and especially where such a huge quantity of cocaine originated from.

The Australian border with PNG has long been seen as porous and Australia's northernmost islands are just a few kilometers away.
It's clear that the AFP had been monitoring the drug-trafficking syndicate for some time. Soon after the light aircraft carrying the drugs from a makeshift airstrip near Port Moresby crashed on take-off,>

I would say that the AFP knew full well of the intended Flight. I wouldn’t like to think they had anything to do with the accident. &#128521;

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Now here’s a little story, of it, I’m bound to tell.

I spent some time in & around the Cape with the 31st. Battalion RQR. (ARES) At that time most of us were ex-Vietnam Veteran’s. Some thing get in your blood. Ay. We were doing an exercise with the SAS & 2 Commando around Weipa. The Commandos were supposed to create havoc with Weipa, or that was the plan. Unfortunately, for them, most of the staff at Weipa come from NQ. There are lots of kids in Weipa. Our Intelligence Network was superb, we won, which wasn’t supposed to happen. &#128521;.

While we were waiting to return to Townsville, we were tasked to look after the Airport. One of the places was the Radar. Myself & another digger were on watch in the Radar Building. Come 10 O’clock the started turning it off. Naturally we queried why. They said it was a Directive from Canberra that the Radar be switched off between 10pm & 5am.

We thought nothing more of it until about 2 in the morning when one of the perimeter Guards came in & said there were planes coming & going all the time & being met by a Well-known Mega Security Service. We asked the Radar Operator what was going on. & he said they come & go all night delivering Drugs & People in & out of Australia. We inquired as to why the local Police didn’t do anything about it & he laughed & remarked that the Local Police & Detective were running the show. He then said he’d show us something & he turned the Radar back on. It takes about a half hour to Warm up. The night sky was alive with Aircraft going to & from Australia. He said it like that most nights of the week.

I know one case where a light plane was forced down up there. By a C130 or Caribou, flying low over the light aircraft until it put down. Many years ago. The people were never found but the Aircraft was loaded with Drugs.

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<This latest revelation, with its wider implications, surely adds to the case for the naval base redevelopment on Manus Island, driven by Australia, to be given an even higher priority.>

I would say that’s a good Idea but it must be a PNG Base where Australia does a lot of Training of PNG Navy Patrol Boats. We can patrol the Sth. China Sea from there.

I remember the last time we sent our police over there to help. And tto he Solomon Isands and the reception!

I believe we would be better served by ramping up border force and on our northern border, islands! To turn the covid carrying tinnies/boat poeple around. Enforce the maritime border! That's where the drugs, guns and people are coming through?

Apart from that, an appetite for Chinese economic aid is a confrontational slap in the face for Australia, which has supported that territory for decades with billions in foreign aid/money and marterial.

I would put it this way, ours or theirs? Choose! Then live with the consequences!
Alan B.

Jayb,
Many years ago, I had a yarn with the senior Sergeant about this'n that & drug running. I can still hear his voice saying 'If you witness drug running, don't go to the Cops, they're more than likely involved".