If the PNG government has knocked back the objections from the Australian government to their signing up to a Chinese BRI debt trap, that’s it. The Australian government has not done what it said it would; and a country once a dependency of Australia, is getting closer to being dependent on Communist China.

There is no point in saying, “The Prime Minister should …”. Our PM has clearly established himself as the most pig-headed, full-of-it, but do-nothing Australian leader yet. And, he has to consult his wife on the matter of an alleged rape that occurred at one of his Minister’s drunken ‘dos’. And, the missus says he has to think like a father - not just any man who is appalled by such conduct, father or not.

Scott Morrison talks about ‘what’s best for Australia’, but he is really interested in what is best for him.

Morrison has done nothing to indicate that he is “serious about the dominance of China”.

ttbn,
The Goaf was the main instigator (and the hero of the Left) in PNG's independence. Are the descendants of his then supporters now asking Morrison to somehow overturn that ? I mean, seriously !!

Maybe this is a Ploy (Threat) to get Australia to increase the Aid to the PNG so the Politicians there can Graft themselves more money. This would not be unusual for Countries receiving our Aid.

I'd like to see a list of Countries that send Aid to 3rd World Countries & how much they each Donate.

individual,

I don't know that there is any point in going back to Whitlam, any more than it is useful to remind everyone of Fraser's urging for Rhodesia to be turned into Zimbabwe, with Mugabe as dictator. We can't expect to repair mistakes of the past, but we should be able to expect our current Prime Minister to pull his finger out and really do what is 'best for Australia' and not just talk about it.

The Quicksotic, tilting at windmills, timid, Morrison government is good at announcing all manner of things that never ever see the light of day as the actual reality?

So why expect a different result this time? Methinks it's little more than a bidding war with China that a piss-ant, piss-weak, country like Autralia can never ever win!

China could throw a trillion into this pot? So could we If we had a leader with balls and a determined untied party at his back! Instead of the risible rabble there now, all with hypothetical daggers drawn?

Especially those on the (rum-soaked, cage-rattling) hard right in the pocket of (up shite creek) Peabody and co?

Actually doing anything big and bold, for us here at home? A terrifying prospect! Let alone doing something big and bold for a backwater nation like (deep in the pecuniary poo) PNG
And if of those caps fit?
Alan B.

I don't know that there is any point in going back to Whitlam
ttbn,
If today's voters were to be informed of the decision-making in the past, they'd be more careful at the ballot box next time.
Alas, our education system or rather indoctrination machine, coupled with ABC/SBS is denying them the opportunity to see how long after an election their vote can come & bite them & their children in the butt. The Whitlam era (& Fraser's) is one such legacy.
It's discrimination against the next generation not to show them the folly of preceding Govts.
Teach them Australian history, not academic winge lists !

Australia won't be part of a BRIBE BIDDING WAR.

Most commenters in this string don't know what they're talking about!

Its not Australia that's the problem. Its the long history of vast sums aid/investment money to PNG disappering into our brown brother's pockets.
_________________________

If only PNG wasn't one of the most CORRUPT nations on Earth (from PNG's PM on down) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Corruption_in_Papua_New_Guinea

Then Big Banks would consider lending, resource rich PNG, MONEY on INVESTMENT RISK MERIT.

However some writer MAY see self as a Future Consultant to a "regional infrastructure "czar".

In a scheme in which even more Australian Taxpayers' Money goes into some High Risk PNG Electricity

Scheme via the Pockets of extremely CORRUPT PNG Politicians and Officials.

Leaving about 15% unsiphoned for the actual Project.

Let the Chinese learn the hard way not to waste their money.

Again, Australia won't be part of a BRIBE BIDDING WAR.

Again, Australia won't be part of a BRIBE BIDDING WAR.
plantagenet,
Yep, time to help less fortunate Australians with those $1.2Million/Day.

This is one thread I'd have expected more interest in from OLO'ers !

Hi indi

Article MAY be too much like marketing to score an advisor gig for Australian aid/investments to PNG.

plantagenet,
Australia gives $ 440 to PNG/year for exactly what ? One would think Australians would want to get some visible value for their Tax Dollars ? Considering that there are more needy in Australia than in PNG !

Dear indi

I haf consulted meiner foreign Kameraden who, unter zie table, slipped me http://www.dfat.gov.au/geo/papua-new-guinea/Pages/papua-new-guinea-country-brief .

Warning zis ist just between you and me. Donut tell a Soul.

This secret document http://www.dfat.gov.au/geo/papua-new-guinea/Pages/papua-new-guinea-country-brief reveals Australian rels with PNG are even more expensive than I first feared.

FOR YOUR EYES ONLY indi. Vatch video http://youtu.be/RkZf-Hfqx_A?t=27s

[NOTE indi. Aforementioned video represents a typical day at the Office]

"Bilateral relations

Overview

Geographic proximity and historical links have given Papua New Guinea a special place in Australia's foreign relations and the bilateral relationship is one of our most complex and wide-ranging."

UND ZIS IST DER KICKER indi:

"Trade and investment

Australia is PNG's largest trading and commercial partner, with bilateral trade worth A$6.7 billion in 2018. Major Australian exports to PNG are crude petroleum, meat, civil engineering equipment and parts, specialised machinery and parts and wheat. Major imports to Australia from PNG are gold, crude petroleum, silver and platinum.

Australian INVESTMENT IN PNG IS WORTH A$17 BILLION (2018). The resource sector has traditionally been a focus of this investment, particularly gold mining and oil and gas. Australian investment has also been directed towards light manufacturing, infrastructure and service delivery."
_______________________

Given these $Billions ALREADY flowing from Australia to PNG - it raises the question "what niche in this ongoing money flow is the article on about?"

I often wondered about the Import & Export Business. There seems to be a lot of strange goings on. When I lived in Malaysia/Singapore I could buy Australian Eggs, Fruit & Meat & New Zealand Milk (Fern) Cheaper than I could buy them in Australia. They had to be Transported from Australia to Malaysia/Singapore, So what price were the Farmers given for their Produce? Same in PNG I believe.

I see on you list of Import/Export to PNG Crude Oil going both ways. Are we giving it to them & then we buy it back? What good is Crude Oil to Australia as we have closed down the last Refinery, I believe.

plantagenet,
It's what the Progressives have been striving to achieve ! Now they're expecting the Conservatives to sort out their mess !
You can see Socialism at work in PNG, with other peoples' money !

Yes indi

Ever since Nazi Germany was defeated by good lefty GIs and rather dashing Soviet communists, it has

been far worse Earthlings, those Latte Progressives that have made Trump the evil loser that he is.