A bit of an opinionated, feel-good ramble. That few give a tinker's dam about.

We were way too hasty to give PNG total control when what was required was a period of limited regional autonomy with only Australia having the power of veto and still managing the granting of the mining leases, the money and spending allocations. Health, education, law and order and defence.

And I dare say the country would be far more developed and self-funded than is the case today.

That way we could have limited the quite massive corruption and prevented bought officials from selling the nation's heritage.
Alan B.

Alan is right. Name one country apart from India that has done any good for itself after leaving the umbrella of Empire or Anglo/European protection.

What is Jeffery Wall's legacy from his time in PNG ?