Australia-Papua New Guinea Defence Ministers' Meeting

The Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Defence, the Hon Richard Marles MP, will today host Papua New Guinea Defence Minister, the Hon Win Bakri Daki MP, for the Australia-Papua New Guinea Defence Ministers’ Meeting.

Australia and Papua New Guinea share a unique defence relationship that is broad and deep, underpinned by the close ties between our people.

The 2023 Defence Ministers’ Meeting will be an important opportunity to discuss strengthening our defence partnership and working together to support a more peaceful, stable and prosperous region.

Discussions will build on recent milestones in our defence relationship including:

• The Papua New Guinea Defence Force’s integration in Exercise Talisman Sabre 2023;
• Papua New Guinea and Australia co-hosting regional Exercise Longreach as part of the South Pacific Defence Ministers’ Meeting, and broader regional security arrangements; 
• Joint humanitarian support to the Autonomous Bougainville Government following the Mt Bagana eruption;
• Inaugural deployments of Royal Australian Air Force C-27J aircraft under the Defence Pacific Air Program and
• Australia’s continued support to Papua New Guinea’s sovereign defence capabilities.

Quotes attributable to the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Defence, the Hon Richard Marles MP:

“I look forward to welcoming Minister Daki to my hometown of Geelong for our annual Defence Ministers’ Meeting today. Papua New Guinea is very close to my heart, having visited more than 20 times.

“Papua New Guinea and Australia share a unique defence partnership but we can always do more together. I look forward to discussing ways to deepen our close partnership.”