Today we signed a Bilateral Security Agreement.
The Agreement is a legally-binding framework to deepen our security cooperation – in traditional areas of defence, policing, border and maritime security, and also non-traditional areas of cyber security, climate change, gender-based violence and critical infrastructure.
It will elevate our security relationship to advance shared security interests while contributing to our region’s security.
The Agreement fulfils a commitment under our Comprehensive Strategic and Economic Partnership. Consistent with our shared commitment to transparency, the Agreement will be publicly available.
As we sign the Agreement, we announce a commitment of $200 million in support of Papua New Guinea’s national security priorities.
We have agreed full circle support for Papua New Guinea’s internal security, from police to courts to correctional services. This includes initiatives that reflect the Bilateral Security Agreement’s focus on climate change, gender-based violence and cyber.
Papua New Guinea will establish a Port Moresby-based Police Recruit and Investigations Training Centre with Australia’s support. The Centre will enable Papua New Guinea to recruit and train a larger and more capable force.
Papua New Guinea has offered to open the Training Centre to other Pacific police forces. Papua New Guinea and Australia will continue to support the development of regional policing in the Pacific through the Pacific Islands Chiefs of Police as our region’s policing institution.
We will continue to support economic security, including through support for trade, border security and increased engagement in the Pacific Australia Labour Mobility scheme.