“Australia is a security partner of choice in the first instance ... and required the National Rugby League to remove Papua New Guinea's team from the competition if Australian trust was ...

"To embrace a team from Papua New Guinea is monumental ... Australia is proud to be PNG's primary security and development partner," said Albanese.

Australia’s promise of A$600 million to fund a PNG team in the National Rugby League is already attracting opposition at home. PNG’s strategic location means Australia and the US have long had ...