CLANCY OVERELL | Editor | Contact
In breaking news that has completely undone several decades of China’s soft power diplomacy in the South Pacific, it can be confirmed that Papua New Guinea will officially join the NRL from 2028!!!
The Port Moresby-based team aims to bolster security relations and strategic trust between the two countries and leveraging off the intense rugby league fandom that exists in our neighbouring nation.
Australia will pay $600m to prop up the initial 10-year deal, which was confirmed in a joint press conference between Anthony Albanese and PNG Prime Minister James Marape on Thursday.
The NRL Chairman Peter V’Landys was also at the press conference, and took the opportunity to suggest there is plans for even more NRL teams to join the competition after Papua New Guinea. In case any of the existing bids in Perth and Central Queensland thought that the announcements of this major diplomatic project means they’ve missed their chance.
Overnight, it appears that Australia has reasserted itself as best friends with Papua New Guinea, who will take a local NRL team over a brand new international airport, or whatever other major national infrastructure China was willing to bank roll.
In fact, all in all, $600m isn’t that much money when it comes to maintaining a security partnership in the South Pacific. Especially when considering the groundwork China has been making in nearby nations like Kiribati and the Solomon Islands.
Because, just like the confused Victorians and Western Australians watching this announcement without any gauge on the significance, China do not seem to understand the political capital that the NRL brings with it in Papua New Guinea. Especially if their teams starts winning.
Of the $600m, $480m is from new funding, while the remaining $120m was sourced from existing resources from the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade.
The fanfare that has followed this announcement in both PNG and Australia has already deemed the idea a diplomatic success.
And after ten years of Liberal governments talking about the ‘drums of war’ – the cunningness of giving Papua New Guinea an NRL team also signals a de-escalation in relations with China as well.
