South Sydney Rabbitohs legend, Alex Johnston is now free to begin early negotiations to become the first player for Papua New Guinea’s new NRL franchise.
Johnston, who recently signed a two-year contract extension with the Rabbitohs, has a special clause in his deal that allows him to start talks with the new team before the usual cut-off date. This gives the PNG franchise a major advantage in securing a high-profile player with deep ties to the country.
Johnston’s grandmother was born in Papua New Guinea, and he is a proud representative of the Kumuls, having played 10 Tests for the national team. His connection to the country is well known, and he has often spoken about his love for PNG and its passionate fans.
South Sydney CEO, Blake Solly confirmed the special arrangement stating “Alex said with his connection to PNG it would be cool to be player number one.”
“He has been a captain of the national team, played 10 Tests and is revered in PNG. He will always have a home here at Souths, but if Alex and his family do decide they want to be part of the PNG team on its entry to the NRL competition; we respect and support that decision,” Solly added.
During a recent visit to PNG, Johnston expressed his strong interest in joining the new team.
Beyond playing for the new franchise, Johnston is also motivated to represent the Kumuls in the 2026 World Cup, which will be co-hosted by Australia and Papua New Guinea. He hopes to help the team go further in the tournament than ever before.
“My motivation has always been to win competitions. Now it’s also to create a legacy and play for my family and make them proud,” Johnston said.
“I want to encourage those young kids playing rugby league to dream big.”
Currently, Johnston is closing in on the all-time NRL try-scoring record. With 207 tries in 239 games, he is just six tries shy of Ken Irvine’s record of 212. He will have a chance to add to his tally this weekend when the Rabbitohs take on the Gold Coast Titans.
Papua New Guinea’s Supreme Court in Port Moresby has ordered the release of 52-year-old Italian citizen, Carlo D’Attanasio after a successful appeal.
The Supreme Court overturned the National Court’s decision, following an appeal by D’Attanasio through his lawyer David Dotaona against the State.
The court found that the original verdict, which convicted D’Attanasio, was unsafe and unsatisfactory.
The State’s Allegations
According to the State, D’Attanasio, a 52-year-old Italian national, was jointly accused with three other Papua New Guineans of knowingly concealing 611 kilograms of cocaine between February 1, 2020, and July 26, 2020. The cocaine was valued at two-hundred-million-kina (K200,000,000).
The State alleged that D’Attanasio and his co-accused, Morgan Mogu, met in 2018 in Milne Bay.
In early 2020, Mogu was told of a “big job” coming up, and in March-April 2020, a yacht would drop off cargo at Kupiano, Central Province. The co-accused allegedly transported the packages to Papa-Lealea in Central Province towards the end of July 2020, to be loaded onto a small plane.
On July 26, 2020, another accomplice, John Cutmore, landed a small plane at a makeshift runway. The plane crashed upon take-off, and the group removed the cocaine packages and hid them in the bush.
The Original Trial and Conviction
At the trial, the State relied on 137 exhibits of tendered evidence, including records of interviews with the four accused. There was no oral testimony, and all accused, including D’Attanasio, remained silent. After hearing submissions, the trial judge accepted the State’s allegations and convicted the four accused of money laundering.
Grounds for Appeal
The appellant, Carlo D’Attanasio, decided to appeal the National Court’s decision. His grounds of appeal, presented by his lawyer David Dotaona, argued that the trial judge erred in law and fact in two respects: First, by misinterpreting the elements of the offense, when the state’s allegations, even if sustained, did not support a conviction under section 508B(1) and second, by entering a conviction in the absence of sufficient admissible evidence, specifically that:
The State’s case was based entirely on tendered evidence without oral testimony.
Reliance was placed on uncorroborated evidence from a sniffer dog’s search of D’Attanasio’s yacht.
The trial judge misapplied the principles of circumstantial evidence by not assisting a reasonable and innocent explanation of evidence tending to implicate D’Attanasio in his record of interview, and
Evidence from co-accused was used against the appellant, contrary to the principles of accomplice evidence.
Key Evidence and Timeline
According to the determination of the appeal, D’Attanasio admitted to sailing his yacht, MV Badu, from South America.
According to records, D’Attanasio sailed to the Royal Papua Yacht Club marina on March 26, 2020. Due to COVID-19 protocols, he was told to anchor in isolation for 14-days.
MV Badu
Between April 9 and 14, 2020, D’Attanasio made repeated requests to come ashore via radio. He completed documentation at the Royal Papua Yacht Club mid April 2020, and the yacht was cleared by Customs on April 20, 2020.
Due to COVID-19 protocols, Customs did not search the yacht.
D’Attanasio’s passport had expired on March 7, 2020.
In early July 2020, D’Attanasio informed the Royal Papua Yacht Club that he intended to go to Alotau. On July 26, 2020, the plane piloted by John Cutmore crashed at Papa-Lealea.
On 27th of July, 2020, Cutmore surrendered himself to the Australian High Commission, and was interviewed by Police on July 30, 2020.
Also on July 30, 2020, D’Attanasio’s co-accused were arrested, and 28 bags of cocaine located in the bush. That same day, D’Attanasio sought clearance to depart for Bali on August 1, 2020. Clearance was issued on the morning of August 1, but the vessel did not depart.
On August 3 and 4, 2020, a search of the MV Badu by police and customs, with assistance from a sniffer dog, indicated four areas of interest within the yacht. A small quantity of cocaine, 50 grams, was found in a plastic bag. However, no comparison was made between this cocaine and the 28 bags found at Papa-Lealea.
Supreme Court’s Decision
The Supreme Court determined that this was a “borderline case” due to the unclear disputed facts. The court found that while the circumstances were suspicious, the evidence was not strong enough to exclude a rational inference other than D’Attanasio’s guilt.
The three-man bench, comprising Justice David Cannings, Peter Toliken, and Teresa Berrigan, ruled that the conviction of the 52-year-old Italian citizen by the National Court was unsafe and unsatisfactory.
The court ordered that D’Attanasio’s appeal be allowed, the conviction quashed, and a verdict of not guilty substituted.
The decision was handed down in Waigani, National Capital District, on Thursday, July 31, 2025.
The now-free Carlo D’Attanasio, who is currently hospitalized with colorectal cancer, thanked his lawyer, David Dotaona, and expressed faith in PNG’s justice system. He is in close communication with the Italian Embassy to arrange his return home.
Solomon Islands Prime Minister, Jeremiah Manele is setting a clear example for transparent governance in the Pacific.
Manele hosts a press conference twice every month, to brief journalists on the government’s latest activities, policies, and plans.
It is a commitment, he says, reflects his administration’s view of the media as a vital bridge between government and citizens.
“It’s important in terms of transparency and accountability,” Manele told InsidePNG and In-depth Solomons in an exclusive interview.
“It’s an opportunity where we can inform our people through the media on the implementation of government programs, policies, activities, even upcoming visits or the outcome of those we’ve undertaken.”
A Positive Shift from Past Leadership
His approach has been praised as a welcome departure from previous leadership styles.
“Manele’s decision to face the media and field questions from journalists is a huge step towards open government, transparency and accountability,” said Ofani Eremae, President of the Media Association of Solomon Islands (MASI).
“This is something that had been missing under the last leadership of Manasseh Sogavare,” he added.
“Regionally, I think Manele’s approach aligns more closely with norms seen in countries like Papua New Guinea, where Prime Minister James Marape holds media engagements, though sometimes more sporadically.”
Solomon Islands Broadcasting Corporation’s News and Current Affairs editor Fredrick Kusu said the fortnightly press conferences are welcome news for journalists in Solomon Islands.
“The decision to conduct regular press conferences with journalists is a positive development because it allows journalists to ask questions about governance directly to the Prime Minister,” Kusu said.
“This transparency enables the public to stay informed about what is happening in the country, especially at the government level,” he added.
In Solomon Islands, Journalists at a recent press conference hosed by the Prime Minister, Jeremiah Manele. [[Photo/SI PM’s Media]]
Countering the Rise of Misinformation and AI Manipulation
This practice is rare among regional leaders and comes at a time when AI-generated fake content and disinformation campaigns are rife online.
“What goes out to our people must be factual and true,” Manele said. “Misinformation can be a source of instability and disunity.”
Eremae agrees.
“Journalists must treat the challenge of disinformation and AI-generated content as both a professional and civic duty, adapting their skills and vigilance to protect truth, democracy, and public trust,” he emphasized.
“Our member organisations are aware of these challenges and have internal mechanisms to safeguard their content.”
PNG Media Calls for Greater Access and Structure
In neighbouring Papua New Guinea, media leaders have also recognised the need for more structured engagement with the government.
“PNG government leaders and state agency heads would benefit more from a robust and direct engagement with the media,” said Neville Choi, President of the Media Council of PNG (MCPNG).
“Transparency and accessibility are important to get their message out to the people, which is why the media continues to push for more in-person conferences and open communication.”
He added that while PNG has media access channels, much of it is informal and reliant on personal relationships with officials; a system that lacks consistency.
“Much of the access comes through direct contact with particular journalists or through government media units, and when the PM decides to hold an in-person media conference,” Choi said.
Information Access with a Responsible Framework
Access to government information in Solomon Islands is guided by its commitment to freedom of expression, though some limitations apply based on subject sensitivity according to PM Manele.
Once cabinet conclusions are formally adopted, journalists could approach the relevant ministries for further details.
“It depends on the nature of the subject,” Manele noted. “Some issues, particularly those related to national or international security, are understandably sensitive.”
MASI has been working to ensure that journalists are well equipped to handle such responsibilities professionally.
“One of MASI’s goals is to ensure the media acts responsibly and ethically,” said Eremae. “But government authorities also have a responsibility to provide reporters with information when it is requested. That’s how fair and balanced reporting happens.”
Building Journalistic Capacity and Awareness
Both MASI and MCPNG are actively strengthening their respective media sectors through training and advocacy.
“The MCPNG is currently supporting the roll-out of the Foundations of Journalism training program,” said Choi. “This training is an extremely effective mechanism which will bridge a perceived gap between the journalism knowledge and principles in media training schools, with skills received on the newsroom floor.
“We’re also compiling a discussion paper on AI and its implications for PNG’s media,” Choi added.
“There is a clear need for newsroom leaders to better understand AI tools and risks, especially as we approach the 2027 elections.”
Foreign Policy and Media in a Multipolar Pacific
On regional dynamics, PM Manele reiterated Solomon Islands’ “friends to all” policy.
In a landscape where global powers are increasingly vying for influence across the Pacific, including through media initiatives, he emphasized that his government remains focused on partnerships that advance national development.
“We are friends with Australia, China, the US, Japan, everyone. Our interests are developmental.
“We’re a geographically spread country with major infrastructure, health, and education challenges. So, we work with all partners to meet those needs.”
Collaboration Across Borders: A Shared Media Mission
As cross-border issues like environmental crime, organized corruption, and digital manipulation grow, both MASI and MCPNG say newsroom collaboration is crucial.
“Many of today’s biggest stories; corruption, organized crime, environmental destruction, do not stop at national borders,” Eremae said.
“Working together across the region helps expose these issues and strengthens journalism overall.”
“Collaborations like that of InsidePNG and In-depth Solomons foster exchange, deepen understanding of local contexts, and improve the quality of reporting,” said Choi.
“These efforts also make it harder for misinformation or criminal networks to escape scrutiny across jurisdictions.”
There are now 50 days to go before Papua New Guinea celebrates a milestone of 50 years of political and economic independence.
Prime Minister James Marape called on Papua New Guineans to embrace this significant countdown as a time of national reflection, renewed purpose, and thanksgiving to God, who has guided the country through five decades of independence.
“Fifty years ago, our founding fathers laid the foundation of this sovereign nation with a bold vision that Papua New Guinea, though culturally diverse, would stand united, independent, and blessed.
As we mark 50 days to our Golden Jubilee, I encourage every Papua New Guinean, young and old, to take this time to look back, give thanks, and look forward with faith and courage,” Marape said.
Drawing inspiration from scripture, he referenced Leviticus 25:10, which speaks of the Year of Jubilee as a time of liberty, restoration, and return.
“The Bible speaks of the 50th year as a Jubilee, a sacred time of freedom, forgiveness, and restoration. I believe this is not just a political or historical moment, but a spiritual one for our people and our nation. God has been gracious to Papua New Guinea, and now more than ever, we must honour Him for bringing us this far,” he said.
The Prime Minister said the countdown to September 16 should be embraced by all sectors of society — from schools and Churches to the business community and civil society — as a time to celebrate, reconcile, and rededicate ourselves to building a better and more inclusive PNG.
A Legacy of Progress and Resilience Over the last five decades, Papua New Guinea has faced its share of challenges, from economic fluctuations and law and order issues to global pandemics and natural disasters. Yet, the Prime Minister stressed that the resilience and spirit of the people have been the country’s greatest asset.
“Despite all odds, we are still standing stronger, wiser, and more united than ever. This 50th Independence Anniversary is not just a mark of age, but a testimony of God’s sustaining grace and our people’s perseverance,” Marape said.
“From the remotest village to the highest Office of Government, every Papua New Guinean has played a role in this journey. The story of PNG is not just one of policies or politics it is a story of faith, family, community, and resilience,” Marape said.
Marape reiterated his Government’s commitment to building a stronger, self reliant, and God-fearing nation. He acknowledged that while much has been achieved, there is still work to do in areas such as education, health, infrastructure, law and order, and wealth creation.
“We will enter the next 50 years with greater intent to take back our economy, empower our people, and honour God in how we govern and lead. As we count down these 50 days to September 16, let us commit ourselves as individuals, families, churches, and communities to be part of this new chapter,” he said.
Climate change isn’t just a distant threat for our Pacific island communities; it’s a daily struggle impacting homes, food, and livelihoods.
Helen Tony, who lives in the small, low-lying village of Unakap on Vanuatu’s Nguna island, knows this reality all too well.
For 15 years, Helen has seen how a changing climate makes life harder. Growing fruits and vegetables has become a challenge, especially after cyclones bring destructive insects. Her husband too, is catching fewer fish because the reefs and ocean ecosystems are damaged by extreme weather, warmer waters, and ocean acidification.
Their family of five relies on income to buy food from local markets, but even Helen’s traditional craft of weaving mats, fans, purses, and baskets from pandanus leaves has been hit.
“To weave them… the leaves need to be dry but more rain than is typical has been shrinking her output and the cash she generates selling her wares.”
A Constant Battle for Recovery
Vanuatu, an archipelago familiar with volcanoes, earthquakes, tsunamis, and landslides, is no stranger to disaster and the long road to recovery. However, the added burden of climate change impacts and more intense cyclones and storms is making it increasingly difficult to bounce back.
Pallen Abraham Philip, World Vision’s humanitarian emergency security affairs manager, notes that while cyclones have always been part of life, they’re now stronger and hitting out of season.
“They’re still in the recovery mode, then the next hits,” he explains.
This was evident with Category five Cyclone Pam in 2015 and the twin tropical cyclones Judy and Kevin that tore through just days apart in 2023.
Finding Solutions, Facing New Challenges
Significant funding is crucial for vulnerable regional and rural communities to recover and adapt. Vanuatu receives support through various programs, including the Green Climate Fund on Nguna and neighbouring islands, backed by the Vanuatu government and Save the Children.
Australia’s $50 million contribution to this is part of its broader $100 million Pacific Resilience Facility, which supports small, high-impact initiatives to help communities prepare for disasters.
Whitely Tasaruru, the Nguna and Pele area climate change manager for Vanuatu’s Community-based Climate Resilience Project, works to ensure adaptation measures like coastal tree planting, seawall construction, and coral restoration work together.
For Nguna, the long-term goal is to gradually relocate low-lying villages to higher ground. In the short term, communities want to protect buildings and infrastructure, including the road connecting coastal communities.
Mr. Tasaruru says planting more vegetation and trees along the shoreline will help, as will a planned seawall in an erosion-prone spot.
However, climate solutions can sometimes create new problems. For example, building a road to higher ground for relocating households has involved mining sand from the island’s beach for the cement structure.
“But extracting the sand has created openings and channels on the beach that are leaving nearby settlements more exposed to storm surge and wash damage.”
“Many community members here have concerns,” Mr. Tasaruru shares, suggesting sourcing sand from Port Vila on the mainland island of Efate as a better option.
Innovation Amidst Adversity
On neighbouring Pele, Salome Kalo from Pilliura village has championed a solar-powered food dryer. With sandy, less productive soil, food security is a concern, especially with storms.
The dryer, which uses warm air to preserve produce, “helps us a lot,” says Ms. Kalo. Unfortunately, their dryer was destroyed in a storm a few months ago. “We have to build that again this month.”
Like Nguna, Pele communities are also scouting higher ground for future relocation. Edward Lani from Pilliura village expects their way of life to change when they move away from the beach.
“There are people who live along the coast, they depend entirely on the ocean for food but if they move inland, it would change their way of getting food for the household,” he explains.
But for Mr. Lani, moving inland isn’t his biggest worry. He’s more concerned that young people will leave the island entirely to escape the worsening environmental conditions.
This initiative, part of a long-standing inter-parliamentary cooperation, underscores Bougainville’s commitment to strengthening democratic institutions as it navigates its post-referendum path.
The visiting delegation, comprising Peter Topura, Clerk of the Bougainville House of Representatives; Adrian Hihiru, Assistant Legal Counsel; and Wesley Porake, Director of Finance and Administration, represents a focused effort to gain practical insights from a fellow Pacific Island nation.
A FOUNDATION OF REGIONAL COOPERATION
The attachment is a direct outcome of a parliamentary twinning arrangement established in 2007 under the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association’s Pacific Twinning Program.
This partnership, which also includes the Parliament of New South Wales (NSW), Australia, aims to strengthen institutional capacity, promote democratic governance, and nurture regional parliamentary cooperation.
Clerk of the National Parliament of Solomon Islands Jefferson Hallu explained that under the twinning program “each state parliament in Australia is paired with one or two island countries in the Pacific.”
“The main aim is to foster collaboration, knowledge-sharing and capacity building. It’s something that is important in our legislatures,” he added.
“Apart from Australia, there are only other Pacific countries and in order for ‘Birds of the same feather to flock together’, we have to collaborate, share our common challenges and learn from each other, strengthen the democratic processes and procedures and in a way, strengthen Pacific parliaments and the parliamentary democratic process.”
Hallu noted that past activities under the twinning program typically took place in Sydney, Australia.
“The activities we have engaged in the past include, training placements, we’ve had good opportunity to be placed with respective departments in the more matured jurisdictions in New South Wales; and NSW has sent colleagues to us.”
BHOR’s visit to the Solomon Islands is a first of its kind within their twinning partnership and it has been very exciting and insightful.
Clerk of the Bougainville House of Representatives, Peter Topura(Left) and Clerk of the National Parliament of Solomon Islands, Jefferson Hallu.
Clerk of the Bougainville House of Representatives, Peter Topura said, the visit by BHOR had a focus on committee work and procedure, however, he has now decided to include the Finance aspect in Parliamentary service to their list of learnings.
“Now my thoughts are to include the finance aspect in parliamentary service so we can understand how parliamentary service finance works in parliamentary procedures and legal service work here in the Solomon Islands.
“Because our focus is to learn and twinning is part of collaboration and learning from each other.
“In Papua New Guinea, we have a parliamentary partnership with the National Parliament and we do an attachment with PNG, that is within the country. This one is outside of the country under the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association,” Topura added.
He explained that BHOR joined the CPA in 2006 and has since attended various conferences, seminars, and workshops.
When the twinning concept was introduced in 2007, BHOR officially became part of the partnership in 2010.
Both Hallu and Topura, who were appointed between 2024 and 2025, said the partnership has helped them exchange knowledge and grow professionally and contribute to their respective parliaments.
GAINING PRACTICAL EXPERTISE FOR BOUGAINVILLE’S FUTURE
Throughout their time in Honiara, the Bougainville officials are engaging directly with key departments of the National Parliament of the Solomon Islands.
This immersive experience is designed to provide first-hand insights into the administrative, procedural, and legal functions vital for effective parliamentary operations.
Meetings are scheduled with the Parliamentary Procedure Office, Finance and Administration, Committee Secretariat, Library, Research and Information services, Public Engagement Department (including Civic Education and Media), and the Hansard Department.
When asked about their specific objectives for the attachment, Topura shared, “in terms of politics and what we do at the Parliamentary level, we are more focused on building parliaments, that’s what we do”.
“In terms of finance, how parliament is supported by the Government in doing its work; committee work and supporting members constituency responsibilities.
“In terms of procedures we are understanding how bills are brought to parliament and what stages they go through and basically how the parliament prepares its bills; where does it go until the bill is passed.”
The delegation expressed optimism about applying these learnings to Bougainville’s unique context.
Topura said context in any situation, any location can be different but the processes of any parliament remain the same.
This targeted learning is particularly crucial as Bougainville continues its journey towards greater autonomy and self-determination.
BUILDING RESILIENT INSTITUTIONS
Hallu and Topura also reflected on the broader challenges and opportunities facing their respective Houses.
“One of the values we hold dear to our work in Parliament is to remain apolitical and not to let political convictions and abuse affect our work as a staff of parliament,” said Hallu.
In the same tune, Topura added that their roles are to be impartial and neutral at all times, however, within the Melanesian societies where our ways are deeply rooted to our culture, it poses the biggest challenge.
He said in Australia, they’ve barely seen this as much of a challenge, hence amplifying the significance of their partnerships with the PNG and Solomon Islands parliaments.
“That’s something we are working on and discussing with the PNG National Parliament and Solomon Islands National parliament, we want to learn how to deal with this.”
A MESSAGE OF COLLABORATION
This visit reaffirms the unwavering commitment of both the Bougainville House of Representatives and the National Parliament of Solomon Islands to ongoing collaboration and mutual learning.
For the National Parliament of Solomon Islands, hosting such programs also offers reciprocal benefits.
“Now we are in discussions on how we can work together, and they (SINP) can come to Bougainville as part of the Twinning Program,” said Topura.
In agreement, Hallu said “SINP is looking forward to strengthening the partnerships by reciprocating visits and exchanges between the BHOR and SINP.”
Looking ahead, the commitment to regional stability and democratic development remains paramount.
And while they appreciate the support and training from international relations including that they have received in twinning placements in NSW parliament, both BHOR and SINP agree that greater collaboration among Melanesian nations and the wider Pacific region is crucial to strengthening regional unity and stability.
Ultimately, this attachment program underscores the vital role of regional partnerships in building resilient parliamentary institutions, laying crucial groundwork for Bougainville’s self-governing future and reinforcing the Solomon Islands National Parliament’s contributions to a stronger, more democratic Pacific.
Two emerging investigative newsrooms in the Pacific – In-depth Solomons and Inside PNG – have launched a new collaboration designed to strengthen cross-border investigative journalism in the region.
As part of the partnership, two Inside PNG journalists are currently in Honiara on a two-week attachment with In-depth Solomons.
The initiative aims to strengthen collaboration between the two newsrooms, both member centres of the Organized Crime and Corruption Reporting Project (OCCRP), the world’s leading network of investigative journalists.
In-depth Solomons co-founder and editor Ofani Eremae said the initiative is about more than just newsroom exchange.
“It’s about building lasting professional ties and working together on stories that transcend national borders,” Eremae said.
“Our vision is to strengthen collaboration between investigative journalists in the Pacific,” he added..
“By working side by side, sharing skills, and tackling stories together, we can better expose issues that affect our countries and the region as a whole.”
New Zealand’s Deputy High Commissioner to Solomon Islands, Her Excellency Rebecca Williams (third from right) with staff from the Organized Crime and Corruption Reporting Project (OCCRP), Inside PNG and In-depth Solomons during a lunch meeting this week, at Mendana Hotel, Honiara. The New Zealand Government is also a proud partner supporting both independent newsrooms in their mission to strengthen investigative journalism across the Pacific.
Inside PNG Managing Director, Kila Wani, who is part of the visiting team alongside colleague Helen Sea, said the partnership offers a unique opportunity for Pacific journalists to share experiences and perspectives.
“This attachment is not just about learning – it’s about collaborating on real stories and strengthening the ties between our newsrooms,” Wani said.
“We’re excited to work with the In-depth Solomons team and explore ways to tell stories that matter to our people.”
Both newsrooms have been recognised for their fearless reporting on corruption, governance, and environmental issues.
This partnership, Eremae says, will help amplify their impact and contribute to a stronger, more connected investigative journalism community in the Pacific.
The exchange is expected to include joint story projects, newsroom training, and ongoing collaboration beyond the attachment period.
It marks the first of its kind in the Pacific, setting a precedent for regional media cooperation on investigative reporting. It also lays the groundwork for future joint investigations into pressing issues like transnational crimes and political accountability within the region.
“We share a common mission,” Eremae said. “And together, we can make our stories – and our voices – even stronger.”
This article is a joint collaboration by Inside PNG and In-depth Solomons.
A team of agricultural experts from China recently visited Papua New Guinea to kickstart efforts to revitalize the nation’s agriculture sector.
The visit is part of a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) signed last year, aimed to provide valuable training and knowledge to local agriculture professionals.
PNG has been facing challenges in supporting its agriculture sector, particularly in research. Recognizing this gap, the Jiangsu Academy of Agricultural Sciences (JAAS) from China stepped in to help. Their delegation, consisting of six professors, held an intensive one-day “Agri-Tech” workshop in Port Moresby on Monday, June 30, 2025.
The training covered a wide range of topics, from rice cultivation and soil improvement to livestock breeding and agro-product quality management.
They also shared insights into China’s agricultural import and export standards and the growing demand for organic and sustainably produced goods.
A key takeaway for participants was the potential for PNG to access the vast Chinese market. However, as Professor Yuan Liu from JAAS’s Food Safety and Nutrition Division highlighted, all imports must meet strict World Trade Organization (WTO) and CODEX food safety standards.
In the Pacific, Vanuatu kava was approved for Export in 2023 and Fiji’s Ginger and Coconut Products. Mr. David Tenakanai, General Manager-Technical Services at the National Agriculture Quarantine and Inspection Authority (NAQIA), was overwhelmed that despite agreements with China to export Agricultural produce, PNG is yet to meet the market standards. He challenged attendees and government agencies to fast-track the necessary formalities in meeting the required standards.
Dr. Nelson Simbiken, Director General of NARI, encouraged participants to make the most of the new information shared by the Chinese trainers. The MOU between NARI and JAAS outlines a collaborative effort to:
Conduct research and development across agricultural food value chains.
Develop human talent for agricultural research and innovation.
Establish a joint research platform for community engagement.
Optimize policy advocacy for agriculture.
This training is the beginning of other trainings that we will be conducted through the China Pacific Island Countries Agriculture Cooperation and Demonstration Centre.
“Through the MOU with JAAS, we will set up a Field Demonstration plot at Laloki. We have selected a site where they will be based. When they are here, they become the resource, where we will continue to feed areas that need further training.”
It seems incredible, given the vast ocean surrounding the atolls in Bougainville’s north, that these palm-clad places could experience drought.
Yet the tiny specks in the Solomon Sea to Australia’s northeast have suffered six months without rainfall, imperilling lives and sparking a mighty effort to bring relief.
Gideon Haukani, who grew up on the Nuguria islands, says the desperation has forced the closure of schools “because teachers need to go and look for food for their family”.
Locals wake as early as 2am to paddle by canoe to nearby islands on the hunt for coconuts or food to bring home.
As well as obvious challenges like water shortages and failing crops, the drought has drawn less expected difficulties.
Dwindling water sources have led to sandfly and mosquito populations intensifying near human settlements, leading to mass bites and infections.
Around 150km southwest of Nuguria, on Nissan Island, Sylvia Rennethsie says the unyielding heat eviscerated her yam crop and took a toll on her community.
“A widow fell off and slit her face on a stone because she was hungry,” she tells AAP.
“She got skin disease due to excessive heat. To make it worse, there was no medicine … the government cannot afford medicine so we suffer the consequences.”
Mr Haukani’s Nuguria is one of a series of atolls and islands in the north of Bougainville, the wantaway region in Papua New Guinea’s far east.
Tourism is non-existant and few outsiders visit, though whaling ships passed through in the 19th century.
Nissan Island was briefly a theatre of World War II visited by future US President Richard Nixon, then a humble supply officer.
For thousands of years before that, the isolated chain has been home to subsistence-focused communities.
“People are living a simple life,” Mr Haukani says.
That was until the drought, which began in November last year, which Mr Haukani rates the worst elderly locals can remember.
Needing humanitarian relief, Australia answered the call, funding a $500,000 package through CARE Australia including immediate needs – primarily water and food – and later, the installation of water tanks.
But it is one thing to offer relief and quite another to deliver it.
Emily Meren, CARE Papua New Guinea‘s humanitarian projects manager, says they received a green light in April to take aid to Pinapel Island and Nuguria, deemed to have the highest need.
That involved procuring and sailing goods from Morobe province on mainland PNG some 900 kilometres east to Buka, the Bougainville capital, taking two weeks.
As that ship had other contracts to attend to, the group was then stranded in Buka for a fortnight while sourcing another vessel to sail north for the 11-day distribution journey.
Logistical difficulties such as these are a reality of life in under-developed and under-resourced PNG, and Ms Meren encountered no different on arrival at Mantoia on Pinapel Island.
“There was no jetty, mind you, so we had to anchor offshore and the community had only two outboard motors functioning,” she says.
“The whole community’s lined up to like an assembly line to pass the relief items to shore and it took us well into the evening … it was exhausting for everyone.”
Next came packing and a fair distribution negotiated through chiefs, before a second drop-off at the village of Rogos on Pinapel’s other side.
“We had to ask the leaders in Mantoia to walk across (the island) to support their people at Rogos to speed it up,” Ms Meren says.
Then, another 12 hour overnight sailing north to finish the job at Nuguria, where conditions were worsened by previous storms.
“In good times, they have bananas or cassava growing,” Ms Meren says.
“When the drought heats, all of those dry up so they have to go back to mangrove seeds and coconuts to live on, which means drinking water from coconuts as well.
“But in Nuguria, there was a king tide last year and so many of the coconut trees died out.”
The logistical delays meant that by the time they landed, minor rainfall had arrived, along with some rice from another aid effort, helping avoid a catastrophic situation.
The aid allowed locals to top up their dwindling tanks – installed more than a decade ago as part of another CARE relief effort – and turn their minds to prevention efforts.
Islanders are in no doubt more is needed to safeguard the communities: regular ferries, economic development, better health support.
“Because it’s so isolated, when teachers or others come back for their break, its very hard to get back,” Mr Haukai says.
“A health officer came to Buka and was stranded because there was no transport going back home for six months.
“There is no economic projects that are happening … we have resources in the sea, we have fish, sea cucumbers, copra, coconut but we don’t have a relay-able service to ship their products.”
Ms Rennethsie also laments the changing climate and increasing likelihood sea level rise will alter their lives.
When a patchy signal allows, she shares a picture of a young child via Whatsapp, explaining the drought caused misery for her family.
“She does not like to eat anything else apart from pawpaw and her parents found it hard to deal with her demands during the drought,” she says.
“I am afraid the effect of climate change might have a great impact on my island … we are a vulnerable community.”
In the Papua New Guinea highlands, tribal violence is an unfortunate way of life and, increasingly, death.
In February 2024, bystanders were among 49 people killed in a gun battle between clans in Wabag, the capital of the Enga province.
That clash was the destructive climax of a spate of fierce inter-tribal battles in Enga, where hundreds have been killed and thousands displaced, fearing for their lives.
The reasons behind the violence are complex, including land ownership, with displacement of tribes causing cascading issues around custodianship of country.
The arrival of industry, including forestry and mining, can upset traditional community authority structures, and challenge chiefly systems.
The single greatest impact behind the swollen death tolls is perhaps the arrival of modern weaponry which replaces traditional weapons with lethal firearms.
The UN estimates there are 112 inter-group conflicts in Papua New Guinea, and recent massacres extend beyond Enga.
In 2019, more than 20 died in Hela province after an initial attack, which killed six, led to a retaliation including the murder of pregnant women and children.
It was in Hela and Morobe provinces that agency Conciliation Resources began a peace-building project, drawing from years of expertise and a scoping assessment of the likelihood of success.
“It was to enhance the skills and capacities of the people working on these conflict challenges,” Ciaran O’Toole, Melbourne-based regional director, tells AAP.
“Working to enable specific communities, in particular those affected by violence, to design and develop their own peace-building work (and) provide … small grants for them to conduct dialogue or provide livelihood for some of the young men engaged in violence.
“It was very targeted on what we would call the drivers of the violence.”
That was, until a stop-work letter arrived early this year.
“It was quite blunt. It was very quick. There wasn’t any lead time to wind down. It was just ‘stop work’,” Mr O’Toole said.
The peace-building project was one of thousands axed by the US President Donald Trump’s executive order to pause and re-evaluate foreign aid in January.
Alongside peace-building programs, multi-billion dollar health initiatives to treat HIV and malaria, food provision, and climate-mitigation projects funded by USAID were ended.
Months later, it is estimated that roughly 90 per cent of USAID’s $A53 billion annual spend has been cancelled, representing roughly a third of all foreign aid.
Australian development agencies are among those counting the cost.
In a survey of members, peak body Australian Council for International Development (ACFID) has revealed at least $A400 million worth of projects have been defunded by the United States.
ACFID believes that is a lowball figure, given many NGOs are yet to see the full picture of cuts, and others were not able to complete the survey during the upheaval.
“This means communities losing access to healthcare, girls losing access to education and families losing access to food programs,” ACFID chief executive Matthew Maury said.
The hardest-hit region for Australian agencies is the Pacific, with the loss of $A113 million worth of support, predominantly climate change resilience and disaster preparedness, health and gender projects.
Other axed projects include education and nutrition projects in Timor-Leste, drought recovery in Fiji, climate-resilient food systems in Nauru, and sexual and reproductive health services right across the Pacific.
Given the challenges and sensitivity that comes with securing funding from donor governments, not every agency is keen to speak on the record about their loss.
Caritas Australia programs director Dan Skehan said Caritas partners in Fiji and Samoa were also hit by USAID cuts.
“They were receiving USAID funding specifically for WASH, which is water, sanitation and hygiene work … delivering water to much needed communities, be that schools, communities or in some instances health facilities,” he tells AAP.
In this instance, Caritas Australia – part of the world’s second largest humanitarian grouping, second only to the Red Cross – was able to redirect support to these programs at a reduced scale.
“(Where) something like vital water to community hasn’t been delivered, we’ve made decisions to at least finalise the project activities,” he said.
The aid sector has also been plunged into chaos, and in many cases, retrenchment by the USAID cuts.
Caritas has shed hundreds of jobs in places like Bangladesh, and a smaller number in the Pacific.
“This is an enormous funding cut … there’s been an enormous amount of disruption in the sector,” Mr Skehan said.
“There would be large number of staff who have been serving communities of very skilled workers who no longer, unfortunately, have a job.
“What’s most important, and we’ve always got to hold at the centre, is it’s the communities and the vulnerable people that we serve that are most impacted.”
It’s not just the US which is cutting development assistance.
In April, the UK cut foreign aid by 40 per cent – a move which shocked many given it came from a centre-left Labour government – while last month, New Zealand axed $A91m in climate-related assistance.
Mr O’Toole said the huge US retreat on aid had “given permission to other governments to cut back on their aid budgets as well”.
“We’re all feeling the hurt across all of this change and I think all aid organisations are feeling this pain,” he said.
The sector hopes Australia, which has made incremental increases under Anthony Albanese, will step up to fill the gap.
There are some positive signs from Canberra, including a flexibility afforded to agencies to move funds earmarked for one purpose onto others in light of cuts.
Mr Maury hopes future budgets will see aid rise not just in real terms but as a percentage of the budget.
“Australia has a proud history of supporting development, particularly in the Pacific,” Mr Maury said.
“Yet as global needs rise, our aid budget has fallen to just 0.65 per cent of the Federal Budget … restoring aid to one per cent would reaffirm our commitment and secure Australia’s place at the forefront of development.”
