Australia will support the construction of a new ministerial wing for Papua New Guinea’s National Parliament as part of celebrations marking 50 years since the country’s independence.
The project, designed through a Papua New Guinea–led consultation process and drawing on local craftsmanship, will embody the spirit of yumi stap wantaim — “side by side, step by step.”
It is intended to highlight the democratic principles that underpin the modern Australia–PNG relationship and the role of parliaments in reflecting the voices of their people.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said the initiative was,
“an investment in Papua New Guinea’s democracy and sovereignty that will benefit future generations.”
He recalled how at PNG’s independence ceremony in 1975, then–Prime Minister Gough Whitlam described the partnership as “a relationship of equals, based on mutual respect, understanding and trust,” adding that,
“as close neighbours and warm friends, the future prosperity of our two nations are bound together.”
The announcement reflects a deepening friendship between the two countries. In January 2023, Albanese became the first foreign leader to address PNG’s National Parliament, and just over a year later, in February 2024, Prime Minister James Marape became the first Pacific leader to address both Houses of the Australian Parliament.
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