Prime Minister Anthony Albanese will host the leaders of Papua New Guinea, Samoa and Tonga in Brisbane on Wednesday for high-level talks on regional security, trade and economic cooperation, as Australia’s landmark mutual defence treaty with Papua New Guinea officially comes into force.
The meetings follow Albanese’s visits to Fiji, the Solomon Islands and Vanuatu, where Australia signed a series of major regional agreements aimed at strengthening security and economic ties across the Pacific.
The Prime Minister will hold separate bilateral meetings with each leader before hosting them at State of Origin Game III at Brisbane’s Suncorp Stadium, highlighting rugby league’s growing role in strengthening regional ties. “This important series of meetings in Brisbane comes at a time where we are working closely with our Pacific family on the issues that matter to our region,” Albanese said.
“I am very much looking forward to hosting Pacific leaders in Brisbane and attending the State of Origin with them.”
The Brisbane summit comes as the Albanese Government continues to expand Australia’s strategic engagement in the Pacific through a series of landmark agreements.
Recent initiatives include the Vuvale Union and Ocean of Peace Alliance with Fiji, the Nakamal Agreement with Vanuatu, the Falepili Union with Tuvalu, the Nauru–Australia Treaty, the Pacific Policing Initiative and the Pacific Response Group.
Wednesday’s talks also coincide with the commencement of the Pukpuk Mutual Defence Treaty with Papua New Guinea, Australia’s first new formal military alliance in more than 70 years and its fifth alliance overall.
Albanese said Australia was committed to working closely with Pacific partners on shared regional priorities.
“Through one of Australia’s favourite sporting codes, we are bringing our Pacific family closer together.”
The Brisbane meetings follow the Prime Minister’s visit to Honiara, where Australia is seeking to deepen cooperation with the Solomon Islands as part of its broader Pacific engagement strategy.
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