Australia and Papua New Guinea defence ministers meet for treaty
A major war game will be held outside of Australia for the first time, in a defence agreement with a close ally allowing a key military exercise to be held in Papua New Guinea.
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A key war game will be held outside of Australia for the first time, as the Federal Government moves towards a major defence agreement with a close ally.
A portion of this year’s Operation Talisman Sabre military exercise will be held in Papua New Guinea - marking the first time the military operation has been held outside of Australia.
It comes after the Deputy Prime Minister of Australia and Minister for Defence, Richard Marles, and Papua New Guinea Minister of Defence, Billy Joseph, met for the 2025 Australia-Papua New Guinea Defence Ministers’ Meeting at Gallipoli Barracks, Enoggera, on Thursday morning - where they formally commenced negotiations to form a defence treaty between the two Pacific nations.
Chief of the Australian Defence Force Admiral David Johnston AC RAN was seen arriving at the meeting as well as senior military personnel from PNG.
It is understood that the portion of Operation Talisman Sabre to be held on PNG soil will take place in July.
Deputy Prime Minister Marles described the move to host a part of Talisman Sabre in PNG as a “significant step forward”.
“This will be the first time that we are taking Talisman Sabre to Papua New Guinea, to another country, and it will see Australian and Papua New Guinean servicemen and women operating next to each other in this exercise,” he said.
“It will see our assets being engaged with each other.
“This will be an element of Talisman Sabre which actually happens in Papua New Guinea and so in the history of that exercise, which we principally do with the United States, but does involve now a number of other countries, this is a very significant step forward.
“Talisman Sabre is the most significant exercise that the Australian Defence Force engages in every second year.
“This is a Talisman Sabre year and it is shaping up to be as big a Talisman Sabre as we have ever conducted.”
Minister Joseph said the opportunity to host Talisman Sabre marks a progression in the relationship between the two Pacific nations.
“I want to thank DPM Marles for the opportunity to host a component of Exercise Talisman Sabre this year,” he said.
“This will enable us to train and affirm our interoperability.
“This is a natural progression and maturing of our defence relationship.
“Talisman Sabre has never run in another foreign country and we want to thank DPM Marles and the Australian Government for the first time bringing Talisman Sabre to PNG.”
The announcement of the decision to host a part of Talisman Sabre in PNG, follows discussions to form a defence treaty between Australia and PNG.
The treaty between the two nations will solidify Australia’s position as PNG’s major defence partner and follows a key defence agreement signed by the two Pacific nations in 2023 to strengthen their union in the face off Chinese influence in the Indo-Pacific region.
The agreement signed in 2023 preceded a $600 million deal backed by the Australian Federal Government that secured an NRL team for Papua New Guinea – where rugby league is the national sport.
The Courier-Mail on Thursday revealed that the PNG Government will build a $150m rugby league compound to host NRL stars who make the move overseas to play for the NRL newcomers.
The meeting in Brisbane on Thursday comes as the Australian Defence Force monitors three Chinese naval vessels off the Australian coastline.
Originally published as Australia and Papua New Guinea defence ministers meet for treaty
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