‘Put our hands up’: Cairns makes late play for PNG NRL hub
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese is standing firm on a future PNG NRL team being based in Port Moresby with Cairns re-emerging as a potential secondary hub for players and personnel.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese is standing firm on a future PNG NRL team being based in Port Moresby with Cairns re-emerging as a potential secondary hub for players and personnel.
Aussie taxpayers are bankrolling the $600m Pacific nation’s bid to enter the domestic competition in 2028 which was initially sold as a joint venture between Cairns and its northern neighbours.
It’s understood that Cairns Regional Council Mayor Amy Eden is scheduled to meet with PNG NRL proponents in Port Moresby this week with future fixtures and opportunities to support the historic franchise believed to be on the agenda.
Asked if he would support the league’s 18th team basing its players and personnel in Cairns, Mr Albanese said: “The PNG team is going to be based in Port Moresby.”
But concern around whether the developing nation can lure enough on-and-off field talent to base a team in PNG a full-time remained unclear, Cairns deputy mayor Brett Olds said.
“It’s interesting to hear that (from the PM) because I don’t see many of the wives and girlfriends living up there,” Mr Olds said.
“It would be my guess that Cairns or Brisbane will be where many of them (PNG players and staff) are living eventually.”
Mr Olds said Cairns’ international airport and strong PNG community meant that it was still in the race to establish a strong base for the future NRL team.
“I think we should put our best foot forward,” he said.
“We have a high number of PNG expats and Port Moresby is our closest capital city.
“We’re one of the biggest regional cities in Australia and we want them here. We’ve got Barlow Park, terrific facilities and big upgrades coming.”
Member for Cairns Michael Healy said the region was ready with hopes the state government would tip in a further $15m to for a high performance centre at West Barlow Park.
“Cairns is always available,” Mr Healy said.
“It would be terrific if we had a high-performance facility here.
“That would help. But I am confident, like a lot of people, that the PNG program will work well.
“If there is a need in any way, shape or form to relocate some of those assets, Cairns is strategically the best-placed city in the Commonwealth to be able to cater for that.”
Ms Eden will visit sister-city Lae in the Morobe province to commemorate 50 years of independence for the Pacific nation this week.
The travel is part of the council’s five-year corporate plan to build stronger relationships with Asia Pacific nations.
Originally published as ‘Put our hands up’: Cairns makes late play for PNG NRL hub
