Papua New Guinea soldiers arrive in Townsville ready to work and train alongside their Australian counterparts
Queensland will host its largest group of PNG soldiers yet as part of an annual program that will see them working alongside their Australian counterparts. Read why the exchange is beneficial.
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Queensland is set to host its largest group of Papua New Guinea Defence Force (PNGDF) members as part of a skill exchange helping to bridge the capability gap.
As part of an annual program, a group of 60 PNGDF soldiers will integrate into defence units across Queensland over the coming months.
Many of the soldiers will work within the 3rd Brigade, joining units such as the 3rd Battalion Royal Australian Regiment (3RAR), 3rd Combat Service Support Battalion (3CSSB), 3rd Combat Engineer Regiment (3CER) and the Public Affairs Cell.
Other soldiers will also have the opportunity to work with squadrons at the Townsville and Amberley RAAF bases and units at Enoggera Barracks.
The Deputy Commander of 3rd Brigade Colonel Boniface Aruma said that while this exchange has occurred in the past, this is the largest instalment of PNG personnel the program has seen.
“Not only does it reinforce this enduring relationship but it speaks loudly about the strength of the relationship, it’s really grown stronger day by day, year by year” he said.
The Deputy Commander said that years ago it was lucky to see a handful of Australian soldiers working in PNG but more recently he’s seen up to 300 from 3rd Brigade move through the pacific island nation, a testament to their strengthening relationship.
Deputy Commander Aruma said that it would be extremely useful for PNG soldiers to learn and understand how the Australian Defence Force conduct their day to day work.
“They represent themselves and their mates and their families and their tribes, but they are also ambassadors of the defence force and the country as a whole,” he said.
“I’d like them to take back with them the professionalism of the workplace.
“I’m speaking to the attention to detail, when work starts, when there’s a break, when work finishes, because PNGDF is in such a state where the professional culture is now being thrown off with a culture that is really dragging the organisation back.
“Spending quality time here and observing it … It’s not just about how you operate the weapon system or how you drive a LAV or how you fix an M113 as a mechanic, it’s about everything. It’s about professionalism from whatever trade you are.”
The Deputy Commander also said exposure to a military system that differs from the PNGDF would be beneficial for the soldiers.
“We only started recruiting females into the defence force (in 2015) and male soldiers are now accepting it which is really good and I think them coming here and having the exposure to the environment here, that does a lot of tremendous good in terms of acceptance,” he said.
The first 14 soldiers arrived in Townsville on Thursday afternoon, with the second group arriving in early October.
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