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Wapu Sonk was a driving force in delivering an NRL team to Papua New Guinea.

‘Forged’ and ‘fake’: PNG sport, business supremo hits out at corruption concerns

The man who led the bid that secured millions from the Australian government to support a new rugby league team has threatened legal action over a controversial letter.

  • Chris Barrett and Nick McKenzie

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PNG businessman Wapu Sonk stood down from the country’s NRL franchise on Friday.

PNG leader demands quick action on corruption concerns linked to Australia

Wapu Sonk has stood down from the PNG NRL team board, but there is scrutiny on the country’s national oil company, which has ties with an Australian energy giant.

  • Chris Barrett, Nick McKenzie and Simon Johanson
Frayzel Uale is one of more than 5000 Tuvaluans who have entered a ballot for one of 280 permanent residency visas.

Four in five Tuvaluans apply to move to Australia. Frayzel is among them

More than 8000 Tuvaluans have applied for 280 permanent residency visas for Australia, while last year 56,000 people from other Pacific countries applied for 3000 places.

  • Caitlin Fitzsimmons and Nick O'Malley
Wapu Sonk, who led Papua New Guinea’s campaign for a new NRL team.

PNG NRL director stands down over corruption concerns

Wapu Sonk, who led the Pacific nation’s bid to join the Australian competition in 2028, has stepped aside amid questions about whether he sought to benefit personally from his power as chief of PNG’s national oil company.

  • Chris Barrett, Nick McKenzie and Matthew Knott
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Sending it by sea snail mail

When it absolutely, positively has to be there within the decade.

Queensland Premier David Crisafulli is making a pitch to host US President Donald Trump and the Quad in Queensland.

Crisafulli’s bid to bring Trump – and the Quad – to Queensland

Premier David Crisafulli has made an audacious bid to get US President Donald Trump to Queensland as he pushes the state’s claims to host the Quad leaders’ summit.

  • Cameron Atfield
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Prime Minister Anthony Albanese will be at the rugby union Test between Australia in Fiji in Newcastle on Sunday.

‘Nail in the coffin’: Pacific rugby leaders raise alarm about NRL’s PNG deal

Officials in the region are concerned about the Albanese government’s bankrolling of rugby league and are proposing a greater share in funding for their national game.

  • Chris Barrett
Labor elder Paul Keating has launched a scathing tirade at Defence Minister Richard Marles.

Paul Keating accuses Marles of ‘careless betrayal’ over China

The Labor elder accused the defence minister and the government of “intellectually ceding Australia to the United States” as a platform for conflict with China.

  • Nick Bonyhady
US Secretary of Defence Pete Hegseth speaking in Singapore on Saturday.

‘Real and could be imminent’: Hegseth warns on China threat, says US ready to fight

In a blistering address to Indo-Pacific security officials, the US defence secretary warned China that America is ready to “fight and win decisively” if it seeks military conflict over Taiwan.

  • Lisa Visentin

Australia’s aping Trump to foil China in the Pacific. But will it work?

Australia is tying its Pacific aid to security deals that attempt to lock out China. But in diplomacy, politics trumps policy.

  • Mihai Sora

Original URL: https://www.smh.com.au/topic/pacific-diplomacy-1n4y