Manus clan threatens Australian naval base deal

Australia’s deal with PNG to redevelop Manus ­Island’s Lombrum Naval Base as a joint facility is under threat.

Papua New Guinea Prime Minister James Marape. Picture: AAP

Australia’s deal with Papua New Guinea to redevelop Manus ­Island’s Lombrum Naval Base as a joint facility is under threat amid a backlash by local landowners who have vowed to block the project.

The traditional owners of the site have accused Australia of acting in bad faith by failing to consult them on the development, or the opportunities it will provide for local businesses.

The province’s Limondorol Clan, backed by Manus Governor Charlie Benjamin, have declared they will prevent Australian-­appointed contractors from entering the base, which they say was never signed over to the PNG government and remains customary land.

The impasse threatens plans by Australia and the US to establish an ongoing presence at the base, and could open the way for China to negotiate access to the site.

Mr Benjamin met PNG Prime Minister James Marape on Tuesday to discuss his concerns, after talks on Monday with US ambassador to PNG Erin McKee. It is understood the US government is pressing Australia to quickly ­resolve the matter.

Limondorol leader Rex Paura said the Australian government had not spoken with his clan since the plan was announced in late 2018.

“I wrote to the Australian high commissioner. He sent me a letter back asking me to speak to the Australian Defence Force. They never called me,” Mr Paura said.

Defence told The Australian: “Community engagement is a matter for the PNG government.”

It said the $130m to $175m project “will maximise local industry and community involvement”.

But, in a re-run of disputes over Australia’s now-closed immigration detention centre on the ­island, local leaders want greater assurances of returns from the ­development.

They have been emboldened by the Paladin scandal, in which a little-known Australian-owned security company was paid $532m to deliver refugee services while local companies received only low-value contracts.

Defence officials from both countries recently signed an agreement setting out how the base would be used and what equipment and weapons would be stored there. But the agreement is being kept secret, fuelling claims by Mr Benjamin that the base could become a major military outpost like that in Okinawa, Japan.

The Governor told Mr Marape in a briefing note that the March 2019 memorandum of understanding between the countries showed Australia “has a selfish, greedy motive”.

He said Manus’s reputation had taken a “huge reputational hit” from hosting Australia’s detention centre, which had “distorted” Manus society and overlooked small local contractors.

Former PNG foreign minister Patrick Pruaitch announced in June that PNG would review the Lombrum MOU with Australia, but has since lost his job. Mr Marape’s office declined to confirm whether the review would go ahead.

Lowy Institute Pacific program director Jonathan Pryke said he found it difficult to believe the Australian government would not have engaged directly with the local landowners.

“In PNG, getting agreement from the prime minister is not the end of the conversation but the start of it,” he said. “Without landowner consent and buy-in you’re not going to achieve anything in a place like PNG.”

Australian Strategic Policy ­Institute executive director Peter Jennings urged Prime Minister Scott Morrison last month to contact Mr Marape to resolve the issue as soon as possible.

“I think we have got to be concerned,” he said. “The thing about China is it is always there; it is ­always happy to facilitate discussions with money. This is frankly a race that will go to the quickest competit­or, and we need to lift our act in that respect.”

Defence said the redevelopment had recently started with works on a new medical centre and chapel.

The project will include work, training and accommodation ­facilities to support the operation of Australian-donated Guardian-class patrol boats.