1 00:00:04,519 --> 00:00:07,400 Speaker 1: From The Australian. Here's what's on the front. I'm Claire Harvey. 2 00:00:07,480 --> 00:00:14,000 Speaker 1: It's Thursday, December five. Aboriginal leader Noel Pearson says every 3 00:00:14,080 --> 00:00:17,880 Speaker 1: child should be taught using old fashioned methods proven to work. 4 00:00:18,360 --> 00:00:22,360 Speaker 1: It comes after Naplan results surged in schools where direct 5 00:00:22,480 --> 00:00:30,400 Speaker 1: instruction also known as explicit teaching, was embraced. Economic growth 6 00:00:30,400 --> 00:00:32,920 Speaker 1: has hit the skids. It's a lowest rate in history 7 00:00:33,240 --> 00:00:37,080 Speaker 1: after seven consecutive quarters where we've all felt the pinch. 8 00:00:37,440 --> 00:00:39,839 Speaker 1: Now the government is spending through the roof in the 9 00:00:39,880 --> 00:00:44,080 Speaker 1: bid to avoid a recession. Those stories alive right now 10 00:00:44,120 --> 00:00:49,720 Speaker 1: at the Australian dot com dou The NRL is getting 11 00:00:49,760 --> 00:00:53,600 Speaker 1: a new team and it'll be funded by Australian taxpayers. 12 00:00:53,960 --> 00:00:56,720 Speaker 1: The addition of a Papia New Guinean footy team is 13 00:00:56,800 --> 00:01:00,280 Speaker 1: part of the government's diplomatic endeavors in the Pacific. But 14 00:01:00,720 --> 00:01:14,360 Speaker 1: is it enough to curb China's influence. That's today's story 15 00:01:15,680 --> 00:01:19,080 Speaker 1: in Papua New Guinea, where tribal tensions run hot and 16 00:01:19,200 --> 00:01:24,280 Speaker 1: occasionally turn into Maschetti powered bloodshed. There's one thing everybody 17 00:01:24,280 --> 00:01:24,800 Speaker 1: agrees on. 18 00:01:26,200 --> 00:01:28,320 Speaker 2: Kicks a cane, Marie are coming through. 19 00:01:28,680 --> 00:01:30,280 Speaker 3: Oh what a tie. 20 00:01:30,920 --> 00:01:35,280 Speaker 1: Rugby league is the best. Have tried to pause this 21 00:01:35,360 --> 00:01:37,280 Speaker 1: way Olmer as he got that boat down. 22 00:01:37,360 --> 00:01:39,800 Speaker 3: That's a big question mark and I think this is 23 00:01:39,800 --> 00:01:44,040 Speaker 3: gonna be a try cele question that referee says it's through. 24 00:01:44,280 --> 00:01:47,680 Speaker 1: There's an annual festival of the boot the PNG Prime 25 00:01:47,720 --> 00:01:52,000 Speaker 1: Minister's thirteen versus an Australian PM side. That's a bit 26 00:01:52,160 --> 00:01:55,160 Speaker 1: like the Melbourne Cup in Australia. Compulsory viewing. 27 00:01:56,480 --> 00:02:01,160 Speaker 2: You really haven't seen anything until you've seen PNG. During 28 00:02:01,160 --> 00:02:04,600 Speaker 2: a State of Origin game, the whole place is just 29 00:02:04,680 --> 00:02:06,400 Speaker 2: glued to their TV screens. 30 00:02:07,160 --> 00:02:10,799 Speaker 1: Most locals support Queensland and the Morons, but there are 31 00:02:10,960 --> 00:02:13,600 Speaker 1: enough Blues fans to keep things interesting. 32 00:02:14,360 --> 00:02:17,320 Speaker 2: It can actually get quite hairy after the games, and 33 00:02:17,560 --> 00:02:20,880 Speaker 2: violence and riots and that type of thing can break out. 34 00:02:21,000 --> 00:02:23,239 Speaker 2: They really did give Australian fans a run for their money. 35 00:02:23,680 --> 00:02:26,519 Speaker 1: PAPOR New Guinea has a side in the Queensland Rugby 36 00:02:26,560 --> 00:02:30,760 Speaker 1: League comp It's famous for fast, aggressive footy, but for 37 00:02:30,800 --> 00:02:34,280 Speaker 1: nearly two decades P and G's governments have been campaigning 38 00:02:34,560 --> 00:02:37,239 Speaker 1: for the country to have its own team in the 39 00:02:37,360 --> 00:02:42,240 Speaker 1: National Rugby League. Now it's happening, and it's Australian taxpayers 40 00:02:42,440 --> 00:02:45,880 Speaker 1: footing the bill. Ben Packham is the Australian's Foreign Affairs 41 00:02:45,880 --> 00:02:49,240 Speaker 1: and Defense correspondent. He's usually on the front talking about 42 00:02:49,360 --> 00:02:52,320 Speaker 1: matters of state, and it turns out this is a 43 00:02:52,320 --> 00:02:53,079 Speaker 1: matter of state. 44 00:02:55,200 --> 00:02:59,120 Speaker 2: The government supporting this bid for a couple of reasons. Firstly, 45 00:02:59,160 --> 00:03:02,040 Speaker 2: it wants to bring the nameations closer together through sport. 46 00:03:02,440 --> 00:03:06,320 Speaker 2: P ANDNG is rugby league mad and this is something 47 00:03:06,320 --> 00:03:08,440 Speaker 2: that Australia can do for P and G that no 48 00:03:08,520 --> 00:03:12,360 Speaker 2: other country can do. Now under the surface, there's also 49 00:03:12,440 --> 00:03:17,080 Speaker 2: another important reason, and that is China. The Australian government is, 50 00:03:17,560 --> 00:03:21,240 Speaker 2: as Pennywong has said, in a constant state of competition 51 00:03:21,320 --> 00:03:25,000 Speaker 2: with China across the Pacific, and we really need to 52 00:03:25,200 --> 00:03:30,240 Speaker 2: make sure that China does not increase its influence and 53 00:03:30,280 --> 00:03:34,960 Speaker 2: its footprint in Pacific nations, but particularly in Papua New Guinea, 54 00:03:35,000 --> 00:03:36,760 Speaker 2: which is our closest neighbor. 55 00:03:38,240 --> 00:03:42,080 Speaker 1: China is unashamedly seeking influence in the Pacific and is 56 00:03:42,120 --> 00:03:45,880 Speaker 1: already a major trading partner of most of Australia's closest neighbors, 57 00:03:46,200 --> 00:03:49,560 Speaker 1: as well as the biggest customer for minerals and commodities 58 00:03:49,840 --> 00:03:54,240 Speaker 1: from timber to fish, China's next goal is to forge security, 59 00:03:54,400 --> 00:03:58,400 Speaker 1: military and policing arrangements across the region and in Papua 60 00:03:58,440 --> 00:04:01,960 Speaker 1: New Guinea's Prime Minister James, they found a leader who 61 00:04:02,000 --> 00:04:05,040 Speaker 1: says he's willing to talk to any nation that will 62 00:04:05,120 --> 00:04:10,120 Speaker 1: help his people. Marape doesn't want aid handouts. He wants 63 00:04:10,160 --> 00:04:13,000 Speaker 1: development that will make Papua New Guinea, as he says, 64 00:04:13,320 --> 00:04:16,000 Speaker 1: the world's richest Black Christian nation. 65 00:04:18,160 --> 00:04:21,520 Speaker 2: When it comes to the electricity network of our closest neighbor, 66 00:04:21,920 --> 00:04:24,160 Speaker 2: Australia has been left in the dark. 67 00:04:24,560 --> 00:04:28,239 Speaker 1: Papa New Guinea has revealed it had secret early talks 68 00:04:28,320 --> 00:04:33,440 Speaker 1: with China on security and policing that's sent Australia scrambling 69 00:04:33,560 --> 00:04:34,560 Speaker 1: to be at the table. 70 00:04:35,640 --> 00:04:39,000 Speaker 3: Australia promising two hundred million dollars to help bolster p 71 00:04:39,080 --> 00:04:43,200 Speaker 3: Andng's judiciary and massively scale up its police force, which 72 00:04:43,240 --> 00:04:45,960 Speaker 3: is grappling with escalating tribal violence. 73 00:04:46,360 --> 00:04:51,240 Speaker 1: Prime Minister Albanezi on the Kakoda Track alongside the PNG 74 00:04:51,520 --> 00:04:55,800 Speaker 1: Prime Minister, we are the security partner of choice for 75 00:04:56,000 --> 00:04:57,240 Speaker 1: Papa in your Guinea. 76 00:04:57,440 --> 00:04:58,240 Speaker 3: We're family. 77 00:04:58,720 --> 00:05:02,880 Speaker 1: I am very deeply to accorded this royal privilege. Being 78 00:05:02,960 --> 00:05:06,160 Speaker 1: the first Prime minis of my country to address the 79 00:05:06,160 --> 00:05:07,039 Speaker 1: Australian Parliament. 80 00:05:10,160 --> 00:05:13,280 Speaker 2: The negotiations for this agreement have been going for many 81 00:05:13,360 --> 00:05:17,080 Speaker 2: months and Australia has been working with P and G 82 00:05:17,360 --> 00:05:19,960 Speaker 2: on the nuts and bolts of how it will all work, 83 00:05:19,960 --> 00:05:22,760 Speaker 2: as well as the NRL on the financials of how 84 00:05:22,800 --> 00:05:25,920 Speaker 2: this team will be able to sustain itself on grassroots 85 00:05:25,960 --> 00:05:29,800 Speaker 2: game development and so forth. But the Australian government has 86 00:05:29,880 --> 00:05:34,680 Speaker 2: also suggested that there is a security element to this agreement. 87 00:05:35,040 --> 00:05:40,040 Speaker 2: Now we've seen the government do some interesting deals around 88 00:05:40,040 --> 00:05:45,240 Speaker 2: the region, particularly with Tavaru. The government's Falow Pillar Union 89 00:05:45,400 --> 00:05:51,080 Speaker 2: agreement with Tavaru offers permanent visas and migration pathway for 90 00:05:51,160 --> 00:05:59,000 Speaker 2: Tavaruans in return for a veto over Tavaru's future security 91 00:05:59,560 --> 00:06:03,920 Speaker 2: agreement and so basically its sidelines China. Now, the Austraian 92 00:06:03,960 --> 00:06:07,680 Speaker 2: government's also working on a similar agreement with Nauru, which 93 00:06:07,680 --> 00:06:12,080 Speaker 2: it hopes to finalize in coming weeks. The P and 94 00:06:12,120 --> 00:06:18,560 Speaker 2: G NRL deal is another opportunity to put Australia's interests 95 00:06:18,600 --> 00:06:22,960 Speaker 2: front and center in the Pacific, and the Australian government 96 00:06:23,320 --> 00:06:27,880 Speaker 2: has intimated that yes, there are security aspects to this agreement, 97 00:06:28,200 --> 00:06:33,839 Speaker 2: but PNG's foreign Minister Justin Chichenko has told The Australian 98 00:06:34,200 --> 00:06:40,360 Speaker 2: that in fact, Australia did not insist on a security 99 00:06:40,400 --> 00:06:45,720 Speaker 2: guarantee in the final agreement that has been struck here. 100 00:06:46,279 --> 00:06:49,920 Speaker 2: He says that yes, this was discussed at the highest levels, 101 00:06:50,400 --> 00:06:54,240 Speaker 2: but ultimately it's totally irrelevant to what they're trying to 102 00:06:54,320 --> 00:06:58,720 Speaker 2: achieve and they want to keep geopolitics out of this. Now. 103 00:06:58,760 --> 00:07:01,719 Speaker 2: Australia does have a bi lateral security agreement with Papua 104 00:07:01,800 --> 00:07:05,920 Speaker 2: New Guinea, which does include a commitment to consult on 105 00:07:06,400 --> 00:07:10,480 Speaker 2: any other security tie ups that it might wish to do. 106 00:07:10,880 --> 00:07:14,120 Speaker 2: But in terms of this NRL deal, according to the 107 00:07:14,280 --> 00:07:18,040 Speaker 2: p and G Foreign Minister, there is no explicit security 108 00:07:19,000 --> 00:07:20,400 Speaker 2: right of veto for Australia. 109 00:07:21,520 --> 00:07:25,200 Speaker 1: It's a really interesting choice, isn't it. Ben. Presumably Australia 110 00:07:25,440 --> 00:07:27,880 Speaker 1: could have chosen to come in quite hard to these 111 00:07:27,920 --> 00:07:30,240 Speaker 1: negotiations and say, look, we will give you this thing 112 00:07:30,280 --> 00:07:33,040 Speaker 1: that we know your people want an NURL team, but 113 00:07:33,280 --> 00:07:35,840 Speaker 1: there's a price to pay, and this is it. If 114 00:07:35,880 --> 00:07:39,320 Speaker 1: Australia has chosen not to take that path and is 115 00:07:39,360 --> 00:07:42,240 Speaker 1: going about it a little bit more softly, what do 116 00:07:42,280 --> 00:07:45,120 Speaker 1: you think that would say about Australia's choices. 117 00:07:46,200 --> 00:07:49,240 Speaker 2: Well, they do call this sort of stuff soft diplomacy, 118 00:07:49,400 --> 00:07:54,200 Speaker 2: so a more measured approach is probably warranted. Pat Conroy, 119 00:07:54,280 --> 00:07:57,080 Speaker 2: the Australia's Minister for the Pacific, has done a great 120 00:07:57,160 --> 00:07:59,600 Speaker 2: job here in bringing things to where we are, to 121 00:07:59,640 --> 00:08:02,160 Speaker 2: the point that this agreement is going to be signed. 122 00:08:02,360 --> 00:08:05,520 Speaker 2: The NRL's also been central to this in coming to 123 00:08:05,560 --> 00:08:08,960 Speaker 2: the party. All will be revealed next week in terms 124 00:08:09,000 --> 00:08:11,440 Speaker 2: of the agreement, but as far as we know at 125 00:08:11,440 --> 00:08:14,120 Speaker 2: this stage, and according to Papua New Guinea, there are 126 00:08:14,120 --> 00:08:18,040 Speaker 2: no explicit guarantees around security. 127 00:08:20,520 --> 00:08:23,920 Speaker 1: Coming up. The gritty details of just how a taxpayer 128 00:08:24,000 --> 00:08:41,160 Speaker 1: funded footy team will work rugby league can be pretty wild. 129 00:08:41,679 --> 00:08:45,120 Speaker 2: Camera Monster will go to rehab tomorrow facing one hundred 130 00:08:45,160 --> 00:08:45,520 Speaker 2: and thirty. 131 00:08:45,640 --> 00:08:47,080 Speaker 3: I want all the kids out there tonight and my 132 00:08:47,160 --> 00:08:48,240 Speaker 3: behavior was not okay. 133 00:08:48,840 --> 00:08:51,480 Speaker 1: This is absolutely the last thing the NRL needed. 134 00:08:51,760 --> 00:08:52,839 Speaker 3: Sex scandal. 135 00:08:53,080 --> 00:08:56,280 Speaker 1: NROL player Latrelle Mitchell has been issued with a breach 136 00:08:56,400 --> 00:09:00,720 Speaker 1: notice days after a photo leaked online on a hotel 137 00:09:00,800 --> 00:09:04,440 Speaker 1: room coffee table flashing a small ziploc bag full of 138 00:09:04,480 --> 00:09:08,280 Speaker 1: white powder. Then we know from the amount of time 139 00:09:08,360 --> 00:09:11,480 Speaker 1: NURL stars spending the news that managing an NROL team 140 00:09:11,520 --> 00:09:14,760 Speaker 1: is incredibly difficult. How is it going to work in practice? 141 00:09:15,080 --> 00:09:17,160 Speaker 2: There's been quite a bit of progress on the sort 142 00:09:17,160 --> 00:09:19,679 Speaker 2: of nuts and bolts of the issue, and just last 143 00:09:19,679 --> 00:09:23,640 Speaker 2: week PNG are announced in its budget that players for 144 00:09:23,720 --> 00:09:27,440 Speaker 2: this new franchise will have tax free status for the 145 00:09:27,480 --> 00:09:31,640 Speaker 2: next decade, so that will assist in attracting Australian and 146 00:09:31,679 --> 00:09:35,560 Speaker 2: other international players to the team. And you know what, 147 00:09:35,679 --> 00:09:39,040 Speaker 2: Moresby isn't the safest place. I think is probably putting 148 00:09:39,040 --> 00:09:42,160 Speaker 2: it mildly. They do have some domestic security issues and 149 00:09:42,760 --> 00:09:47,560 Speaker 2: there will be a secure apartment complex built for the 150 00:09:47,679 --> 00:09:51,720 Speaker 2: players and their family members so that they can live 151 00:09:51,760 --> 00:09:54,920 Speaker 2: in the PNG capital without sort of fear of being 152 00:09:55,040 --> 00:09:59,199 Speaker 2: the victims of crime or violence that sadly all too 153 00:09:59,200 --> 00:10:00,559 Speaker 2: common in the country. 154 00:10:01,160 --> 00:10:04,120 Speaker 1: Since China began flexing its muscle in the Pacific and 155 00:10:04,480 --> 00:10:09,240 Speaker 1: actively courting our direct neighbors, Australia has done a number 156 00:10:09,280 --> 00:10:12,200 Speaker 1: of things to try to develop a good feeling really 157 00:10:12,240 --> 00:10:15,440 Speaker 1: among the people of the Pacific about Australia. One of 158 00:10:15,440 --> 00:10:19,120 Speaker 1: those is the Pacific Australia Labor Mobility Scheme, where workers 159 00:10:19,160 --> 00:10:22,760 Speaker 1: come from the islands to work in Australia and are 160 00:10:22,800 --> 00:10:25,600 Speaker 1: able to send remittances back to their families, often being 161 00:10:25,640 --> 00:10:27,320 Speaker 1: able to make a huge amount of money, but they 162 00:10:27,720 --> 00:10:30,480 Speaker 1: wouldn't make in a lifetime at home from a few 163 00:10:30,559 --> 00:10:33,720 Speaker 1: years of work here in Australia. What do you think 164 00:10:33,720 --> 00:10:36,520 Speaker 1: about those people to people kind of links, Ben, It 165 00:10:36,679 --> 00:10:39,000 Speaker 1: seems like the government's really kind of double down on 166 00:10:39,080 --> 00:10:42,000 Speaker 1: that as its big idea. Do you think it's the 167 00:10:42,080 --> 00:10:44,000 Speaker 1: right idea. 168 00:10:44,040 --> 00:10:46,480 Speaker 2: I think it's very important. These sorts of things are 169 00:10:46,559 --> 00:10:50,720 Speaker 2: very important. The Pacific Area Labor Mobility Scheme has been 170 00:10:50,840 --> 00:10:56,240 Speaker 2: very successful in building those ties between Australia and Pacific countries. 171 00:10:56,480 --> 00:11:01,240 Speaker 2: The government's also looking at potentially recruiting Pacific people into 172 00:11:01,280 --> 00:11:04,800 Speaker 2: the Australian Defense Force. That's not quite there yet, but 173 00:11:04,800 --> 00:11:08,199 Speaker 2: that would also serve to bring Australia closer to its 174 00:11:08,200 --> 00:11:11,800 Speaker 2: specific neighbors. These are all sorts of things which China's 175 00:11:11,840 --> 00:11:14,600 Speaker 2: not in a position to do. They really underscore the 176 00:11:14,800 --> 00:11:19,800 Speaker 2: historic ties that Australia has with the region. We share history, 177 00:11:19,880 --> 00:11:23,839 Speaker 2: we share a common language, we enjoy the same sports, 178 00:11:24,480 --> 00:11:29,280 Speaker 2: and leveraging off those sorts of common interests and common 179 00:11:29,360 --> 00:11:33,040 Speaker 2: values is really a no brainer when it comes to diplomacy. 180 00:11:34,720 --> 00:11:38,280 Speaker 1: Ben Packham is The Australian's Foreign affairs and defense correspondent. 181 00:11:40,120 --> 00:11:43,079 Speaker 1: You can read his exclusive interview with P andg's foreign 182 00:11:43,120 --> 00:11:46,319 Speaker 1: minister right now at the Australian dot com dot au