Australia, PNG ink sport deal

THE Australian Government has signed an agreement with the Papua New Guinea Government, PNG Rugby Football League (PNGRFL) and the Queensland Rugby League (QRL) to help develop the sport in the country.
Australian High Commissioner Jon Philp and Prime Minister James Marape signed the agreement at the Jackson International Airport in Port Moresby yesterday afternoon after the SP Hunters’ to Brisbane.
PNGRFL chairman Sandis Tsaka, Sports Minister Wesley Raminai and Hunters board member Robert Aisi witnessed the signing.
“The Pacific Health Programme has been around for several years now,” Philp said.
“It enabled us to support Team PNG to the 2019 Pacific Games, the PNG Orchids who played in the World Cup Nines, and PNG Olympic team.
“This is another step to that, we are very happy to see the Hunters as a high-performance team participating in sports in Queensland.
“We’d love to support a PNG women’s rugby league team playing in an Australian competition in the future.
“The prime minister (James Marape) was just discussing his aspiration to see, perhaps in 2025 on the country’s 50th anniversary, a PNG team playing in the NRL (National Rugby League) in Australia.
“It will be great to have some of that goals in front of us.
“Pacific Health and PNG-Australia partnership will help you push for that.
“Today’s signing is the first of its kind for this programme.
“It’s the first time we’ve partnered with a local organisation which is the PNGRFL.”
Marape thanked the Australian Government for the partnership.
He said Australia would remain the closest and easiest country to market PNG athletes.
“We are now exploring all avenues where the PNG-Australian partnership can mature at the highest level,” Marape said.