Albanese fails to secure defence treaty with Papua New Guinea during Port Moresby visit

Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese failed to sign a defence treaty with Papua New Guinea during a visit to Port Moresby on Wednesday, with both governments saying the agreement’s wording has been settled but Papua New Guinea’s parliament has not ratified the deal.

The treaty under discussion would have committed both nations to defend one another in the event of a military attack. A senior Papua New Guinea government source told The Australian that the treaty remained a "work in progress" and had not been ratified by their parliament.

Albanese and Papua New Guinea Prime Minister James Marape jointly addressed the media and signed a communique saying they had agreed the text of the proposed pact, but the signing did not amount to a concluded, ratified treaty. Officials said further legislative steps were required in Port Moresby before the agreement could take effect.

The outcome marks the second time in a week the Albanese government has failed to clinch a formal agreement with a Pacific nation, underscoring the diplomatic sensitivities as Canberra seeks to deepen security ties across the region. The prime minister had travelled to the capital with an explicit aim of finalising the defence arrangement.

At the press conference, both leaders framed the communique as an important step in their bilateral relationship while acknowledging outstanding domestic procedures. The Australian government described the text agreement as progress toward a stronger security partnership but offered few immediate details about timetables for ratification.

Papua New Guinea’s parliamentary process for international agreements typically involves consideration and approval by lawmakers, and the senior PNG source said that review had not yet concluded. The Australian government must also complete its own domestic processes before any mutual-defence obligations could be activated.

The proposed pact has drawn attention because it would represent a deeper formal security commitment between Canberra and Port Moresby at a time of heightened international focus on the Pacific. Australia has been seeking to strengthen defence and infrastructure ties with Pacific Island countries amid concerns about strategic competition in the region.

Diplomats and officials on both sides indicated further talks would continue, but did not provide a firm timeline for completing the treaty or for when each parliament might vote on the matter. The communique signed on Wednesday lays out the agreed text, according to officials, but stops short of delivering a ratified accord.

Albanese’s visit came amid an intensified diplomatic push by Australia in the Pacific. Government sources said the prime minister planned additional engagements in the coming days related to regional security and cooperation, though details of those meetings were not made public at the time of the press conference.

Both Canberra and Port Moresby said they would continue discussions to finalise the legal and parliamentary requirements needed to bring the agreement into force. Until those steps are completed, the communique represents a political commitment to the agreed wording rather than a binding, operational treaty.