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As Papua New Guinea (PNG) marks 50 years of independence, experts say the anniversary should be more than a celebration of history, serving instead as a call to reimagine how Australia engages with its nearest neighbour in an evolving Pacific region.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
At the Australian Institute of International Affairs Queensland event, Dr Irene Semos led a lively discussion with senior political adviser Dulciana Somare-Brash, public policy specialist Sean Jacobs, and veteran journalist Sean Dorney AO, who served as the ABC\u2019s PNG and Pacific correspondent. Together, they reflected on the evolving relationship between Australia and PNG since independence in 1975. The discussion was facilitated by Dr Tess Newton Cain. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
\n\u201cAustralia had to learn to engage with PNG as a sovereign state, not as a colony,\u201d Somare-Brash said. \u201cThat transition wasn\u2019t easy, but it forced Australia to think differently about partnership, respect and shared interests,\u201d<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n
Leadership and self-determination <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n
Somare-Brash, who serves as a senior adviser to the PNG government, said the anniversary was a moment of both pride and reflection. \u201cFifty years of independence is an incredible achievement,\u201d she said. \u201cBut independence isn\u2019t just a historical milestone, it\u2019s an ongoing process. The work now is about strengthening leadership, governance and trust at every level.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
She emphasised the importance of local leadership and policy ownership, noting that effective governance must come from within. \u201cTrue development happens when Papua New Guineans lead the conversation, not when others define it for us.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
However, Somare-Brash has highlighted that the PNG still has progress to go, with women and youth lacking in the nation\u2019s political leadership. \u201cWe can\u2019t talk about the next fifty years without talking about women and young people,\u201d she said. \u201cThey\u2019re not just beneficiaries of development \u2013 they\u2019re drivers of it.\u201d The Pacific is well known for having the lowest level of women representation in all levels of governance. Barriers include social and cultural factors where women are often discouraged from directly participating in politics due to the perception that politics is corrupt and highly masculine. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
\n\u201cWe can\u2019t talk about the next fifty years without talking about women and young people Somare-Brash said.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n
Reframing development and partnership<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n
Public policy specialist Sean Jacobs who has worked extensively on Australia-PNG relations, said the bilateral partnership has evolved significantly, but must continue to adapt. \u201cWe are seeing a shift from aid dependency to mutual development,\u201d he explained. \u201cBut the transition only succeeds if both sides listen and learn from each other.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Jacobs argued that the PNG\u2019s development story cannot be understood solely through economic metrics. \u201cYes, we need investment in infrastructure and services,\u201d he said. \u201cBut development is also about social capital \u2013 about strengthening institutions, empowering communities and respecting cultural values.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
He has observed that the younger generation of Papua New Guineans is increasingly educated, connected and assertive about shaping national policy. \u201cThere\u2019s a new sense of confidence,\u201d Jacobs said. \u201cIt\u2019s not about turning away from Australia, but abut defining the relationship on PNG\u2019s terms.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Looking back and forward through experience<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n
Drawing on decades of reporting from the Pacific, Sean Dorney AO offered a historical lens on how far the relationship has come. \u201cWhen I first arrived in Port Moresby before independence, there was enormous optimism,\u201d he recalled. \u201cThe sense of ownership and national identity was strong, even when resources were limited.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Dorney, who has chronicled the evolution of PNG since the 1970s, praised the resilience of its people and the depth of the bilateral connection. \u201cAustralians often underestimate how much PNG has achieved,\u201d he said. \u201cThere have been challenges \u2014 corruption, inequality, political instability \u2014 but there\u2019s also been tremendous progress in education, governance, and democracy.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
He warned, however, that maintaining the relationship requires respect and humility. \u201cAustralia must be a partner, not a patron,\u201d Dorney said. \u201cThat means understanding PNG as a complex, confident nation \u2014 not through the old lens of dependency.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Across the panel, a clear message emerged: PNG\u2019s success is deeply intertwined with leadership at home and respect abroad. Somare-Brash, Jacobs, and Dorney all agreed that the next fifty years should prioritise shared responsibility and collaboration rather than assistance.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\n\u201cPapua New Guinea doesn\u2019t need saving \u2014 it needs partnership,\u201d Somare-Brash said. \u201cWhen we recognise that, both our nations will be stronger for it.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n
Edited by Eliza Hodge<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n
\n\n\n\nWritten by Chloe Leung<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n
Currently in her third year of a double degree in Communications\/Journalism and International Relations at Griffith University, Chloe Leung is passionate about intersectionality in global development \u2013 particularly centring the voices of marginalised communities.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n
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