Anthony Albanese failed his own test: he has failed to plan for the risks in our region.  

This is a serious foreign policy embarrassment on his watch.  

The Coalition is calling on the Albanese Government to urgently explain the failure to finalise the Australia–Papua New Guinea security treaty, warning that repeated failures in the Pacific are undermining Australia’s standing in the region.  

For months, the Prime Minister and his ministers assured Australians that the treaty would be finalised this week. Instead, it has stalled at the last moment, following the recent delay in concluding the Vanuatu agreement. 

The Prime Minister seems more interested in chasing the optics with signing ceremonies in the Pacific and photos opportunities, than doing the substance of the work needed to line these agreements up properly. 

The Coalition wants this treaty to succeed and we respect Papua New Guinea’s sovereignty.  

The security of the Indo-Pacific is critical to our regional security, and prosperity. It is critical this agreement succeed.  

It’s imperative the Government pull every lever to secure this treaty and address any lingering concerns from the PNG Government.  

After the recent delay in concluding the Vanuatu agreement, this is just another embarrassment of the Prime Minister’s own making. Why did the Prime Minister say the treaty would be signed before it had been agreed to? Why did the Deputy Prime Minister flag the finalisation of this agreement for months for it to stumble at the last hurdle? 

This shows how dangerous and competitive our region is.  

Our region faces growing pressure from authoritarian powers who are determined to shape the Pacific in ways that don’t align with our values or interests. This is a contest for influence, and we must move from rhetoric to reality in how we respond. 

The Prime Minister needs to wake up to this reality and explain it clearly to Australians. 

The Coalition stand ready to support the government in delivering reasonable measures to conclude this treaty. The Coalition will write to the Defence Minister to seek a full and comprehensive briefing on the treaty process. 

ENDS.