PNG one step closer to relishing NRL dream

Papua New Guinea’s dream of owning an NRL franchise is one step closer to becoming a reality after Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese’s proposal was approved by the National Security Committee of Cabinet.

Sydney-based 2GB Radio station’s morning breakfast show host Ben Fordham broke the news yesterday, confirming that PNG will enter NRL by 2028 following the approval of the proposal.

Speaking on his Ben Fordham Live Show, he said this strategic move by National Security Committee on approving the deal was purposely to counter fight China’s ongoing expansion plans in Pacific with PNG being the gateway.

Fordham revealed in May that a gentleman's agreement between Albanese and his PNG counterpart James Marape had been reached that would see PNG get its own rugby league team in NRL.

The Australian federal government under the leadership of Albanese pledged their support worth $600 million (Australian dollars) to the rugby league-mad nation.

“The PNG leader James Marape wanted a footy team more than anything else and we (Australia) happen to be the only country that can deliver it,” Fordham said when speaking on his show yesterday morning.

“For Australia it's about national security more than the National Rugby League and today (16 August) we can exclusively reveal that it's been ticked off by cabinet.

“Anthony Albanese has taken his NRL proposal to the National Security Committee of Cabinet. They met yesterday morning, and they have approved this deal.

“The National Security Committee considers the highest priority national security matters, and they have said yes to spending 600 million dollars on granting PNG its rugby league wish.”

Fordham said the $600m which will be spent over 10 years will not be on top of existing aid sent to PNG.

About one third of the money has been already budgeted for through foreign aid and Australia is set to agree on the creation of a police training facility to share knowledge and experience with officers from the Pacific as part of the deal.

Whilst logistically it may be a massive challenge and security been an issue for visiting NRL players, director of the Pacific Islands Program at the Lowy Institute, Mihai Sora, said the potential of PNG team entering NRL would provide prospective benefits in the social and economic sector.

“I understand it's a lot of money and I think it'll be a tough sell to convince the Australian people that their taxpayers' money should be paying for the NRL to do business in Papua New Guinea,” Sora said.

“But if we unpack it a little bit, we think about potential benefits for our closest neighbor four kilometers away at its nearest point in terms of the effect on national pride which is which is a hugely significant and problematic issue in a country like Papua New Guinea and unity.

“You've got about a thousand or so different tribal groups there, very diverse languages, histories, identity that plays out in a very dynamic and sometimes chaotic politics.

“If there is one thing that unifies Papua New Guinea, as strange as it might sound, it is rugby league. So, there is a very important political effect that it will have in that country.

“If we think about how the money is going to be spent it's not just on the elite professional players, it's also about creating pathways, talent pathways for young athletes.
Sora said through the franchise, PNG can create development programs that would provide purposeful pathway for young people and teach them morals of healthy wellbeing and proper gender values.
“Papua New Guinea suffers from gender-based violence so there's a lot of social good that's injected into these sports programs.
“So, we've got to think about all of the other benefits that come along with this. Try not to focus too much on sort of padding the wallets of NRL executives but actually the social good that it will do in our nearest neighbor.”