Marape faces a likely no-confidence motion when he returns to PNG,but has expressed confidence he will hold on to his job.
In a clear reference to China,Opposition Leader Peter Dutton told parliament before Marape’s speech that “we find ourselves in precarious times” because of the rise of “emboldened autocrats who have no hesitation in using inducements,coercion,and outright force against other nations to realise their zero-sum ambitions”.
“These autocrats who use the carrot one day and stick the next have complete disregard for sovereignty,the law and liberty,” Dutton said.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said Australia wanted to remain PNG’s “primary partner”,as demonstrated by a $200 million bilateral security agreement signed in December.
Describing it as “an agreement for the future,anchored in our shared history”,Albanese said the pact marked the “beginning of a new era of cooperation between our nations spanning defence,policing and border and maritime security”.