Prime Minister Anthony Albanese’s spending spree on an NRL team in Papua New Guinea has sparked internal dissent, with one Labor MP questioning why the government is prioritising taxpayer-funded overseas spending during a cost of living crisis.
Papua New Guinea Prime Minister James Marape on Tuesday dismissed security concerns in his country as the federal government prepares to donate $600 million for the establishment of an NRL team in Port Moresby.
Mr Marape has described this gesture as his “Mandela moment”.
“Nelson Mandela used the Springboks and rugby to unite his nation… the Australian government also sees that this could be the glue that holds our nations together,” Marape said.
Albanese’s cabinet is expected to approve the cash boost next month, but not all Labor MPs are happy about it.
“Is this really our priority?” one Labor MP told Daily Mail Australia, questioning the amount of taxpayers’ money that would be committed to a commercial sporting venture during the current tough economic climate.
“I can think of many ways we could use that money to help Australians who are struggling,” they added.
The Labour MP also criticised the “three amigos” – Albanese, Foreign Secretary Penny Wong and Finance Minister Katy Gallagher – for pushing the idea.
“They are the ones who make all the decisions,” said the deputy.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese’s cabinet (pictured with Papua New Guinea Prime Minister James Marape) is expected to approve the cash boost next month, but not all Labor MPs are happy about it.
While Papua New Guinea’s Prime Minister says Australian players and their families who may be based in Port Moresby should not be concerned about safety concerns, the latest travel advice suggests otherwise.
The Australian government’s Smart Traveller website advises “a high degree of caution in Papua New Guinea” and warns that civil unrest could “escalate rapidly”.
The travel advisory warns of the “risk of violent crime and sexual assault,” noting that “criminals often use machetes and firearms (including homemade ones). Always be alert to your surroundings. Avoid going out at night.”
Mr Marape recently gave an interview to a rugby league journalist on his private jet as he flew between Goroka and Port Moresby, dismissing security fears: “There should be no cause for concern,” he said.
The Australian government’s travel warning also points to “severe weather, heavy rainfall, flooding, landslides, earthquakes and tsunamis.”
In May this year, a landslide in Enga Province, Papua New Guinea, killed around 600 people and the Australian government provided $4 million in aid.
Papua New Guinea Prime Minister James Marape (right) has dismissed security concerns in his country as the Australian government prepares to donate $600 million of taxpayers’ money towards the creation of an NRL team in Port Moresby. Pictured: Mal Meninga left, Anthony Albanese centre
The Australian government’s website for smart travellers recommends exercising “a high degree of caution in Papua New Guinea”. It notes that civil unrest can “escalate rapidly”. Pictured: Papua New Guinea’s capital Port Moresby
The $600 million donation for a new rugby league team will help fund the construction of a state-of-the-art stadium and provide support for grassroots training programs to help foster local rugby league talent. It is also expected to be used to bolster the safety of players and their families.
The government’s travel advisory also notes that “the current shortage of aviation fuel may disrupt domestic air travel with little or no notice” – something supporters planning to cheer on their visiting team in Papua New Guinea by travelling to the venue should consider.
Papua New Guinea’s prime minister is promising to have all those concerns resolved and under control by the time a local team is part of the NRL in just over three years.
“Rugby players are treated like rock stars. Those who move here to join our national team will be given royal status,” he said.
Numbeo’s crime index, which ranks the world’s most dangerous cities twice a year, recently ranked Port Morseby as the fourth most dangerous. It is there that a Papua New Guinea team is likely to be based and play its home games.
While the Labor government’s soon-to-be-formalised decision to spend $600 million on a Papua New Guinea rugby league team comes at the expense of an increase in the Job Seekers Allowance, for example, the Albanese government sees it as an important act of “soft diplomacy”.
The money would help ensure Papua New Guinea stays close to Australia and is not overly influenced by a rising China that has already invested billions in the nation.