Friday, 26 January 2024
Prime Minister Hon. James Marape has today congratulated the Government and the People of Australia on the celebration of their national day, the Australia Day, today 26 January
Prime Minister Marape congratulated the country and its people for continuing to uphold democracy and its way of life, including a modern highly-successful economy that has continued to impact and benefit many others within its periphery, including Papua New Guinea.
“Let me congratulate Australia on Australia Day today, and for continually celebrating Democracy and a modern Triple A-rated economy,” said PM Marape.
“Papua New Guinea continues to ride on the success of Australia. We have interfaced the success of our sovereignty and our economic growth through the strong association we have with the Australian people, the Australian economy and successive Australian governments.
“After granting us Independence in 1975, Australia did not abandon us, but continues to support Papua New Guinea through its many programs and initiatives both direct and indirectly.
“Australia continues to assist our businesses; Australia has a huge investor pool in PNG that supports our economy. Australia has exported missionaries to PNG who helped prepare the country for Independence and continue to support development through our many churches.
“Not only is PNG bound by a special shared history with Australia, but we continue to subscribe to the same ethos we borrowed from Australia such as the Rule of Law and Free Market Economy which we will continue to pursue into the future.
We want to keep working with Australia and those we share our border with, as well as those within our Pacific and South East Asia regions to keep our areas safe and secure for our people.
“All governments of the past have been assisted by Australia, including my own, and so this valuable relationship with this country and her wonderful people will not and cannot be compromised. It must continue.
“I congratulate Prime Minister Anthony Albanese on his work to recognize and promote the First Nations People of Australia some of whom are deeply linked to our people of Papua New Guinea.
“It is because of this that I feel privileged for the invitation to address the Australian Parliament in several weeks time, on 8th February 2024, which is greatly symbolic of and underscores this very special relationship PNG has with this country and her people through our shared history.
“Congratulations, Australia”