Labor’s $7m could pave way for Pacific NRL team
Andrew Tillett
Foreign affairs, defence correspondent
Aug 16, 2023 – 11.08am
Anthony Albanese says he would like to see a Port Moresby-based Pacific team enter the NRL by 2025 to mark the 50th anniversary of Papua New Guinea’s independence, tying Australian taxpayer support for the plan as a way to counter
China’s growing regional influence.
Mr Albanese and Pacific Minister Pat Conroy announced on Wednesday the government would tip in $7 million to help fund a new end-of-season competition, the Pacific Championship, involving men’s and women’s teams from Australia, Cook Islands, Fiji, New Zealand, Samoa, Papua New Guinea and Tonga.
Anthony Albanese and Papua New Guinea Prime Minister James Marape both love their footy.
Australia will co-host matches with New Zealand and PNG this year, and in 2024, share games with Fiji.
“The Pacific Championships mark the beginning of an exciting new phase of international rugby league competition in the Pacific for both women and men,” Mr Albanese said as he announced the support at the Brisbane hotel owned by the NRL.
Mr Conroy added: “Given around half the players in the NRL are of Pasifika heritage, and our shared love of sport, this competition will bring people from across the
Pacific even closer together”.
The government’s support for the tournament adds to momentum for a regional squad made up of players from PNG, Tonga, Samoa, the Cook Islands and Fiji to join the NRL as its 18th team.
PNG is the only country where rugby league is the national sport, and Prime Minister James Marape is heavily backing the bid as a way to unite the population.
Mr Albanese threw his support behind the concept, which would have the team play games in both Port Moresby and Australia, with Cairns touted as a likely hub.