NRL trials in Pacific Islands from 2020..

[Golden point]

So in essence, tax payers fund this? They’d be an out cry here if it was RU or AFL ... or does the Govt do the same thing for them too?

Australia spends billions in foreign aid and this is no exception. Sport is one of the more effective ways to help disadvantaged communities abroad, it happens to be that rugby league is the perfect vehicle.
All sports in Aus get the help of government funding in 1 form or another.

 

[titoelcolombiano]

So in essence, tax payers fund this? They’d be an out cry here if it was RU or AFL ... or does the Govt do the same thing for them too?

I'm sure the Fijian team playing in the ARU comp are getting support and f#@k the AFL, they get heaps of money and no one outside of four states in Australia give a f#@k. They can contribute nothing as a sport to foreign aid programs.