The Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese will start his first official visit as prime minister to Papua New Guinea (PNG) when he touches down at the APEC Terminal at Jackson International Airport, Port Moresby this Thursday 12th January.
The PNG Minister for Foreign Affairs Justin Tkatchenko announced in the briefing of Albanese’s visit today that a historical event will happen during his first day of visit to the country.
“A historical event will happen at the National Parliament where for the first time an Australian Prime Minister will address the National Parliament and all our members, and we look forward to Prime Minister Albanese’s address to our parliament and to our country,” said the minister.
The minister also clarified that there will be no implications to the country’s constitution or laws, to have a prime minister of a foreign country address members of PNG in the country’s parliament house.
“It just needs the floor of parliament or members to agree for that to happen,” explained Tkatchenko.
“A proper parliamentary process will take place to ensure that the correct process has been approved for the Australian Prime Minister to address parliament.”
The Australia PM’s address at parliament will take place after his visit to the Government House to see the Governor General of PNG, right after arriving to Port Moresby.
Meanwhile, on the first day of visit PM Albanese will also visit the University of Papua New Guinea (UPNG) School of Medicine and Health Sciences Taurama Campus to see firsthand projects funded by Australian government through the Incentive Fund.
However, this will take place after the main event the 4th PNG- Australia Annual Leaders’ Dialogue, which is the bilateral meetings between the two prime ministers and selected ministers at the APEC Haus.
PM Albanese will also call in on the PNG Opposition Leader, Joseph Lelang at the Hilton Hotel later in the afternoon.
He will wrap up his first day of visit with an official dinner hosted by PM Prime Minister James Marape at the State Function Hall at parliament house.
On the second day of visit, the 13th of January, both PMs will fly out to Wewak in East Sepik province.
There Albanese will visit first the resting place of Grand Chief Sir Michael Somare, where he will lay wreaths at the Grand Chief’s resting place and visit and spend time with the family of Somare at Kreer Heights.
The Australian PM will then visit war memorial sites and then head to the base of the Second Royal Pacific Island Regiment (2PIR) at Moem Barracks.
There he will address the Papua New Guinea Defence Force Ground Parade and brief the Chief of Defence Force, Major General Mark Goina.
He will be engaged in other activities afterwards and later depart to Port Moresby and then depart for Australia, ending his two days visit.