AUSTRALIAN DEFENCE HAS ALWAYS BEEN FRIENDS

Papua New Guinea lies inside the forward defence line of Australia. The two countries share a common defence. Australia fought the Japanese in World War 2. The line of defence may change in future years with aggressive moves of China into the Pacific.

Australia has always been a friend of this country. The early days were marked by violence and abuse of villagers who in turn attacked the Australian settlers. There was an increased law and order with the Australians administration setting up a police force and kiaps.

Australia had just emerged from World War 1 and the Great Depression and about to enter World War 2 and was not in great shape to give foreign aid. New Guinea had been given to Australia as a trusteeship territory after the German defeat.

After World War 2, Australia brought the Australian Defence Force to serve in PNG that became part of the army commands of Australia. There were two battalions 1RPIR and 2RPIR. There was a plan for a third battalion in the 1960s. 

Construction material was loaded on to ships but halted by the Vietnam War. The plan was changed with Lavarack Barracks being built in Townsville.

Australian Defence advisors arrived in the early 1960s to raise the level of training of the 2 battalions and in the early 1970s, the Joint Services College of PNG in Lae.

There was a positive attitude promoted. Soldiers were required to complete psychological testing and to attend a tok pisin course.

The army was forced to set up the Army School of Languages at Kapooka as the RAAF refused to accept the mandate to teach tok pisin. It was not a language they said. The army conducted courses from 1973 to 1979 with instructors returned from PNG.

Then the situation changed as the tok pisin course became very popular with the Australian Defence Force, Foreign Affairs and AusAID. There was the occasional RAAF officer who attended. Shame.

In 1979, the Army School closed and the mandate moved to the RAAF School of Languages. I was the officer who came to Pt Cook with the Tok Pisin training and stayed until 1992. I humbly submit that the standard of training lifted markedly.

The Australian contingent In PNG lifted the standard of training for officer cadets and apprentices who were eventually sent to Australian technical defence schools. 

Officer cadets were trained in Duntroon military college. Our department conducted training courses for Australian instructors to improve their training skill with PNG personnel. 

The level of ability of PNG personnel has lifted in recent years. Many trainees had problems with high level technical English.

My only sadness in relation to the Papua New Guinea Defence Force is the shame that retired military personnel often never receive their pension on retirement and many die before the pension comes. 

They drop from service in support of their country to abject poverty. Even retired politicians never receive the pension. Many Corrective Service officer died penniless.

Australia has always been a friend of PNG. The fuzzy wuzzy angels were left with no support after the war. But then the Australians may well not have had a comprehensive record names of fuzzy wuzzy angels who came from all over the country.