As I prepare to travel for a major engagement with leaders of Australia’s mining, petroleum and business communities, my message to investors remains clear and consistent: Papua New Guinea is one of the safest and most predictable investment destinations in the Indo-Pacific.
For nearly five decades, PNG has honoured every resource agreement it has signed. That is not a slogan — it is a track record that includes some of the world’s biggest projects: Porgera, PNG LNG, Lihir, Ramu Nickel, and others. Once agreements are concluded, they are respected for the full duration. That is the strength of our legal system and the maturity of our democracy.
PNG offers a robust free-market economy, strong institutions, and one rulebook for everyone — government, investors and society.We offer easy access to the fast-growing Asian markets, a negative-carbon-footprint working environment, and one of the world’s most promising green-energy economies, giving investors a strong strategic advantage.
These fundamentals are the reason global partners continue to place their confidence in our country.
This week, the Australian Prime Minister and I will jointly open the PNG Investment Week Leaders’ Summit in Sydney, which is set to be the largest investor gathering ever focused on Papua New Guinea. It is a proud moment that reflects growing international interest in our future.
Deepening Our Strategic Partnership with Queensland
Ahead of the summit, I will be travelling tomorrow to join the business community for preliminary engagements. Then, on Wednesday, I will fly to Brisbane to sign the revised Memorandum of Understanding between Papua New Guinea and the State of Queensland.
Queensland is a major economic powerhouse — a A$500 billion economy — and our closest neighbour by geography, culture and long-standing people-to-people links.
Increasing synergy with Queensland means:
• Strengthening cooperation between our public services
• Enhancing police-to-police and judicial collaboration
• Expanding joint border surveillance
• Facilitating greater business-to-business partnerships
This renewed MoU will guide how we work together into the future — ensuring that Queensland remains PNG’s most immediate and practical partner for security, trade, skills and investment.
I look forward to concluding this milestone with the Queensland Premier before returning home on Thursday.
A Pipeline of World-Class Resource Projects
At the Leaders’ Summit, I will highlight how major projects in PNG have delivered — not only for companies but also for our people:
• PNG LNG secured US$22 billion even during the 2008 global financial crisis
• Delivered on time and on schedule
• Continues to generate significant benefits — taxes, royalties, equity dividends, jobs and local business growth
That success is a model we intend to replicate.
Our next wave of development is even larger. I will provide updates on key upcoming projects:
• Papua LNG
• Wafi-Golpu
• P’nyang
• Pasca A
• Porgera Restart
Alongside these, we have more than 20 mining, petroleum and gas prospects across the country. When sequenced properly — to avoid boom-and-bust cycles— these projects could usher in a decade or more of continuous construction, drawing US$55–80 billion in foreign direct investment.
This means sustained jobs, competitive local industries, and stronger revenue flows for landowners, provinces, and the nation.
A Smarter, Fairer Fiscal Regime
Investors also want clarity and predictability. That is why our government is moving toward a hybrid fiscal model that:
• Ensures returns above regional benchmarks for investors
• Secures greater value-for-money for PNG citizens
• Simplifies negotiations and reduces uncertainty
Finalising these reforms in 2025 will pave the way for timely investment decisions.
The Message to Investors
Papua New Guinea is ready for the next era of responsible resource development. We offer:
• A stable democracy
• A rules-based investment environment
• A proven record of honouring contracts
• Immediate proximity to Asia and green-energy competitiveness
• One of the world’s richest untapped resource frontiers
Our commitment is straightforward: If you invest in PNG, your investment will be safe — and our partnership will deliver shared prosperity.