No Australian government has offered PNG a binding security guarantee in the past. The current government must address four concerns before signing on the dotted line.

CANBERRA -- Australian Defense Minister Richard Marles met with his Papua New Guinea (PNG) counterpart Billy Joseph in Brisbane on Thursday to open talks on a formal treaty-level defense agreement. In a statement released ahead of the meeting, Marles said he wanted to take Australia's relationship with PNG to the "next level."

Australian ships and aircraft are working with New Zealand’s military to monitor three Chinese warships which have sailed past Sydney towards the Tasmanian Sea. It comes as Australia begins negotiations with Papua New Guinea on a landmark new defence treaty.