Australian ignorance and the PNG-Huawei deal

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The last minute bid by Australia and its allies to offer an alternative package to help build PNG's National Broadband Network (NBN) is a vivid story of Australian ignorance. This could be detrimental to its bid to counter increasing Chinese influence in the region.

This case further supports the view held by veteran journalist Sean Dorney. He said Australia never spent a great deal of money on Port Moresby when it was the headquarters of Australia's colonial administration. He compared Port Moresby with British built Suva to help measure the difference.

Dorney elaborated that the Australian media ignores PNG. He gave a scenario in Canberra where many will have a lot to say about the Middle East compared to PNG in a cabinet meeting. Only a few Australians have any real knowledge of the country. Most of the news that is reported in the media is mainly negative and brief. 

The Digicel cable television service and other private cable television companies include an array of Australian channels. Every night viewers have the opportunity to watch SBS1, Viceland, Channel 9, Channel 7, ABC1, Australia Network, Sky News and other Australian channels. You rarely view on a daily basis many of the positive things that are happening in PNG. Not even an interview with academics in the University of PNG or other universities about what is happening in the country. 

Danielle Cave talked about how information about Huawei's presence in PNG was shared close to 6 years ago. The government of Australia via its intelligence agencies and diplomats got information about the PNG-Huawei deal but did nothing to counter or deliberately ignored.

So why the sudden interest? Why is Australia and its allies pushing to undermine the contractual obligation that the PNG government has with Huawei Technologies?

In 2010, the National Executive Council approved the implementation of the e-Government project. The Integrated Government Information System (IGIS) was aimed at improving public service delivery. The then Minister for Communications and Information late Patrick Tammur announced the engagement of Huawei Technologies. Since then, Huawei has published in the newspapers updates of their progress.

Another major announcement happened on July 2013 in Port Moresby. The government gave another project to the company. Telikom PNG signed the NBN contract with Huawei. Apart from providing wold-class broadband speed for citizens and businesses, the project will also provide other e-government applications including a backbone for new fixed and mobile broadband services across the country.   


The company agreed as well to provide a sponsorship program for 200 ICT students in PNG. The capacity building scholarship will build a pool of engineers who have the technical skills and knowledge in the years to come to maintain Telikom PNG's NBN.


In September 2018, Australia and the US publicly confirmed that the two countries will work to stop Huawei from building PNG's NBN. James Carouso said they were working on a counter offer. Australia cited security reasons, they did not want Huawei to have access to their internet infrastructure. 

The response by Minister Duma adds another dimension to the strategic competition for influence. He said the move by Australia and its allies is a bit patronizing. Huawei started in 2010 with the IGIS and then worked on the NBN after 2013. As such, the Minster clearly stated that 60% of the work has already been done. 

For Australia to expect PNG to dump Huawei and gladly take their counter offer is a really big ask. Minister Duma did well by saying it is about honor and integrity. How can PNG tear up the contract it has with Huawei and walk away to join a willing and waiting Australia. 

On the other hand, it makes Australia look desperate. Australia as a middle power has the resources to beef up its cyber security system in the event of a cyber security breach using PNG's NBN. It also has a very powerful ally in the US which increases the level of sophistication. 

I agree with Jonathan Pryke's comment that Australia has missed the boat. Australia should learn from this experience and prepare better to avoid making the same mistake twice. That means it is time for Australia to remove the veil of ignorance and start following the advise given by Dorney. 

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