Prime Minister James Marape has signed a sports partnership agreement with Australia on Sunday.
The signing of the agreement was between Prime Minister Marape and Australian High Commissioner to PNG, Jonathan Philp after they farewelled the PNG Hunters team to Queensland.
The agreement will pave way for two technical officials, paid for by Australia to help Hunters in the areas of marketing and professional sports and career development.
Prime Minister James Marape said the level of relationship and cooperation between the two governments, at people to people level, and now in sports was getting stronger.
On the back of PNG Hunters leaving for long term residential stay in Australia, Marape said we are happy to sign the partnership in the area of sports, especially rugby league between the nations and stakeholders in sports.
Prime Minister Marape said the partnership is reaching another level for the SP PNG Hunters team to be based in Australia for up to nine months for the 2021 Queensland Cup season.
He said the agreement is made possible under visa Class 408 where the Hunters franchise is now an Australian registered entity.
He said this a pathway for PNG who want to excel in the fields of sports adding PNG wanted to ensure its elate sports personalities were able to go and live, work or play in Australia.
Marape said they want to use the Hunters as a stepping stone while exploring all other available options, which cloud be expanded to other sports as well.
But for that to happen he said we need to tidy up our local rugby league competition in the country to produce more talents for our semi-professional competition which is the pathway to the Hunters.