A unique opportunity to restructure our relationship with Papua New Guinea

With regard to Daru, Australia needs to get serious about a substantial infrastructure and social investment on Daru, the closest town to Northern Australia. The provincial Governor is well disposed to Chinese investment which is happening already in the road construction area.

Daru has poor basic services. Despite that the Governor was re-elected as were two other members from the province.

China has a massive head start in the province. Australia probably has just 12 months to try and catch up in vital community areas such as health care, school education and water and sewerage services. So far these have not been priorities for the PRC Embassy or PRC businesses.

If that changed Australia would face an even more substantial PRC presence right on its border.

We need to be realistic. China has a substantial foothold right on our border. We have really fumbled the ball at a very dangerous time. We need to look beyond what China is focussing on and develop a substantial people to people engagement.

The second priority Canberra might consider is one Prime Minister Marape highlighted in his speech - electoral reform.

The recent elections were conducted in a less than satisfactory matter. The whole process eroded public confidence in parliament and democracy - out of date rolls, suspicious counting practices, underfunding, and delays in counting that were unexplained and suspicious.

Given the Prime Minister's commitment in his speech Australia should grab the opportunity to offer PNG assistance from the Australian and state electoral authorities for detailed electoral reform that will help ease community unrest and secure a measure of political stability at a time when it is needed given the economic and fiscal challenges PNG faces during the next five year parliamentary term.

Prime Minister Marape has a big enough majority to be bold when it comes to cleaning up the electoral processes. Australia can offer him expert help in doing so.

The third area relates to the acquisition by Telstra of Digicel, the largest telecommunications operator in PNG.

Minister Wong needs to encourage Telstra not to regard the Digicel investment as a "passive" one designed to block a PRC acquisition (not that that was likely in my view).

Telstra needs to be encouraged to upgrade services and focus on meeting the unique needs of a vast and diverse nation.