Papua New Guinea remains loyal to its constitutional head of state 47 years on

This weekend Papua New Guinea will commemorate, rather than "celebrate", 47 years of independence.

The relationship between the monarch and our northern neighbour is remarkably uncomplicated.

Despite what China might be hoping for, the death of Queen Elizabeth, and the ascent of King Charles, is likely to actually strengthen the monarchy in PNG.

King Charles is well known in PNG, as is his sister, Anne, the Princess Royal.

Indeed, the King is the last surviving significant link with Independence Day. He represented the Queen, sharing the spotlight with the then governor-general of Australia, Sir John Kerr, the prime minister, Gough Whitlam, leader of the opposition, Malcolm Fraser, and the new nation's first governor-general, Sir John Guise, and first prime minister, Michael Somare.

Australia has nothing whatsoever to be ashamed of when it comes to the independence process.

There will be those who still argue it was given too soon. On balance I am not among them.

I believe we got the timing about right. During the 1960s the process leading towards self-government and independence was slowed, principally due to a minister for territories, CEB Barnes who somehow believed it did not need to happen…possibly ever!

Surprisingly it was Prime Minister William McMahon who saw the inevitable and appointed a progressive external affairs minister, Andrew Peacock, who got the process back on track in two years. The Whitlam government provided further impetus, with self-government being amicably granted in 1973.

The early years of independence were relatively smooth. The Fraser government provided generous budget support for PNG...providing up to half the annual budget.

It was not until the Hawke and Namaliu governments reached an agreement to end budget support in the early 1980s that PNG really secured fiscal independence.

However, the Morrison government effectively restored a measure of fiscal dependence in 2019, advancing cash loans it surely knew would probably never be repaid in full.