Sport’s chance to prove its value as a bridge builder with the South Pacific

That needs to be seen as a great opportunity, not a threat.

There is also a strong Pacific Islands presence in rugby union and a growing one in cricket.

The last federal government was far too timid and tentative when it came to funding sport in the region.

Rugby league has a great opportunity to lead the way this weekend, something the Queensland Rugby League has been doing with success for some years. A PNG team, the Hunters, takes part in the Queensland Cup competition.

In looking at how to develop assistance the federal government would do well to discard what DFAT suggests, and engage with the major sporting bodies and business, on working together to really give impetus to the sporting links.

It will be complex. There is a need for coaching, scholarships, administrators as well as facility development. And more.

And it can't be done for a few hundred thousand dropped here and there. It will take millions.

When it comes to funding, I'm reminded of the first real success story when it came to funding via the private sector of sport in PNG.

In 1989-1990 the closure of the Bougainville copper mine effectively took away one third of National Government revenue.

Prime Minister Namaliu consulted with the South Pacific Games federation Chairman, the late Sir Anthony Siaguru, on how the private sector might replace government funding.

The late Bruce Flynn and I were tasked with developing a corporate sponsorship program.

We quickly determined it could be done if the government would offer a "double taxation" deduction facility to one major corporate from each industry sector - such as one mining, one banking, one brewery and so on.