Australian High Commission
Papua New Guinea

PNG Defence Members Arrive Home on HMAS Adelaide

It was a long-awaited homecoming for three Papua New Guineans as the Royal Australian Navy’s largest ship, HMAS Adelaide sailed into Port Moresby on Sunday.

Ol tripela soldia bilong Papua New Guinea I bin weit longpela taim long kam bek long mama graun bilong ol. Dispela bai kamap tru taim bikpela sip bilong Royal Australian Navy, HMAS Adelaide bai sua long Port Moresby long dispela Sunday.

Three trainee officers from the Royal Papua New Guinea Maritime Element are on board the ship during Indo-Pacific Endeavour 2017, having sailed from Singapore under their training on the Royal Australian Navy’s New Entry Officers’ Course (NEOC).

Dispela tripela training opisa bilong Royal Papua New Guinea Maritime Element I kalap long sip long Singapore taim em bin mekim raun bilong em namel long Indo-Pacific Endeavour 2017, olsem wanpela hap bilong training bilong ol aninit long Royal Australians Navy’s New Entry Officers Course.

Additionally HMAS Adelaide has two crew members with strong family connections in Papua New Guinea.

Na tu, HMAS Adelaide I gat tupela kru bilong sip husat igat famili I stap long Papua New Guinea.

Midshipman Meshech Tobi a trainee officer on NEOC, described the training deployment as a valued aspect of the course.

Midshipman Meshech Tobi wanpela training opisa long NEOC I tok dispela training antap long sip em wanpela bikpela samting bilong tingim.

“The sea training deployment has been the most enjoyable aspect of the course so far,” he said.

“Dispela training antap long sip em wanpela samting bilong tingim na amamas insait long taim bilong mipela I bin kisim ol narapela training,” em tok.

“I have learnt a number of different leadership styles, which will be valuable for my future career as an officer of the Papua New Guinea Defence Force Maritime Element”.

“Mi bin lainim planti pasin bilong kamap wanpela lida na em olsem wanpela bikpela samting long wok bilong mi long bihain olsem wanplela opisa bilong Papua New Guinea Maritime Element.”

Midshipman Emanuel Seko from Kimbe in West New Britain Province is excited to be visiting Port Moresby as part of the deployment.

Midshipman Emmanuel Seko bilong Kimbe long West New Britain Province I amamas tru long  kam lukim Port Moresby olsem wanpela hap bilong training bilong ol.

“Travelling to PNG as well as living and working on a Landing Helicopter Dock (LHD) in Adelaide has been my favourite part of the course so far.”

“Sail igo long PNG , stap antap long sip na tu wok antap long Landing Helicopter Dock (LHD) Adelaide em wanpela feiveret hap namel long planti training  mipela I bin kisim.”

Commander of the Joint Task Force 661, Captain Jonathan Earley, said it was pleasing to be able to visit Papua New Guinea during Adelaide’s transit home to Sydney.

Kepten Jonathan Earley , Komanda bilong Joint Task Force 661, I tok, em I amamas tru long kam lukim Papua New Guinea namel long ron bilong bikpela sip Adelaide  igo bek long Sydney.

“Australia has a long historical and mutually beneficial defence relationship with Papua New Guinea and it is a privilege to be able to bring HMAS Adelaide into Port Morseby.”

“Australia na Papua New Guinea I gat longpela histri waintaim na isave wok bung wantaim long sait bilong defens fos na em wanpela bikpela samting tru long bringim HMAS Adelaide igo long Port Moresby.”

“The genuine people-to-people links between our two defence forces continue to grow and I’m delighted to provide an opportunity for the three PNGDF trainee officers to come back with the Australian Defence Force.”

“Wok bung bilong tupela defens fos I wok long kamap bikpela , mi hamamas tru long kisim dispela taim long bringim tripela training opisa bilong PNGDF kambek lukim PNG wantaim Australian Defence Force.”

Captain Earley said there were two Able Seamen as part of the ship’s company who had local family connections.

Kepten Earley I tok igat tupela kru memba I wok olsem Able Seaman insait long sip, husat mama I bin karim ol long PNG na famili biling ol istap yet long PNG.

“For Adelaide’s crew members, it has been a number of years since they have connected with their relatives.”

“Namel long dispela tupela kru memba em I bin longpela taim igo pinis taim ol ibin lukim famili bilong ol long PNG.”

During the visit, members of Adelaide’s joint ship’s company and embarked force elements will visit the Bomana War Cemetery after walking a small section of the Kokoda Track. A small service will be held to commemorate the sacrifice of Australians and Papua New Guineans during the Kokoda Campaign.

Long taim bilong visit long PNG ol kru memba bilong sip bai igo lukim Bomana War Cemetery bihain long ol I wokabaut long liklik hap bilong Kokoda Track. Ol bai holim liklik memorial sevis long tingim ol lain long Australia na Papua New Guinea husat I bin lusim laip bilong ol.

HMAS Adelaide is deployed on Indo-Pacific Endeavour until mid-November 2017. Indo-Pacific Endeavour has focused on enhancing military cooperation with some of Australia’s key regional partners including Indonesia, Japan, India, Malaysia, Singapore, the Republic of Korea, the Philippines, Brunei, Papua New Guinea, Timor-Leste, Thailand, and the Federated States of Micronesia.

HMAS Adelaide bai wokim raun bilong em insait long Indo-Pacific Endeavour igo inap long namel bilong mun Novemba. Insait long Indo-Pacific Endeavour Austalia I lukluk long strongim defens wok bilong em wantaim ol kantri em isave wok bung wantaim kain olsem, Indonesia, Japan, India, Singapore,Republic Of Korea, Philippines, Brunei, Papua New Guinea, Timor –Leste, Thailand na ol Federated States of Micronesia.

Indo-Pacific Endeavour is Australia’s demonstrated commitment to security and cooperation throughout South-East Asia and the Pacific. It is also to demonstrate the capability and interoperability of the ADF’s largest asset, the Landing Helicopter Dock (LHD) in support of humanitarian aid and disaster relief operations.

Indo- Pacific Endeavour em wok Australia I bin mekim long soim tru tok ol I bin mekim long helpim South East Asia na Pacific long sait bilong sekiriti na wokbung. Na tu ol I soim olsem bikpela sip bilong ol inap long helpim insait long disaster relief operesen na ol narapela sapot program long ol defens bilong ol kantri ol isave wok bung wantaim.

Indo-Pacific Endeavour also draws upon force elements and service personnel from the Navy, Australian Army, Air Force and Defence civilians.

Dispela raun bilong Indo- Pacific Endeavour I kamap gutpela taim ol wok man bilong Australian Navy, Airforce na Army wantaim ol narapela wokman I wok bung wantaim.

For further information, including access to related materials, please contact the Australian High Commission media team: +675 7090 0100

(From L-R) Midshipman Meshech Tobi, Able Seaman Kellie Bailey, Commander of the Indo-Pacific Endeavour Task Force, Captain Jonathan Earley (RAN), Midshipmen Samantha Alua and Emanuel Seko.

Prime Minister Peter O’Neill and representatives from the Governments of Papua New Guinea and Australia on board the ship during a tour yesterday.