Australia is considering expanding military recruitment further into Pacific island nations beyond its current deal with Papua New Guinea, but the Federal government insists its initial focus will be on ensuring the armed pilot program does not weaken the region's own defence forces.
Minister for Pacific Island Affairs, Pat Conroy, said neighbouring islands, specifically Fiji, have also expressed an interest in the latest initiative, which will initially recruit 100 PNG citizens soon into the Australian Defence Force under a new Pukpuk Mutual Defence Treaty that was signed in July.
Mr Conroy says the government aims to first establish a workable recruitment model with PNG before it considers expansion across the region.
"We've flagged we're interested in it," he told ABC Radio on Monday.
"I think countries like Fiji have also expressed interest."
It comes after Australia recently handed its maritime drones to Fiji's military in a bid to bolster Pacific security, though the detail has been kept under wraps over a fear of tipping off drug smugglers.
PNG agreed to be Australia's first new alliance partner in 2023 since Canberra signed the ANZUS treaty with New Zealand and the United States back in 1951.
"If we get the model right for PNG that will make it a lot easier to recruit from other nations," Mr Conroy added.
Mr Conroy noted recruiting military from Pacific nations was "not unusual", pointing out the UK has long recruited from Fiji dating back to 1961 and from the Solomon Islands since 2018, while the US under its Compacts of Free Association have invited personnel from the Marshall Islands and the Federated States of Micronesia in 1986 and Palau in 1994.
However, he said the proposed program would be a first for Australia as it would directly recruit from PNG rather than draw on its expatriates currently living in Australia as permanent residents.
Mr Conroy said the initial trial plans will target PNG's university graduates, who would join the ADF after completing a conversion course.
But he also acknowledged concerns that recruiting more Pacific Islanders could well reduce the personnel available in their country's own armed forces.
"We're very focused on avoiding that," Mr Conroy said.
"If we're just robbing the defence force of PNG or the military force of Fiji, then that would actually not enhance Pacific security; it would probably diminish Pacific security."
Mr Conroy said the program was designed to also provide employment opportunities for young Pacific Islanders where jobs with formal qualification could be limited.
The recruitment initiative will form part of broader efforts from Australia to strengthen a security pact across the Pacific.
The Minister said the Pacific-based Pukpuk Mutual Defence Treaty was not directed at a single foreign power, but he acknowledged that China were a force seeking to increase its influence outside its own maritime boundaries.
"China, like many other nations, is seeking to increase its influence in the Pacific region," Mr Conroy said.
Mr Conroy said Australia's agreements with PNG and Fiji, along with treaties involving Tuvalu, Nauru and Vanuatu, were intended to strengthen the position Australia has as the preferred partner for the Pacific despite Fiji maintaining strong diplomatic ties with China while Beijing had coerced the Solomon Islands government to sign a security cooperation agreement in 2022.
