Prime Minister reassures nation of increasing preparedness to deal with security incidents

Prime Minister's Media

 

Following the armed siege that occurred in Sydney overnight, Prime Minister Peter O’Neill has provided reassurance that Papua New Guinea’s capacity to deal with a range of threats continues to increase in the face of a changing global security environment.

“It is only natural that around the world right now people are asking if their domestic security services are effectively equipped to deal with a range of potential threat scenarios,” PM O’Neill said.

“As we have seen over the past day and night, no country in the world can be thought to be immune from such brutal acts, and even with the high skill level of New South Wales police, the safety of all people cannot be guaranteed in such a complex situation.

“The range and form of security threats facing the global community has changed in recent years, and security services of all nations take into consideration both domestic and international factors.

“Every country is different, and while Papua New Guinea does not face the same security threats as countries such as Australia or the United States, we must continue to be vigilant.

"Internal training has been improved through ongoing mentoring to raise the capacity of our security services.

"Direct training is further being undertaken by Papua New Guinea’s police and military personnel in Australia, the United States, Israel and other partner countries.

“This improves the capacity for our police and military to deal with a range of potential threats including hostage situations.

“Funding for law and order continues to increase each year and we are in a much better situation than a few years ago.

“Papua New Guinea’s security capacity and preparedness will continue to evolve particularly as we prepare to host global events including APEC."