The Government of Papua New Guinea has issued a strong condemnation of an attempt by Channel 7, an Australian news outlet, to ignite regional tensions with its diplomatic partners, including Australia, the United States, and China.
The Minister for State Enterprises, Hon. William Duma, MP, is demanding an apology and an internal investigation after a Channel 7 journalist falsely claimed that PNG was selling its electricity grid to China.
Minister Duma criticized the report as misleading and damaging to PNG’s diplomatic relations.
“Perhaps the journalist has limited experience in international affairs and so has no idea of the damage that attempting to sabotage diplomatic relations can cause,” he stated, firmly countering the claims made in the article.
According to Minister Duma, the Director of PNG Power, Marlen Brunskill, never indicated or suggested that the country was considering such a sale. He elaborated, “This ridiculous claim was made-up by the journalist with little to no understanding of how the energy sector works. We are focused on reforming PNG Power Ltd to provide consistent, reliable, and affordable energy rather than entertaining the idea of selling our assets.”
Furthermore, the minister clarified that Mr. Brunskill did not travel to China as reported, refuting the claim by explaining that he was on a personal visit to Singapore and the Philippines at the time.
Minister Duma expressed concern over the potential consequences of this inaccurate reporting, stating, “This has the potential to cause serious damage to regional stability at a time of heightened tensions between major powers.” He emphasized that such misleading narratives could erode trust and cooperation between Papua New Guinea and its partners.
“It is disturbing that the Channel 7 newsroom tried to create even deeper tension by misleading the Australian Government and Opposition for sensationalist comments,” he added. Minister Duma reaffirmed PNG’s commitment to its long-held foreign policy of being a friend to all and an enemy to none.
The minister underscored the need for news organizations to adhere to ethical reporting standards. He expressed hope that Channel 7 would manage this incident appropriately to prevent future occurrences, criticizing the report as an enforcement of negative stereotypes about Papua New Guinea.
“This attempt to destabilize our relationship, whether through malice or negligence, is a shame on the Channel 7 organization,” he said.