Papua New Guinea and Australia are strengthening cooperation in correctional services, with a recent study tour to New South Wales (NSW) marking an important step in the long-standing partnership.
Over the course of a week, a delegation from Papua New Guinea Correctional Services (PNGCS) stood side by side with their Australian counterparts in NSW, gaining practical insights to support safer, more resilient correctional institutions in PNG.
Supported through the Australia – Papua New Guinea Law and Justice Partnership and hosted by Corrective Services NSW, the program strengthened professional networks and showcased Australian approaches to managing correctional facilities, detainee rehabilitation, staff development, and prison industries.
Participants visited a number of major sites in New South Wales that demonstrated how correctional facilities can work to keep people safe while also treating inmates fairly, equipping them with job skills and routines, and supporting pathways for community reintegration.
Participants noted appreciation for the opportunity to learn from these diverse correctional models, and gain inspiration to strengthen PNGCS capability.
“Sometimes words can’t do justice to how valuable an experience is. The study tour has given us new ideas, new confidence, and a stronger connection with our Australian counterparts,” said Acting Commissioner Bernard Nepo.
The study tour reflects Australia’s commitment to supporting a professional, resilient, and capable correctional service in PNG. Australia is proud to support PNG Correctional Service officers. These exchanges are helping lay the foundation for a long-term partnership that strengthens systems in both countries.
The visit forms part of a broader effort to establish a sustained partnership between PNGCS and CSNSW, including future staff exchanges, training and avenues for long-term joint capability development.
In 2026, officers from CSNSW plan to visit PNG to share expertise, strengthen collaboration, and progress their potential partnership.
The NSW study tour builds on more than two decades of justice-sector cooperation between PNG and Australia and contributes to ongoing efforts under the PNG–Australia Partnership to enhance institutional capacity, promote human rights, and support safe and inclusive communities across Papua New Guinea.