Aust feared PNG military intervention

Australia feared it may have to militarily intervene in Papua New Guinea if the former colony failed to become more self-reliant.

Cabinet papers for 1990 and 1991, released by the National Archives of Australia, show the Hawke Labor government was concerned if PNG's law and order problems were left unchecked it could undermine assumptions about the security of north-eastern Australia.

"PNG could cease to be a positive factor in our defence planning," then foreign minister Gareth Evans and defence minister Robert Ray said in submissions to cabinet.

They flagged Australia might have to review its force structure as a result.

Cabinet was keen to promote self-reliance to PNG and encourage it to draw on its own resources.

No amount of Australian help could substitute for PNG leaders taking the lead on tackling the country's problems.

"We need to make clear the limits to our help; and reduce expectations in PNG and Australia that we will bail it out," the two ministers said.

Australian aid was needed to help improve institutional capacity especially among police, mobile forces and the defence force.

With separatist rebels on Bougainville mounting an armed struggle against the PNG government in April 1989, the Australian cabinet supported a political settlement.

"Armed confrontation would be counterproductive," the ministers said.

Bougainville, an autonomous region of PNG but with its own government, is expected to have a referendum on independence by 2020.