The governor of Papua New Guinea's capital district, Powes Parkop, says Australia is out of order in leaking information about the planned deployment of troops to PNG.
This week the ABC reported that Australian soldiers could soon begin regular rotations to PNG amid the growing anxiety over China's regional influence.
But Mr Parkop says nothing has been decided, there has been no consultation, and he says the apparent leak to the media is an attempt to influence the PNG government decision.
Mr Parkop, who has advocated a redevelopment of the Lombrum naval base on Manus Island as far back as 2014, told Don Wiseman that without a properly negotiated scheme for the deployment, PNG and Australia could repeat the fiasco that surrounded the illegal settlement of asylum seekers on that island.
The governor of Papua New Guinea's National Capital District, Powes Parkop. Photo: RNZ / Koroi Hawkins
