Expanding trade and investment opportunities with Papua New Guinea is on the agenda as Australian and PNG ministers meet in Canberra.
Foreign Minister Julie Bishop and her PNG counterpart Rimbink Pato are co-hosting a forum at Parliament House on Wednesday, with ministers from a range of portfolios to discuss issues of mutual importance.
The forum sets the agenda for the bilateral relationship, described by Ms Bishop as one of Australia's "highest foreign policy priorities".
"I believe there is still so much more we can do to deepen the relationship, including moving on from stereotypes," she wrote in a piece for the Lowy Institute on Wednesday.
"We should not think of the relationship in terms of aid-donor and aid-recipient. Rather we need to treat each other as equal partners."
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Ms Bishop said PNG was becoming an increasingly important regional player, exemplified by its efforts to combat people smuggling and co-hosting the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation Forum in 2018.
Australia is also keen to establish a new network aimed at deepening business ties and helping those organisations wanting to create closer bonds.
