Prime Minister Tony Abbott is keen for 73 Australian Federal Police officers to have their roles expanded in Papua New Guinea.
At the moment, they can only work as advisers because of constitutional problems surrounding immunity from prosecution.
"What we need to do is come up with an arrangement that makes them participants not mere bystanders," Mr Abbott told reporters on Thursday in Port Moresby, where he is attending the Pacific Islands Forum.
He hopes there is progress on the issue in the next few weeks.
PNG's development opportunities would be further maximised if it could get its law-and-order issues under control with a more "harmonious and tranquil" society, he said.
Mr Abbott discussed the issue with PNG Prime Minister Peter O'Neill during bilateral talks on the forum's sidelines.
It's Mr Abbott's third visit to PNG as prime minister.
Australia Papua New Guinea Business Council president Phil Franklin told Mr Abbott there was trouble accessing foreign currency in Port Moresby.
"This is having serious impacts on businesses that purchase goods from Australia and in many cases Australian companies have extended significant credit," he told a breakfast meeting of business people.
Mr Franklin estimated there was a backlog worth 1.5 billion kina ($764 million) of foreign currency orders with commercial banks and trading desks.
He hoped Mr O'Neill and Mr Abbott discussed the issue.
Mr Franklin said visas were also an impediment to trade and called for a simpler process that would allow Australians to receive visas on arrival in the PNG capital.
Papua New Guineans applying for Australian visas were often not receiving them in the required 10-day processing period.
Mr Franklin said the online visa service for PNG nationals should be better promoted.
Mr Abbott told the breakfast he wanted to ensure there was easier movement of people between Australia and PNG.
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