On 15 April 2019, Papua New Guinea Chief Secretary to Government Ambassador Isaac B. Lupari CBE and Secretary of the Australian Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet Dr Martin Parkinson AC PSM, hosted the inaugural meeting of the Heads of Pacific Prime Ministers’ Departments in Brisbane.

Joining Ambassador Lupari and Dr Parkinson were their counterparts from Fiji (Mr Yogesh Karan), Solomon Islands (Dr Jimmie Rodgers), Vanuatu (Dr Gregoire Nimbtik), Tonga (Mr Edgar Cocker), Samoa (Agafili Shem Leo), and New Zealand (Dr Brook Barrington).

The forum built on the strong engagement between Pacific leaders by strengthening the relationships between their senior officials.

The senior officials discussed institutional, economic and strategic policy issues affecting our collective Pacific home, focusing on building fit-for-purpose public services, economic opportunities in the Pacific, and shared regional challenges facing the Pacific.

Ambassador Lupari and Dr Parkinson look forward to the next meeting and continuing to work closely with their friends and partners across the Pacific to build strong relationships for the future.