by Vanessa Knight – EM TV News, Port Moresby
Australia is happy to cooperate with PNG over issues such as the current rape allegations leveled against three Australians, formerly employed by Wilson Security at the Manus Island Detention Centre.
Australian Prime Minister, Tony Abbott, said a crime is a crime, and credible allegations must be investigated.
While addressing the media this morning at the Australia-PNG Business Council Breakfast, the Prime Minister was faced with a question of whether Australia will cooperate with PNG without an extradition treaty to return the trio implicated in the rape allegations.
The allegations made in July by a local female employee at the centre received much speculation over Australia’s respect for PNG’s sovereignty, when reports surfaced that the trio were removed from the country before formal investigations by local police could be conducted.
However, Prime Minister Abbott says Australia is willing to cooperate with PNG on the matter.
Abbott, who arrived into the country this morning to participate in the concluding discussions of the 46th Pacific Islands Forum, left the country this afternoon.
