Australian NRL announces new Papua New Guinea team funded by taxpayer

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a team from papano Guinea will join
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Australian rugby league competition the
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NRL in a diplomacy deal that will cost
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the taxpayer £300 million it is
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understood the deal is part of an
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Australian push to counteract increasing
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Chinese influence in the Indo Pacific
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and follows Australian support for
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Pacific island Rugby Union teams
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participating in Super Rugby the two
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Nations will co-host the next men's
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Rugby League World Cup Australian prime
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minister Anthony albanesi and his Papa
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New Guinea counterpart James marape
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announced the move on Thursday
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describing it as the world's first
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sports diplomacy deal this partnership
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that we're announcing today isn't just
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about Papu New Guinea it's also about
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our relationship with the Pacific
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players will receive tax incentives to
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move to the island and will live in a
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secure compound the deal is expected to
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cost £31 million of taxpayer money over
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10 years with the team from papano
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expected to join the NRL by 2028 the
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partnership will support young people in
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the Pacific girls and boys women and men
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to play rugby league with a focus on PNG
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but also on FG Tonga and Samoa it will
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complement our existing health and
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education programs in the Pacific and
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create new opportunities for women and
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girls to get involved too he added that
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rugby league is the number one sport in
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the Pacific and that this new club will
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solidify rugby league's role as the
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unifying language of our region sport is
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often seen as a form of soft diplomacy
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used for Global influence the Euro 2028
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bid that combines stadiums from both
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Great Britain and Ireland is an example
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of this as is the NFL hosting matches in
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London but it is rare for governments
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outside of the Middle East to actively
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invest in sports clubs this way could
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you imagine the UK government buying an
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overseas club which one would you pick
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let us know in the comments below

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Australian NRL announces new Papua New Guinea team funded by taxpayer

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