Abraham Matafolu, an Industrial Advocate with the Public Employees Association of Papua New Guinea (PEA) visited PSA House in July and August.

Mr Matafolu said his union faces many of the same challenges as the PSA CPSU NSW, including recruitment and dealing with an ageing workforce.

“In Papua New Guinea, public sector employees have to retire at 60,” he said. “Replacing them is a challenge but also an opportunity for us.”

Less familiar to PSA CPSU NSW members will be the time it takes Mr Matafolu to get to his workplace in Port Moresby from his childhood home in Utalo Ward on Goodenough Island in Milne Bay Province

“It is a 13-hour boat ride to the provincial capital Alotau, then a one-hour flight to Port Moresby,” he said.

The PEA was formed on 5 May 1947, when the two territories of Papua and New Guinea were merged under the post-war Australian administration.

The union covers government workers all over the country and has a former employee familiar to many in the Australian labour movement.

“In 1965-1967 Bob Hawke, who had just graduated, came and worked as an Industrial Officer for the PEA,” said Mr Matafolu, who has a wide knowledge of industrial relations history in his country.

The New Guinean said he is “learning a lot” from the PSA CPSU NSW and “is thankful for the opportunity”.

As well as visiting the union, Mr Matafolu went to his first live NRL game. As a “die-hard Cowboys fan”, he said he will stick to the North Queensland team even when the competition expands in 2028 to include a team from Papua New Guinea.