The Albanese government is scrambling to counter China’s growing influence in the Pacific but the people who control one of the most effective ways of building closer international ties are not helping through their scepticism about Papua New Guinea’s joining the NRL.

The Herald approached all 45 NRL club chief executives, chairmen and general managers to take part in an anonymous poll covering the big issues facing their sport. On the league’s proposed expansion to admit PNG as the 18th team, only 6 per cent of the 33 respondents wanted PNG admitted. Perhaps even more surprising, given the millions of dollars on offer from Canberra for the venture, 68 per cent opposed the region fielding a team in the future. Seventy per cent backed Perth for the next licence.

Australian Rugby League Commission chairman Peter V’landys has tried to interpret the result positively and says the clubs will change their minds in time. “What you have to understand, to be fair to the people who have answered the questions, they are basing their opinion without any information that we have. Once they get that info, they might have a different view. I guarantee it,” he told the Herald’s Michael Chammas.

Club executives should already know rugby league is a shared passion in Australia and PNG, and, potentially, a powerful connector between the two countries. Half of all NRL players have Pacific heritage.

There are those who would say sport and politics should not mix. However, sports diplomacy transcends borders, fosters mutual understanding and promotes shared values. Australia has long practised sports diplomacy through PacificAus Sports. We supported PNG’s national rugby league and netball teams to compete at major events, helped PNG athletes to prepare for and compete at the Olympic and Commonwealth Games and we continue to deliver sports for development outcomes through the Team Up program.

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Making the NRL bosses’ scepticism even more perplexing is the fact that Australia’s financial commitment to PNG’s NRL entry is not small change. Separate from Australia’s grant program, the $5.5 million committed last year and the $60 million promised annually amount to a tenth of the grants Australia provides to PNG each year. That equates to $600 million over 10 years to PNG, in addition to technical support, to put together a strong bid.

Previous Coalition governments took their eyes off the Pacific, allowing China to slip under our guard. For instance, 2021 statistics presented to the Lowy Institute show Australian health grants to Port Moresby fell to a quarter lower than 2011 levels, while education grants plummeted 44 per cent. The Albanese government has been ramping up diplomatic efforts with the Pacific and South-East Asia amid rising tensions with China, including $1.9 billion to build security and people-to-people ties with the Pacific, expanding visas for Pacific workers and funding the redevelopment of a shipyard in Solomon Islands. Under a security guarantee to the remote atoll nation of Tuvalu, which is threatened by rising sea levels, Australia has offered permanent residency to 280 Tuvalu citizens each year.

The NRL is not scheduled to decide on admitting PNG until 2027. But these current and future attempts to rebuild relations with Pacific countries will continue to cost billions of dollars. In terms of value for money in warding off China, admitting a team from the world’s largest Melanesian nation into the ranks of the NRL is not only a good idea but it is also one that represents a far greater bang for buck than some of the other initiatives.