Domestic violence is a national crisis in PNG. The Chiefs NRL team must do more to support women

In 2028, the Papua New Guinea (PNG) Chiefs will make their highly anticipated National Rugby League (NRL) debut after unprecedented Australian federal government investment, a flurry of big-name singings, lucrative tax breaks and seemingly infinite commercial deals.

But if we pause for a moment and look beyond the hype, deeply uncomfortable realities come into stark view. These include queries about why the new franchise won’t feature a women’s team.

If this investment is truly intended to transform PNG, women can’t remain on the sidelines. They must be central, not secondary, to its vision, opportunities and outcomes.

Rugby league is PNG’s national sport, so the launch of the Chiefs was widely celebrated on both sides of the Arafuru Sea.

The expansion was announced in late 2024, with the Australian government tipping in $600 million. The funding is partly due to Australia’s efforts to curb China’s growing influence in the Pacific.

$250 million for a Pacific rugby league partnership, which also covers Fiji, Tonga and Samoa, to encourage grassroots participation and establish a pathway for elite athletes.

PNG Prime Minister James Marape said the team was “a national unification strategy deployed under the flag of rugby league”.

These transformative aspirations were echoed by Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, who stated he could not think of “any aid and assistance in our region in the Pacific […] more important than support for the PNG Chiefs”.

He added the funding would include investment in girls’ and women’s rugby league across the region.

However, Australian Rugby League Commission (ARLC) boss Peter V'landys has said the new club will not feature in the NRLW until the league is confident it can be competitive.

Domestic violence has been declared a national crisis, with a recent report finding more than 60% of women in the country had experienced violence from an intimate partner – more than double the global average.