PNG a land of contradictions: Stunning, dangerous, unpredictable

October 31, 2013 1:26

With AAP announcing it has closed its Port Moresby office, the news wire’s last PNG correspondent Eoin Blackwell looks back on his journey covering one of Australia’s closest neighbours.

It’s July 2012 and I’m standing in a field in Tari, in Papua New Guinea’s Hela province, with a crowd of about 500 people and some heavily armed soldiers.

It’s election time in PNG. A round of gunshots from a football field drew me and ABC reporter, Firmin Nanol to the polling booth like suicidal moths to a flame.

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Nic Christensen

Nic Christensen worked for Mumbrella from 2013 to 2016, in roles including deputy editor and media & technology editor. He is former media writer for The Australian and has also worked as a reporter for The Daily Telegraph and senior producer for Radio 2GB.

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