Minister for Home Affairs and Minister for Justice Jason Claire awarded the Police Overseas Service Medal to 55 ‘Kiaps’ – the former Australian members of the Royal Papua New Guinea Constabulary between 1949 and 1973 at a ceremony at Parliament house.
Minister Claire explained that from the end of World War II until independence in 1975, it is estimated that around 2000 young Australian men served as patrol officers, or ‘kiaps’ in the then Territories of Papua and New Guinea. A career as a patrol officer required the officers to juggle the multiple roles of ambassador, policeman, explorer, farmer, engineer and anthropologist.
“They have never been properly recognized for the work they did to maintain order in Papua New Guinea. The ceremony today is righting a wrong and providing long overdue recognition of the important work they did.” Minister Claire said.
Minister Claire commented that the combined efforts of these Australian law enforcement officers helped the Territory recover from the impact of World War II and inevitably laid the foundations for the establishment of the independent national of Papua New Guinea.