In 1949 the Territory of New Guinea, including Bougainville, merged with the Australian Territory of Papua, forming the Territory of Papua and New Guinea, a United Nations Trust Territory under Australian administration.
Bougainville is the easternmost insular region of Papua New Guinea. It is located some 900 kilometres from mainland PNG, and much closer to the Solomon Islands, with which it shares geographic, historical and cultural affinities.
Bougainville and Papua New Guinea signed a peace agreement in 2001 and later established the Autonomous Bougainville Government. In 2019, an overwhelming 97.7% of Bougainvillean voters chose independence in a nonbinding referendum (partially funded by the United States).
Australia and New Zealand led 3 regional peacekeeping missions to Bougainville between 1993 and 2003. The aim of these missions was to monitor the truce and ceasefire, prevent further major outbreaks of violence and bring stability to the region.
The people of PNG and Bougainville have a significant stake in Bougainville Copper, with the Autonomous Bougainville Government (ABG) holding a 36.4 per cent share in the company, as does the Independent State of Papua New Guinea.
The referendum question was a choice between greater autonomy within Papua New Guinea and full independence; voters voted overwhelmingly (98.31%) for independence. Do you agree for Bougainville to have: Greater autonomy. Independence.
Now that Papua New Guinea Prime Minister James Marape has been reelected, the stage is set for him to settle what he has called the biggest issue facing the country — the future political status of Bougainville, an autonomous region seeking independence by 2027.
At the end of the First World War and the German withdrawal from New Britain, New Guinea became a mandated territory of Australia in 1920. After the Second World War, Papua and New Guinea were combined and Australia continued as administrator until 1975 when Papua New Guinea achieved independence.
In 1906 the young nation of Australia became a colonial administrator when it assumed responsibility for the external territory of Papua – the southern half of what is now Papua New Guinea.
The protectorate, called British New Guinea, was annexed by Britain outright on 4 September 1888. The territory was transferred to the newly federated Commonwealth of Australia on 18 March 1902, and British New Guinea became the Territory of Papua, with Australian administration beginning in 1906.
The Constitution of Bougainville specifies that the Autonomous Bougainville Government shall consist of three branches: Executive – the President of the Autonomous Region of Bougainville, who chairs the Bougainville Executive Council.
Do not travel to: Southern Bougainville, particularly areas near the Panguna mine, due to civil unrest.
Conflict began to emerge from the start of mining operations at Panguna. Many of the local landowners were opposed to the mine because it attracted an influx of workers from other parts of PNG. They were also concerned about adverse environmental effects, while most of the mine profits left the island.
English and Pidgin are the languages spoken on the island, along with 21 distinct indigenous languages. Throughout its history, Bougainville has been under German, British and Australian control. Contrarily to the locals' wishes, in 1975, Bougainville came under the authority of Papua New Guinea.
The vote is non-binding and Papua New Guinea still has the final say as to what happens to the island. If it is ratified by Papua New Guinea, Bougainville will become independent by 2027 - or within 5 years from now.
Present-day Bougainvilleans are descended from a mixture of the two populations, and both Austronesian and non-Austronesian languages are spoken to this day. In 1616, Dutch explorers Willem Schouten and Jacob Le Maire became the first Europeans to sight the islands.
The Independent State of Papua New Guinea is a constitutional monarchy and Australia's closest neighbour, with less than four kilometres separating it from Australia at the nearest point. Its capital, Port Moresby, is about an hour's flying time from Cairns.
The Papua and New Guinea Act, passed in Australia in 1949, confirmed the administrative union of New Guinea and Papua under the title of 'The Territory of Papua and New Guinea' and placed it under the International Trusteeship System.
The nation of Papua New Guinea achieved its independence from Australia on 16 September 1975.
Surprisingly, Papuans and Aboriginal Australians appear to have diverged from each other at least 25,000 years ago, even though the landmasses of Australia and New Guinea were only separated by rising sea levels less than 10,000 years ago.”
Why is PNG important for Australia? PNG is Australia's closest neighbour, with less than four kilometres separating the countries at their closest point.
The oldest human remains in Australia were found at Lake Mungo in south-west New South Wales, part of the Willandra Lakes system. This site has been occupied by Aboriginal people from at least 47,000 years ago to the present.
In 2019, a non-binding independence referendum was held with 98.31% voting for independence rather than continued autonomy within Papua New Guinea. As a result, the regional authorities intend to become independent between 2025 and 2027.
The Bougainville Peace Agreement
Almost 98% of voters backed independence, with just over 2% voting to remain part of Papua New Guinea with 'greater autonomy'. This vote marks a key moment in the Bougainville peace process, but does not mark the end of the process.
Germany, Australia, Japan, the U.S., and Papua New Guinea colonized and settled Bougainville Island because of its resources and placement in the Southwest Pacific.