So Max is seeking the assistance of PNG Attitude readers who may have video or still pictures of the Constitutional Planning Committee’s work to get in touch with him here [email protected] to discuss how they may be able to help. Already PNG Attitude reader, who served on the committee, has dug out a DVD he assembled and offered it to Max.

The committee was chaired by then chief minister Michael Somare, with deputy chairman Father John Momis MP and members all MPs of the House of Assembly. John Ley was the legal officer of the committee

Max’s work is part of the fiftieth anniversary of independence activities of the PNG Association of Australia. Part of the PNGAA’s mission is to increase knowledge and understanding in the Australian community of PNG and Australians past role in PNG and present-day support of PNG and Pacific communities..

Sunset at the Vunapaladig corral
| Keith Jackson

NOOSA – It was 1970 and I was eavesdropping alongside the kiaps field HQ at Vunapaladig plantation. About 50 metres away, across a small creek and yelling abuse, was what looked like a thousand Mataungan Association members and followers. On our side of the creek, police were busy cutting down trees and removing foliage to give themselves a clear line of fire.

Under the headquarter’s sail, district commissioners Harry West and Jack Emanuel, the East New Britain police commander and a bunch of other Rabaul kiaps were discussing whether to send Konedobu a ‘code red’.

I guessed that code red was the signal for engaging the Pacific Islands Regiment in the confrontation. This speculation I shared with other journalists on the spot (from memory, they included Angus (Gus) Smales of the Melbourne Herald-Sun, Dick Pearson of the Post-Courier, Ian Hicks of the Sydney Morning Herald and David Solomon of The Australian).

As an Administration functionary (assistant manager of Radio Rabaul), I was limited in what matters I could comfortably raise with the kiaps and didn’t want to paste a target on my back by chasing down the meaning of code red.

I had no doubt that Australian prime minister ‘Jolly John’ Gorton, especially after his confrontation with 10,000 angry people at Rabaul airport earlier in the year, was gung-ho for sending in the troops. And I knew Malcolm Fraser was an ambitious army minister.

When the code red request reached Canberra the pair had an blazing hot argument. The army never made it to the Gazelle Peninsula. So Fraser had won the argument which was to trigger Gorton’s eventual resignation from the leadership and, in 1975, ultimate ascendancy as prime minister.