Salaries and monetary benefits enjoyed by PNG Chiefs team officials and players will be tax-free, says Prime Minister James Marape.
“The best players on the market, the best coach on the market, whoever they are, the Government has (offered you) an incentive not seen before,” he said.
“The salary you are contracted to is non-taxable.
“Whatever salary you are contracted to – from player to coach to technical heads – is tax-free.”
The PNG Chiefs will enter the National Rugby League (NRL) competition from the 2028 season.
Marape attended the opening of the PNG Chiefs headquarters in Port Moresby with new PNG Chiefs chairperson Catherine Harris and general manager Michael Chammas.
The headquarters is on the first floor of the Santos National Football Stadium building.
Marape added that anyone working in relation the Chiefs franchise, including pathways linked to the SP PNG Hunters system, will also enjoy the same benefit.
He assured everyone that the partnership with the NRL remained firm, and that the Chiefs remained closely linked to the NRL and not tied to sponsors controlling operations.
“The umbilical cord is not yet cut,” he said.
He acknowledged that Australia’s top rugby league competition understood the professional game at a higher level, and PNG is fortunate to be building a strong working relationship during the “infancy stage” of the franchise.
“They know running rugby league better than you and me. But they still have strong attachment to us.
“It’s good for us as we grow,” Marape added.
The Government is also working with the National Capital District Commission to ensure that Port Moresby becomes safe, clean, and welcoming for international visitors who are expected to come to PNG for the Chiefs’ home games.
Plans are also underway in Central and Milne Bay to improve tourism infrastructure, allowing visiting fans to enjoy more of Papua New Guinea during their stay.
Sports observers view the tax-free incentive as a potential game-changer.
In a competition as tough and competitive as the NRL, attracting elite players and coaches is crucial.
PNG Chiefs’ entry into the NRL in 2028 is also shaping up to be one of the biggest moments in the country’s sporting history.
Those who attended Tuesday’s event included PNG Chiefs chief executive officer Lorna McPherson, board members Marcus Bai, Ian Tarutia and Richard Pegum, PNG Rugby Football League chairman Stanis Tsaka, and Australian High Commissioner Ewen McDonald.
