Papua New Guinea and Australia have formally signed a landmark new "Pukpuk" defence treaty, elevating the bilateral relationship between the two countries to an alliance and agreeing that they will "act to meet the common danger" if the other is faced with an armed attack.

Prime ministers Anthony Albanese and James Marape put pen to paper shortly before midday on Monday in Canberra, officially sealing the pact less than three weeks after an abortive attempt in Port Moresby just after PNG's 50th independence commemorations.

The document confirms mutual defence provisions first revealed by the ABC last month , saying "each Party recognises that an armed attack on either of the Parties within the Pacific would be dangerous to each other's peace and security and the security of the Pacific

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