Australia and Papua New Guinea are agreeing to come to the aid of the other if under attack. Photo: Jono Searle/AAP PHOTOS

Australia will have to break out the chequebook to hold up its end of a historic defence alliance with Papua New Guinea, analysts say.

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Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and his PNG counterpart James Marape are expected to ink a long-awaited mutual defence treaty as early as Monday after attending Sunday's NRL grand final.

The Pukpuk agreement, named after the local word for crocodile, will require each nation to come to the aid of the other if under military atta

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