January 12, 2021 Advertisement Within Australia, the national security community is abuzz with the prospect of the sale of Papua New Guinea’s largest telecommunications company, Digicel. The Australian government is currently under significant lobbying pressure to provide support to private bidders for the sale of the company. Digicel, led by Denis O’Brien, has reportedly been courted by bidders from mainland China. As a result, there is a scramble to buy the company underway. Digicel is demanding US$2 billion, according to the Australian Financial Review. This would value the company higher than massive telecommunications companies in Australia. Assessment by the AFR shows that the asking price is hard to justify, and the Australian government is clearly being asked to pay a geopolitical premium for the institution.