b'Across the straitAustralia and Papua New Guinea share a long history.for the independence of PNG and in 1964 was appointed Australia had administrative responsibility for the territoriesthe inaugural chairman of the Council on New Guinea of Papua and New Guinea from 1902 and 1914 respectively,Affairs, an organisation that helped pave the way for PNGs until the country achieved independence in 1975.independence. Allens has had an association with PNG since 1910 whenOver the years both Arthur Robinson & Co and Allen the firm helped Westpac (then the Bank of New SouthAllen & Hemsley developed strong affiliations with PNG, Wales) establish its first branch in Port Moresby in therepresenting international investors in all sectors of the Territory of Papua. Several Allen Allen & Hemsley partnerseconomy and advising on key developments, including the were among the first subscribers for shares in New GuineaBougainville Copper project, the Ok Tedi gold and copper Goldfields, a mining company formed in 1929, includingproject, the Porgera gold project, the Kutubu oil project,Alfred Hemsley who was also a director. The firm acted as thethe Lihir gold project and the PNG LNG project. companys official solicitor for many years. In the lead up to PNGs independence Tom Poulton of Norman Cowper replaced Hemsley as a director of NewArthur Robinson & Co supported partner John Rodd on the Guinea Goldfields in 1936. Cowper was a vocal advocaterenegotiation of the Bougainville Copper mine agreement. During his work on the financing of the Kutubu oil project, Partner Phillip Cornwell boarded a helicopter heading from Lake Kutubu to the remote Ambua Lodge. The helicopter had no doors. This did not really matter until they encountered a tropical downpour. At this point the pilot, needing to see out the side of the helicopter, began flying sideways. Cornwells much-admired composure was tested when the pilot radioed that they were lost somewhere in the precipitous gorges of the Southern Highlands. They eventually arrived at Ambua Lodge, drenched and relieved.Phillip Cornwell, 1991. 204'