ɪn dᵻsˈɛmbɚ nˈaɪntiːnhˈʌndɹɪd sˈɛvənti ˈeɪt, ɐ tɹˈiːɾi wʌz sˈaɪnd baɪ ðɪ ɔːstɹˈeɪliən ænd pˈæpjuːə nˈuː ɡˈɪni ɡˈʌvɚnmənts ðæt dᵻskɹˈaɪbd ðə bˈaʊndɚɹiz bᵻtwˌiːn ðə tˈuː kˈʌntɹiz ænd ðə jˈuːs ʌvðə sˈiː ˈɛɹiə baɪ bˈoʊθ pˈɑːɹɾiz.
In December 1978, a treaty was signed by the Australian and Papua New Guinea governments that described the boundaries between the 2 countries and the use of the sea area by both parties.