It's been said that Sir Rabbie, born in 1948, is far too decent a man to be capable of enjoying long term success in the blackmail prone world cloaking any PNG prime minister.

He served one term as prime minister during which time he was blackmailed: several members of his own PANGU party agreed to step down as ministers (PANGU at the time had a rotation of ministerial portfolios policy) but then threatened to cross the floor and vote him out unless he agreed to provide them with money for "projects" in their electorates.

Later, after losing the prime ministership in the 1992 elections, he faced criminal charges over the matter but was acquitted.

Sir Rabbie served for a time as Speaker of Parliament, a job he did with distinction.

He was appointed foreign minister in Sir Michael Somare's third government in 2002.