Aro of Rupamanda was the last man hanged by Australian authorities in PNG. It is a narrative that reveals the colonial world in microcosm. Aro was a poor man from a hamlet in the forested mountains of PNG, yet his case was discussed at the highest level of Australian political authority. The fate of one man was closely tied through the choice of either clemency or capital punishment to the authority held by Australia over Nuiginians. Hanged in 1957, in the midst of the decolonising world and Australian uncertainty about the immediate future of PNG, the political discussions that led to the decision to hang him reveals the thinking and calculations of Australian colonial authorities. To hang a Nuiginian or to spare their life, was a significant and calculated political message, so this historical case-study can tells us of Australia's intentions to be seen as a benevolent and helpful friend in PNG, while also maintaining both the rule of law and its geostrategic power and presence in its north.