Foreign Minister Marise Payne has confirmed active conversations are underway about Australian funding going to the Government of Papua New Guinea to boost its 2019 budget.

Key points: Foreign Minister Marise Payne says Australia has a strong track record of helping Papua New Guinea with its finances

Foreign Minister Marise Payne says Australia has a strong track record of helping Papua New Guinea with its finances Senator Payne would not say whether funding from Australia would come from the foreign aid budget or somewhere else

Senator Payne would not say whether funding from Australia would come from the foreign aid budget or somewhere else PNG's Commerce and Industry Minister said its request for direct budget support from Australia was "quite significant"

On Monday, PNG's Commerce and Industry Minister Wera Mori told the ABC his country wanted $1.5 billion from Australia, which would include funding to help fight corruption and to pay for roads in remote areas.

Speaking to ABC RN host Patricia Karvelas, Senator Payne would not quantify how much money PNG was seeking nor how much Australia would consider providing.

However, she did say the $1.5 billion figure Mr Mori raised was not correct and the Australian Government had not yet received a formal request for funding from PNG.

"The Treasurer of PNG, Sam Basil, clarified the figure for starters is inaccurate," Senator Payne said.

"There's not a figure to put on it at this point in time in discussions, but it is an important discussion in which Australia is engaged."

Senator Payne said Australia had a strong track record of helping PNG with its finances.

"These are issues we discuss regularly and I suspect, given this weekend and on Monday we go into our next PNG Australia Ministerial Forum in Port Moresby those discussions will continue," she said.

Wera Mori said Papua New Guinea would ask for direct budget support from Australia. ( Supplied: APEC )

On Monday Mr Mori said the request for direct budget support from Australia was "quite significant".

"The new Government has realised that we are in a situation which we need to basically come out of," he said.

"This will go basically towards helping us to cushion the current situation we are in so we can meet complete funding of the 2019 budget to deliver services to the people."

Mr Mori has been part of a delegation of senior PNG ministers in Australia to attend a Papua New Guinea investment conference in Sydney.

The ABC approached four separate PNG Government ministers to ask questions about Mr Mori's comments but none would comment.

Senator Payne would not say whether any funding from Australia would come from the foreign aid budget or somewhere else.

"The new Government [of PNG] is looking at a comprehensive reform program and a comprehensive approach to the challenges and issues they face … and we will engage with them where we can in a helpful way," Senator Payne said.

PNG is already seeking international help to refinance nearly $12 billion in national debt.

However, PNG Prime Minister James Marape earlier this month denied reports that he had asked for China's assistance.

The PNG request comes as Australia tries to claw back some of China's growing influence in the Pacific and as Pacific leaders step up their attacks on the Australia Government over climate change.