A minister in the Papua New Guinea government has been arrested in Sydney after an alleged domestic assault offence. Guardian Australia understands that the country’s petroleum minister, Jimmy Maladina, was charged with domestic assault on Saturday after an alleged incident in Bondi. NSW police said a 31-year-old woman received facial injuries allegedly as the result of an “altercation” with a 58-year-old man who was known to her. The man was arrested and taken to Waverley police station, where he was charged with assault occasioning actual bodily harm. Sign up for Guardian Australia’s free morning and afternoon email newsletters for your daily news roundup In a statement on Sunday, Maladina said he was aware of reports concerning the alleged incident, and he was “fully cooperating with the authorities to address this matter”. “I understand the gravity of this situation and the concerns it raises,” he said. “As a public servant, I hold myself to high standards of conduct, both personally and professionally. “I want to make it clear that violence in any form is unacceptable, and I am committed to handling this situation with integrity and transparency. I respectfully request privacy for all parties involved as we work through this process.” Maladina was granted conditional bail to appear in Waverley local court on 11 July.