corruption

Government waters down ICAC bill

On 23 Oct, 2018 By ACTNOW

Papua New Guinea’s proposed Independent Commission Against Corruption could end up being an ineffective and toothless organisation as a result of government changes to the draft ICAC bill [can be downloaded below].

Expert analysis shows the government has watered down the draft legislation to remove key powers from the proposed agency, despite claims to the contrary from the Prime Minister and Attorney General.

Government's 'interim ICAC' not "Independent"

On 09 Oct, 2018 By ACTNOW

The government’s announcement of a so-called ’interim ICAC’ is an insult to the nation and an abuse of the ICAC name.

An ICAC must be independent from government and free from any political interference, but, what the Prime Minister has announced, fundamentally fails both these tests.

SABL Scandal Buried and Forgotten

On 30 Aug, 2018 By ACTNOW

The government has tried to bury and forget the SABL land grab scandal in which more than 5 million hectares of land has been stolen from rural communities.

It is using a well tested formula that we see employed almost every time a new corruption scandal is exposed:

First a long-drawn out official inquiry that is delayed by funding and other logistical problems.
Then a further delay before the inquiry findings are tabled in Parliament.

Corruption is O’Neill’s Biggest Failure

On 14 Aug, 2018 By ACTNOW

It is six years since Prime Minister Peter O’Neill promised the country an Independent Commission Against Corruption. Yet that vision is no closer to being realised today than it was in 2012.

Peter O’Neill has totally failed to live up to his promises in both the 2012 and 2017 Alotau Accords that the government would establish an ICAC.

New Study Reveals Dangers Inherent in Land Registration

On 22 Jul, 2018 By ACTNOW

Photo: New oil palm planting and processing mill in Pomio District, ENBP

Customary land registration processes can easily be captured by local ‘big men’ and companies with disastrous consequences for local people. This is the conclusion drawn in a study on recent oil palm expansion in Papua New Guinea by academic Caroline Hambloch from the University of London.

ACT NOW! and the Open Govt Partnership

On 30 Jun, 2018 By ACTNOW

Photo: ACT NOW! was on the panel for the discussion on Public Participation and Access to Information.

ACT NOW! Program Coordinator, Eddie Tanago, attended the High Level Conference on the Open Government Partnership in Port Moresby this week.

Australian government's hypocritical stance on PNG corruption

On 06 Jun, 2018 By ACTNOW

Image: Sir Michael Somare arrives at Parliament House in Canberra in 2009. Photo: AAP

Source: Michael Pascoe, The New Daily

It’s illegal for Australian entities to bribe foreign entities, but apparently we’re perfectly happy to take dirty money from bribed foreigners and consort with corrupt leaders.

Policy Proposals to improve governance and service delivery

On 22 May, 2018 By ACTNOW

Papua New Guinea is facing some serious governance challenges that are inhibiting economic development and service delivery and affecting the health and wellbeing of ordinary citizens, but what reforms are needed to ensure things improve?

To help address this question, ACT NOW! has developed a set of fifteen policy proposals that it has set out in a consultation document.

Proposed ICAC legal framework needs a lot of work

On 01 May, 2018 By ACTNOW

Source: Sam Koim, Devpolicy Blog / ANU

The setting up of a centralised anti-corruption agency (ACA) is an important decision for a country, and in 2014 Papua New Guinea took the first step, amending its Constitution to create an Independent Commission Against Corruption (ICAC).

Will the 2018 APEC Summit Benefit PNG?

On 26 Mar, 2018 By ACTNOW

Commentary by By Aloysius Otmar on PNG Today

PM Peter O'Neill and Treasury Minister Charles Abel are saying PNG will benefit from the APEC 2018. Like many right thinking and concerned PNGeans, I doubt it very much. This event will only be a major gain for many politically-aligned individuals and not the country as a whole. Why do I need to boast about the APEC 2018 when;

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