ACTNOW's blog

Human rights abuses and bribery taint palm oil produced in Papua New Guinea

Global Witness

A two-year investigation shines a light on palm oil in Papua New Guinea, the notorious industry’s newest frontier. It reveals a litany of human rights abuses and the wide-scale destruction of tens of thousands of hectares of climate-critical rainforest, linked to major financial institutions including BlackRock, the world’s largest asset manager.

Prime Minister must extend ban on new logging permits

By Eddie Tanago, ACT NOW!

The Prime Minister must extend the government's ban on new logging permits to cover all types of logging consent in order for it to be effective.

The PM last week directed the PNG Forest Authority to stop issuing new permits and permit extensions so the government can meet its deadline of 2025 for an end to the export of unprocessed raw logs.

Logging industry 'a major money laundering risk' - report

Illegal logging in Papua New Guinea represents a major money laundering threat as it generates very large illegal profits and it has a very high detrimental impact on the economy as well as the natural environment. 

This is according to a money laundering and financing of terrorism risk assessment published by the Bank of Papua New Guinea in 2017.

ACT NOW reaching remote villages via USB sticks

A simple Flash Drive can be an effective education and awareness tool

Sia village in the Sohe District of Oro Province is a difficult place to reach from the outside.

With no road linking the community to the outside world, the only options are three hour dingy ride along the coast from the Provincial capital, Popondetta, and up the Mamba river, or a three to four day walk.

Corruption report indicts 'deficient' PNG

Keith Jackson | PNG Attitude

A report by Transparency International PNG (TIPNG) on how the Papua New Guinea government is meeting its obligations under the United Nations Convention against corruption has highlighted “a multitude of deficiencies hindering the successful implementation” of the Convention.

In summary the TIPNG report concludes that the PNG government has been only partially compliant with its obligations.

Frieda river mine will destroy lives and livelihoods

The proposed Frieda River mine complex showing the 123km2 that will be flooded to hold the mine waste rock and tailings and the scale of the mine pit itself. Photo: Panaust

The proposed Frieda River copper and gold mine is set to destroy the livelihoods of thousands of local people who currently depend on small-scale alluvial mining for their jobs and income.

Govt must immediately publish the APEC Audit Report

ACT NOW is calling on the government to immediately publish the Auditor General’s report on spending for the 2018 APEC Summit.

The government has repeatedly promised that the APEC Audit report will be made public but it is now almost three-years since the Summit and we are still waiting.

According to the Auditor General, his report was given to the Speaker of Parliament in April, but has yet to be presented to MPs.