ACTNOW's blog

NZ Appeal Court supports ban on seabed mining off Taranaki coast

Source: Radio New Zealand - April 3, 2020

A mining company has lost a bid to overturn a decision preventing it from mining millions of tonnes of ironsands off the coast of Taranaki.

The Court of Appeal has dismissed an attempt by Trans-Tasman Resources to overturn a 2018 High Court decision quashing the original consents.

Rio Tinto violating human rights in Bougainville by not cleaning up Panguna mine

Panguna was once one of the largest and most profitable copper and gold mines in the world, but a new report says it has left a terrible legacy for residents of Bougainville. Photograph: Human Rights Law Centre

New report alleges mine caused environmental devastation and ongoing health problems for communities

Source: Ben Doherty, The Guardain, 31 March 2020

What are the lessons? Seeing the COVID-19 crisis through a PNG lens

The COVID-19 pandemic further emphasises the message that our customary land is our social safety net, our security, our life, our sustenance and our provider and must be protected at all costs.

Source: Scott Waide - My Land, My Country - 24 March 2020

So it’s a global pandemic with 15,000+ dead already, 350,000 infected and nearly 105,000 recovered.

Hands Off! Why Customary Land should never be 'bankable'

24th February 2020

Banks want to lend money to people and small business in Papua New Guinea and to take rights over customary land as security in case the loans do not get repaid.

This could lead to a huge transfer of customary land into private ownership and lead to families and whole communities being forced off their land and losing their livelihoods.