The recent corruption case in Singapore involving former Prime Minister Michael Somare emphasises the need for Australia to do much more to crack down on money laundering from PNG.

The oil palm mill at Dirina in Pomio

SABL Story Project*

Who would think that a responsible government, whose income is dependent on tax revenue would allow one of our major export crop to be smeared with more dirt? 

The Singapore court has found Somare received over US$750,000 in corrupt payments and authorities have frozen his Singapore bank account

Source: Amir Hussain – Straits Times

Court upholds SABL ruling

Source: Daphne Wani in The National (owned by logging company Rimbunan Hijau)

THE Supreme Court has upheld a lower court’s decision of 2014 despite a judicial review application by Sepik Oil Palm Plantation Ltd over a Special Agricultural and Business Lease (SABL).

The audio from this video clip is being aired as an advert on commercial radio throughout PNG for the month of September.

Source: Isaac Nicholas, Post Courier

LANDOWNERS in East New Britain Province have won a landmark legal battle to retake their “hijacked” land from the controversial Special Agriculture and Business Lease (SABL).

The people of Baining in Gazelle district had taken the State and developer to court over the SABL deal which has now been declared null and void by the National Court in Kokopo last Thursday.

SABL Story Project*

The Pomio West Special Agriculture Business Leases have failed to bring the promised economic development and financial benefits. Instead, whole villages have been taken over as the property of the lease holder along with everything standing on the land. The people have been left trapped as slaves.

Source: PNG Mine Watch

Over one million people have signed a global petition opposing Nautilus Minerals’ plans for experimental seabed mining in Papua New Guinea and the number is still rising.

There were some fine words from our Prime Minister in Parliament last week on the vital importance of customary land:

“Land, and its connection [to] our people is at the heart and soul of our country and our communities”.

Cartoon: Alliance of Solwara Warriors

The problems just keep stacking up for prospective experimental seabed mining company, Nautilus Minerals, and its planned Solwara 1 mine in Papua New Guinea.

Mining was slated to begin in early 2018, but that date has already abandoned and in the meantime the breadth and volume of opposition just keeps growing.