By Joey Tau, Freelance Journalist, Pacific Media

The following is a brief sourced from the executive summary and recommendations of the report dated 24th June 2013.

By Joey Tau, Freelance Journalist, Pacific Media

The following brief was sourced from the executive summary and recommendations of the final report dated 23rd June 2013.

Source: Radio Australia

Non-government organisations in Papua New Guinea are calling for fraudulent leases issued for millions of hectares of traditional land, to be revoked.

Listen to the audio: NGO's call on PNG PM to revoke controversial land leases 

Source: Post Courier

Papua New Guinea's Commission of Inquiry (COI) report into the special agriculture business leases has revealed a shocking trend of mismanagement and corruption in all stages of the process.

Prime Minister Peter O’Neill, who presented the report to Parliament  this week, said it was very disappointing that the COI was asked to examine 75 Special Agricultural Business Leases (SABLs) but the final report examined only 42.

Statement by the Prime Minister Hon. Peter O”Neill CMG MP on the Report on the Commission of Inquiry into Special Agriculture and Business Leases

Mr Speaker, on the 21 July 2011, the then Acting Prime Minister Hon Sam Abal MP established a Commission of Inquiry into Special Agriculture and Business Leases.

Source: PNG VIllage

The two final reports on special Agriculture Business leases were tabled in parliament.

In his remarks, PM Peter O’Neill, says the two reports covered only 42 of the 75 SABL areas and that the findings were shocking.

He says from the 42 only 4 SABL had qualified landowners consent and have produced successful agriculture projects, while the rest was obtained through corrupted means.

According to the report the SABL policy failed miserably.

PNG landowners conned by companies cutting down forests: PNG PM Peter O'Neill

Liam Fox | ABC News

Papua New Guinea's prime minister Peter O'Neill says a controversial type of land lease has allowed foreign companies to con traditional landowners and chop down forests.

Special Agricultural Business Leases (SABLs) were supposed to allow traditional land to be converted into leasehold land for agricultural developments.

They cover more than 5 million hectares - about 11 per cent of PNG.

Source: Liam Fox on Australian Network News 

Papua New Guinea's Prime Minister says reports into controversial land leases reveal a shocking trend of corruption and mismanagement.

Two years ago a Commission of Inquiry was formed to investigate Special Agricultural Business Leases (SABLs)

The Prime Minister Peter O'Neill has tabled the reports from two of the three Commissioners in Parliament.

He told Parliament that of the 42 SABLs examined, only four had the consent of local landowners and had viable agricultural projects.

By ADRIAN MATHIAS, The National

ALOIS Jerewai, one of the commissioners in the inquiry into the Special Agricultural and Business Leases, says he is willing to repay at least K970,000 paid to him as wages to produce a report.

“I have assets to give back to the State because I (have) got nothing to lose,” Jerewai told journalists in Port Moresby yesterday.