Papua New Guinea’s Internal Revenue Commission says the logging industry is “one of the most delinquent sectors insofar as tax compliance is concerned“.

The logging companies are guilty of “egregious” transfer pricing, “entrenched” tax evasion and “deceptive behaviour” says the IRC (see the full IRC statements below).

An arieal view of forest clearance for oil palm planting in West Pomio

By Paul Pavol

The people of West Pomio in East New Britain Province lost most of their land and forest under the controversial, government-backed, Special Agriculture Business Lease scheme. 

By Rex Sos

Heavy logging activity has been going on in Madang Province for the last 50 years.

Some 500,000 hectares of forest have been harvested and unique eco systems destroyed under the name of logging. 

The increase in duty on round log exports, introduced in the 2020 budget, is having a positive effect according to analysis conducted by ACT NOW!

The higher export duty has both increased government revenue and driven down the level of logs exports inline with government policy.