Papua New Guineans have another important campaign sucess to celebrate.

New Health Minister, Jamie Maxton-Graham, has announced the government will not be proceeding with plans to build a private 'super hospital' in Port Moresby.

The proposed hospital would have been an extravagant waste of public funds and have benefited very few people while diverting money and other resources from front-line medical care, as ACT NOW! explained in a fact sheet published last year.

The proposed hospital was opposed by health professionals, the churches, ACT NOW! and many private citizens and had been roundly criticized on blogs and in the Post Courier newspaper.

Jamie Maxton-Graham made the announcement the project was dead at the official handover of his portfolio from his predecessor, saying "“I cannot see the logic in building a new super hospital... instead we will renovate and upgrade [existing] facilities".

The Health Minister's announcement is another important reminder that politicians DO listen to the people and that when we MAKE OUR VOICES HEARD we CAN MAKE CHANGE HAPPEN.

The new PNG government has also announced plans for an Independent Commission Against Corruption, an investigation into the misuse of public funds in the Department of Planning, and the sale of the Somare government's executive Falcon jet.

Meanwhile, previous Prime Minister Sam Abal's Commission of Inquiry into the SABL land grab has commenced its hearings in Port Moresby and you can follow the latest news from our own special correspondent on the dedicated ACT NOW! SABL blog.