Media Releases

Lack of District Plans Undermining Quality of Local Health and Education Services

A lack of proper planning at the District level is a critical failure that is undermining the delivery of quality health and education services across Papua New Guinea.

Research by community advocacy organization ACT NOW has revealed that two-years on from the last national election, just one quarter or 25% of Districts have published a five-year development plan for 2023-27.

“Good planning is essential for the delivery of quality services,” says ACT NOW Information Coordinator Cathy Tukne.

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Govt off track in meeting MTDP IV log export targets

The Marape Government is not on track to meet it’s log export reduction goals as outlined in the Medium Term Development Plan IV. 

In 2022, the Government announced a ban on all round log exports in the next 3 to 5 years, with the intention to increase local downstream processing to promote greater employment, increase GDP and boost government revenues. 

The log export data shows an export of 2.2million cubic meters in 2023. 

This is well over the full year target set in the MTDP IV of 1.695 million cubic meters. 

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Government urged to act on continued misuse of Forest Clearing Authorities

Community advocacy group ACT NOW! says the government must act to stop the ongoing abuse of agricultural clearing permits which are being used as a cover for large-scale selective logging.

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Malaysian Logger Fails in "SLAPP" Legal Attack on Papua New Guinea Civil Society

The Malaysian owned Giant Kingdom group of companies, which is logging Papua New Guinea’s besieged tropical forests, has failed in an unprecedented bid to silence public comment on the money laundering risks associated with its chequered activities.

At a time when international standard setting bodies are calling on civil society to help combat the money laundering risks associated with illegal logging, the Giant Kingdom group has engaged in lawfare to stop civic voices in PNG from documenting these risks.

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Further evidence of abuse of Forest Clearing Authorities as cover for illegal logging

The unlawful use of Forest Clearing Authorities as a cover for illegal large-scale logging operations by foreign-owned companies has been further exposed in a new report published today by ACT NOW! 

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New Report: Timber Legality Risk Assessment for PNG

There is a very high risk that almost all logging occurring in natural forest areas in Papua New Guinea is illegal.

This is the damning verdict in a new Timber Legality Risk Assessment published by community advocacy group ACT NOW!

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LOG EXPORT VOLUMES NOT MEETING GOVT REDUCTION TARGETS

Papua New Guinea’s log export volumes are too high and the Forest Authority is failing to comply with the government’s reduction targets. This is according to the analysis of official data published by community advocacy group, ACT NOW!

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Forest Clearing Authorities used as fronts for Illegal Logging

Forest Clearing Authorities are being unlawfully used to facilitate large-scale logging operations by foreign-owned logging companies according to a new report published today by ACT NOW!, in collaboration with Jubilee Australia Research Centre. 

The new report, which focuses on the Wammy logging operation in West Sepik Province, reveals how a Malaysian logging company has used a Forest Clearing Authority (FCA), intended to allow land clearing for agriculture or other land use projects, as a front to export hundreds of thousands of cubic metres of round logs. 

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New DDA Watch website to promote transparency in public spending

Community advocacy organization ACT NOW! is today launching a new website, www.ddawatch.org to promote transparency and accountability in how government funds are used across all 94 Districts in Papua New Guinea.

The DDA Watch website will provide the general public, officials and academics with impartial and non-partisan information on the work of each District Development Authority, with the ultimate aim of helping to improve the quality of local infrastructure and service delivery.

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Lending companies providing millions to companies involved in destructive rainforest logging

In the last eight years, two finance companies and one equipment retailer have provided financing to at least 15 companies that are logging in PNG’s rainforests, new research by Act Now! and Jubilee Australia reveals.

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