Successes

When we take action together we can have a massive impact - so never doubt the importance of making your voice heard. As proof of this ACT NOW! supporters have played a vital role in a number of very significant campaign victories.

Jan 2017: Logging limited to just 12% of illegally acquired SABL forest

Submitted by ACTNOW on Mon, 09/01/2017 - 20:39

Analysis of government data on log exports reveals that only a relatively small percentage of forests illegally acquired under the Special Agriculture Business Lease scheme, have actually been logged.

Of 77 known SABLs, issued between 2003 and 2011 and covering an area of 5,367,765 hectares, a total of 64 leases were designated for agro-forestry activities.

Of those 64 SABLs, covering an area of 5,150,071 hectares, only 13 are known to have been subject to logging activity.

The 13 SABLs where logging activity has been recorded cover an area of 609,788 hectares.

Nov 2016: Prime Minister promises action on the SABL land grab 

Submitted by ACTNOW on Mon, 07/11/2016 - 00:00

The Prime Minister has reiterated his commitment to cancel the SABL leases found to be unlawful in a Commission of Inquiry (see newspaper report below).

While some skepticism remains, as the PM made similar promises in 2013 and 2014 that were not actioned, the announcement remains a significant step forward. 

Oro Governor, Gary Juffa, has publicly attributed the Prime Minister announcement directly to the impact of the campaign by ACT NOW! and our latest radio advert:

Nov 2016: Logging industry to pay more tax

Submitted by ACTNOW on Wed, 02/11/2016 - 00:00

The government has announced the logging industry will be forced to pay more tax through increases to the log export duty.

This comes after a damning report from the Oakland Institute that revealed logging companies are evading corporate taxes by failing to declare any profits year after year and under-declaring log export values.

July 2016: Nautilus Minerals faces financial collapse

Submitted by ACTNOW on Fri, 15/07/2016 - 00:00

Canadian mining company Nautilus Minerals is facing a severe financial crisis that threatens not just its plans for experimental seabed mining in Papua New Guinea, but the future of the whole company.

Nautilus says not only is it delaying any further project spending, it desperately needs short-term emergency funding to continue company operations to allow staff more time to look for ‘significant additional funding’ or an “alternative transaction aimed at maximising shareholder value”.

May 2016: Government challenged at the United Nations

Submitted by ACTNOW on Sat, 14/05/2016 - 20:51

The human rights situation in Papua New Guinea has recently been reviewed by the Human Rights Council at the United Nations in Geneva. This provided ACT NOW! with an excellent opportunity to raise a number of key campaign issues with the international community and put pressure on the PNG government to act.  

June 2014: NEC orders cancellation of illegal SABL land grabs

Submitted by rait man on Sat, 21/06/2014 - 00:00

Following an intensive campaign by civil society organisations and community groups the National Exceutive Council has passed a resolution ordering more than 4 million hectares of land be returned to its customary owners.

A Commission of Inquiry had found that Special Agriculture and Business Leases had been used by foreign companies and unscrupulous Lands Department officials to illegally gain access to more than 5 million hectares of customary land, mainly for logging, but for more than a year the government stalled on acting on the Commission recommendations.

March 2014: Former Minister jailed for corruption

Submitted by Tim on Sun, 30/03/2014 - 00:00

Former government Minister Paul Tiensten has been sentenced to 9-years imprisonment for misuse of public funds. 

ACT NOW! has focused on the lack of government action to tackle massive corruption since it was first formed and ACT NOW! played an active role in publicizing the crimes of Mr Tiensten

The conviction and sentencing are very significant as this is the first time in the modern era a senior politician has been sentenced to jail for misappropriation committed while in office.

Dec 2013: Finance Department Commission of Inquiry report finally released

Submitted by rait man on Sat, 11/01/2014 - 12:35

After three-years of campaigning, the damning Commission of Inquiry report into corruption in the Department of Finance (the so-called "Paraka Scams'), has finally been released to the public.

The Commission spent several years investigating allegations of widespread corruption but in 2010, the day after its report was tabled in parliament, lawyer Paul Paraka and former Solicitor General Zachary Gelu obtained a court injunction preventing its publication.

After more than three years, that injunction has finally been lifted.

Nov 2013: Parliament passes law paving way for an ICAC

Submitted by ACTNOW on Thu, 28/11/2013 - 00:00

Parliament has passed the law amending the Constitution to allow for the establishment of an Independent Commission Against Corruption. This is the first piece of legislation needed in the process of establsihing an ICAC. The government now needs to pass an 'organic law' which will govern how the ICAC is to operate.

ACT NOW! has been campaigning for an ICAC since AN! was established in 2010 and the fight against stealing from the public purse is one of ACT NOW!'s key campaigns. 

Sept 2013: PM releases the SABL Commission of Inquiry reports

Submitted by rait man on Fri, 20/09/2013 - 00:00

Prime Minister Peter O'Neill has finally responded to demands by groups including ACT NOW! that he publish the SABL land grab Commission of Inquiry report by tabling the report in Parliament.

The reports reveal that 38 of 42 leases were fraudulently obtained without the consent of local people.

The PM's office had received over 5,000 emails from ACT NOW! supporters calling on him to table the report.