PNGBLOGS

Australia has been singled out as the money-laundering destination of choice for corrupt Papua New Guinea politicians and officials. The head of PNG's anti-corruption taskforce says stolen government funds are being washed clean in Australia, and authorities here are doing little to stop it. Sam Koim, the head of PNG's Task Force Sweep, says his job gets all the more difficult when ill-gotten gains disappear south to Australia. "There appears to be a lot of monies being transferred by people who have stolen money from the PNG coffers," he said. "They have been moving money to Australia and we have evidence to show that they have been depositing those monies in Australian bank accounts, and also translating those monies into Australian real estate." Mr Koim estimates half of the PNG government's annual budget is lost to fraud and corruption through a "mobocracy" of unscrupulous politicians, public servants, lawyers and business people. He believ

Australia has been singled out as the money-laundering destination of choice for corrupt Papua New Guinea politicians and officials. The head of PNG's anti-corruption taskforce says stolen government funds are being washed clean in Australia, and authorities here are doing little to stop it. Sam Koim, the head of PNG's Task Force Sweep, says his job gets all the more difficult when ill-gotten gains disappear south to Australia. "There appears to be a lot of monies being transferred by people who have stolen money from the PNG coffers," he said. "They have been moving money to Australia and we have evidence to show that they have been depositing those monies in Australian bank accounts, and also translating those monies into Australian real estate." Mr Koim estimates half of the PNG government's annual budget is lost to fraud and corruption through a "mobocracy" of unscrupulous politicians, public servants, lawyers and business people

It is high time we sorted out a few things in relation to our relationship with Australia and Australians. There is no better time than now – when the 9th Parliament commences its term and power transition for the government is safely over. There are a few burning issues that need urgent settlement now, among them the following: Australia pretends to be a friend of PNG but its motives are apparently different. It seems it does not want to take proactive steps to prevent or discourage or stifle individual cases of theft or corruption in PNG even though it easily could. Believe me they do know the identities of the thieves (most of them young public servants or corrupt politicians – people with no visible sources of high income) who remit unexplained wealth to Australia for laundering and cleansing and safe keeping. Let me relate an experience that places things in perspective. A day ago a PNG woman of none descript appearance, by her admission a betel nut seller (obviously an average Ma

It is high time we sorted out a few things in relation to our relationship with Australia and Australians. There is no better time than now – when the 9th Parliament commences its term and power transition for the government is safely over. There are a few burning issues that need urgent settlement now, among them the following: Australia pretends to be a friend of PNG but its motives are apparently different. It seems it does not want to take proactive steps to prevent or discourage or stifle individual cases of theft or corruption in PNG even though it easily could. Believe me they do know the identities of the thieves (most of them young public servants or corrupt politicians – people with no visible sources of high income) who remit unexplained wealth to Australia for laundering and cleansing and safe keeping. Let me relate an experience that places things in perspective. A day ago a PNG woman of none descript appearance, by her admission a betel nut seller (obviously an avera

AS much as half of Papua New Guinea's A$3.5 billion development budget over three years has been lost to graft or dodgy overseas investments, the head of the Pacific nation's government anti-corruption task force says. Task Force Sweep (TFS) chairman Sam Koim says Australian financial institutions have been complicit by turning a blind eye to dirty monies being redirected to Australian connections. A TFS analysis of PNG's 7.6 billion kina development budget from 2009 through 2011 shows almost half was lost to corrupt practices by public officials and government departments. "We have uncovered a lot of instances where there was no recourse to budget and people were spending money left, right and centre, squandering funds and using them for private purposes," Mr Koim told AAP on Monday. "Given the trend of corruption and seeing that there is nothing on the ground level to show for the expenditure of public funds, we have reason to believe that at least half of

AS much as half of Papua New Guinea's A$3.5 billion development budget over three years has been lost to graft or dodgy overseas investments, the head of the Pacific nation's government anti-corruption task force says. Task Force Sweep (TFS) chairman Sam Koim says Australian financial institutions have been complicit by turning a blind eye to dirty monies being redirected to Australian connections. A TFS analysis of PNG's 7.6 billion kina development budget from 2009 through 2011 shows almost half was lost to corrupt practices by public officials and government departments. "We have uncovered a lot of instances where there was no recourse to budget and people were spending money left, right and centre, squandering funds and using them for private purposes," Mr Koim told AAP on Monday. "Given the trend of corruption and seeing that there is nothing on the ground level to show for the expenditure of public funds, we have reason to believe that at least h

AUSTRALIA’S anti-corruption agencies and its banking and financial system are condoning PNG’s burgeoning corruption industry by turning a blind eye to it, Task Force Sweep chief Sam Koim says. He told a meeting in Sydney last Thursday that while Australia preached good governance and anti-corruption, never once had it repatriated any proceeds of corruption back to PNG. He said half of the country’s development budget over three years had been fleeced off in corruptive activities. That is a staggering K3.8 billion out of the PNG government component of K7.6 billion for 2009, 2010 and 2011 Said Koim: “A few months ago, it was reported in a Cairns newspaper that PNG residents are the largest investors in the far north according to the latest figures from the Registrar of Titles. “It is also understood six known politicians have invested in million-dollar properties up north and central Cairns to a tune of A$11.45 million (K24.5 million) – A$3.8 million, A$1.9 million, A$2.3 million, A$2 m

AUSTRALIA’S anti-corruption agencies and its banking and financial system are condoning PNG’s burgeoning corruption industry by turning a blind eye to it, Task Force Sweep chief Sam Koim says. He told a meeting in Sydney last Thursday that while Australia preached good governance and anti-corruption, never once had it repatriated any proceeds of corruption back to PNG. He said half of the country’s development budget over three years had been fleeced off in corruptive activities. That is a staggering K3.8 billion out of the PNG government component of K7.6 billion for 2009, 2010 and 2011 Said Koim: “A few months ago, it was reported in a Cairns newspaper that PNG residents are the largest investors in the far north according to the latest figures from the Registrar of Titles. “It is also understood six known politicians have invested in million-dollar properties up north and central Cairns to a tune of A$11.45 million (K24.5 million) – A$3.8 million, A$1.9 million, A$2.3 million,

The Australian government says asylum seeker processing on Papua New Guinea's Manus Island will start within weeks, as another 33 would-be refugees arrived at Nauru's offshore processing centre. The group of 18 Sri Lankans, 14 Afghans and one Iranian arrived on a chartered aircraft from Christmas Island on Friday morning. This brings the number of asylum seekers currently on the island to 181, after three people opted to return home in September. The government in August committed to offshore processing of asylum seekers who arrive in Australian waters by boat on Nauru and Manus Island. The coalition joined Labor in the Senate in September to pass the legislative instrument allowing Nauru to be used for offshore processing. A similar legislative instrument is expected to be introduced into parliament in the coming weeks, which would allow Manus Island to be reopened. Meanwhile, a war of words has erupted between Immigration Minister Chris Bowen's office and his opposition c

The Australian government says asylum seeker processing on Papua New Guinea's Manus Island will start within weeks, as another 33 would-be refugees arrived at Nauru's offshore processing centre. The group of 18 Sri Lankans, 14 Afghans and one Iranian arrived on a chartered aircraft from Christmas Island on Friday morning. This brings the number of asylum seekers currently on the island to 181, after three people opted to return home in September. The government in August committed to offshore processing of asylum seekers who arrive in Australian waters by boat on Nauru and Manus Island. The coalition joined Labor in the Senate in September to pass the legislative instrument allowing Nauru to be used for offshore processing. A similar legislative instrument is expected to be introduced into parliament in the coming weeks, which would allow Manus Island to be reopened. Meanwhile, a war of words has erupted between Immigration Minister Chris Bowen's office and his opposition c

Prime Minister Peter O’Neill claims he is trying to improve the living standards of ordinary people and ensure they have access to basic services, but this is far from the truth. Confidential government documents show that, just like his predecessor Michael Somare, O’Neill is not only being bullied by the Chinese to give them preferential access to PNG resources – he is using PNG tax payers money to subsidize the Chinese.  The O’Neill government says the controversial Pacific Marine Industrial Zone in Madang province is one of its priorities to boost the national economy but has not revealed: •    The USD79 million dollars it is borrowing from the Chinese to fund the project will be plowed straight back into the Chinese company building the PMIZ rather than being invested in PNG companies and people •    China Shenyang International Corp has been contracted by the PNG government to design, build and supply equipment and materials for the PMIZ rather than the PNG government using local