export tax

Headlines

Papua New Guinea

New log export tax

Papua New Guinea has abandoned the most contentious of its tough, new forestry guidelines in favour of a new log export tax. Reports say tat the government of Paias Wingti appears to have given in to a concerted campaign waged by the foreign logging companies and their associated resource owner groups.

In early March, tree felling on 14 logging projects in PNG came to a halt in protest at the new guidelines which the forest minister said were needed to control PNG’s logging industry.

Wingti set-up a ministerial committee to review the guidelines and, after a meeting with industry groups, he announced the guidelines will be deferred indefinitely in favour of a new log export tax. Wingti said the timber industry was very happy with what his office described as a major

breakthrough following months of dispute.

Australia accused of sabotaging Bougainville peace moves

The self-styled Bougainville interim-government has accused the Australian government of moves to torpedo a human rights resolution on Bougainville. A four-man delegation from Bougainville at the Commission on Human Rights in Geneva

says in the absence of PNG, the Australian government has called in all favours in an attempt to sink an African-sponsored resolution calling for a Special Representative of the United Nations to investigate the human rights situation on

Bougainville.

Spokesman Mike Forster said from Geneva that the call for a Special Representative is vital to an early peace on Bougainville. He said someone needs to bring about the reality of negotiations. Forster says the text being proposed by Australia to replace the African text means that Australia and PNG will have another year to murder the people on Bougainville. He says ther is an obvious conflict on Bougainville, but it’s a conflict of interest, and no amount of warfare will solve this.

The Commission which meets once a year, passed two resolution in 193 to which PNG has made no replay.