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In partnership with Leahy Lewin Nutley Sullivan Lawyers, OBG takes a look at PNG’s legal system. Key points include investment incentives for foreign companies and the special status of much of PNG’s land. John Leahy, Partner, Leahy Lewin Nutley Sullivan Lawyers, shares a viewpoint on the origin of PNG’s legal code.

In conjunction with DFK Hill Mayberry, OBG explores the taxation system. Tony Canning, Partner, DFK Hill Mayberry, shares a viewpoint on the challenges of establishing a company in PNG.

Decades of underinvestment in PNG’s education sector have led to declining standards: literacy rates had reportedly dropped to as low as 15-25% by 2011, and state spending on universities has fallen tenfold since independence. New state revenues, however, have many optimistic that these trends will be reversed. In 2009, the government abolished school fees for grade 1-10, which has increased retention rates. Additionally, the number of teachers more than doubled from 2003 to 2010, and the Department of Education plans to add more. Still, PNG will need major, sustained investment in its education system if it hopes to recover from years of neglect. This section contains an interview with David Arore, Minister of Higher Education, Research, Science and Technology (RST).

Given the country’s remoteness from traditional tourist markets, PNG understandably remains a niche market, catering to travellers looking for a truly out-of-bounds experience. PNG’s strategy is not to appeal to the mass market, but to increase its prominence in the adventure tourism sector. One key accomplishment was the passage of a land act that will allow developers to negotiate the use of and purchase native customary land, making hotel building and trekking easier to manage. In addition to the country’s low profile, however, PNG tour operators also have to contend with high airfare prices and crime levels. This chapter contains an interview with Peter Vincent, CEO, Papua New Guinea Tourism Promotion Authority (PNG TPA).

Even though mining revenues account for most of GDP, agriculture is the way of life for about 85% of PNG’s people. Infrastructure difficulties limit the potential for exports, but PNG does specialise in several cash crops, including palm oil, rubber, coffee, cocoa, copra and tea, in addition to fish and timber. The agriculture sector is host to dozens of initiatives to develop high-yielding crops, boost productivity, and increase access to markets. One of the major challenges, however, is the uncertain legal status of most of PNG’s land, which is governed by customary land rights for indigenous groups. Timber exporters are also suffering from bans on non-certified lumber imports in Australia, the EU, and the US. This section features interviews with James Lau, Managing Director, Rimbunan Hijau PNG; and Pedro Celso, Managing Director, RD Tuna, and Chairman, Fishing Industry Association PNG.