Papua New Guinea mulls social media age checks; stirs censorship fears

Papua New Guinea plans new social media rules for 2025, including age verification via SevisPass ID, sparking debate over censorship and online safety. Papua New Guinea is in early talks with Meta to introduce age restrictions, aiming to limit...

Papua New Guinea cabinet signs landmark defence treaty with Australia

Published On 3 Oct 20253 Oct 2025 Papua New Guinea (PNG) has approved a mutual defence treaty with Australia in a major step forward for the landmark security deal. Papua New Guinea’s Prime Minister James Marape announced in a statement on...

Boluda Adds Australia and Papua New Guinea Towage as Acquisitions Continue

The Spanish-based Boluda Towage continues its aggressive path of acquisitions to consolidate the towages and global expansion with the acquisition of operations in Australia and Papua New Guinea from Royal Boskalis. The company highlights that the...

The racism we refuse to see: Australia’s silence on Papua New Guinea

Australia’s token gestures of reconciliation ring hollow while Papua New Guinea, our closest neighbour and former territory, remains sidelined and silenced, writes Michael Cohen. AUSTRALIANS HAVE GROWN used to acknowledgements of Country. In...

Papua New Guinea approves defense treaty with Australia

Papua New Guinea’s Cabinet has approved a bilateral defense treaty with near neighbor Australia, paving the way for the nations’ leaders to sign a landmark agreement that U.S. allies hope will curb Chinese influence in the region. Papua New Guinea...

Papua New Guinea confronts the risk of grey listing by global money laundering watchdog

Bank of PNG governor Elizabeth Genia said while grey listing does not impose sanctions, it acts as a red flag. Photo: 123rf.com As Papua New Guinea stares at the possibility of being placed on the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) grey list early...

Boluda in $640M acquisition of Boskalis’s Australia and Papua New Guinea towage biz

Written by Nick Blenkey Photo: Boluda Boluda Towage has been on the acquisition trail again, buying Royal Boskalis BV’s towage and salvage business in Australia and Papua New Guinea in a deal valued at $640 million. Boluda says the acquisition...

Boluda buys Boskalis towage arm in Australia and Papua New Guinea for $640m

Spanish towage giant Boluda has struck a $640m deal to acquire Royal Boskalis’ harbour towage and salvage business in Australia and Papua New Guinea, cementing its position as the world’s largest operator in the sector. The takeover hands Boluda...

Papua New Guinea Cabinet approves defense treaty with Australia

MELBOURNE, Australia (AP) — Papua New Guinea’s Cabinet has approved a bilateral defense treaty with near neighbor Australia, paving the way for the nations’ leaders to sign a landmark agreement that U.S. allies hope will curb Chinese influence in...

Boluda acquires Boskalis' Australia and Papua New Guinea business

Boluda has acquired the towage and salvage business of the Dutch company Royal Boskalis BV in Australia and Papua New Guinea. Valued at US$640M, the deal adds operational capacity for Boluda in the ports of Sydney, Perth, Botany, Gladstone,...

Business and government gather to discuss ‘The Next 50’ at Papua New Guinea’s Petroleum and Energy Conference

A panel at PNG PEC 2024. Credit: PNG PEC The 2025 edition of the PNG Petroleum and Energy Conference (PEC25) takes place on the 8th and 9th of October, at the Stanley Hotel, Port Moresby. Hosted by state-owned energy company, Kumul Petroleum...

Papua New Guinea at 50: Growth, Challenges, and Crossroads Ahead - WestPac

At independence in 1975, Papua New Guinea (PNG) emerged as a young nation of 2.8 million people, transitioning peacefully from Australian administration with optimism grounded in the Charter of National Unity. Rich in natural resources like gold...

Bank says grey-listing is likely

THE Bank of Papua New Guinea (BPNG) has warned that despite efforts by the Financial Analysis and Supervision Unit (Fasu) to fight financial crimes, the country can still expect grey-listing. BPNG governor Elizabeth Genia when reflecting on the...

Financing of consecutive budget deficits affects monetary policy operations

Financing of consecutive budget deficits affects monetary policy operations In Papua New Guinea, ongoing budget deficits pose significant challenges, primarily driven by domestic borrowing through mechanisms like open market operations and the...

Guam at the Pacific Islands Forum: ‘Business as Usual’ Despite External Partner Ban 

At this year’s Pacific Islands Forum (PIF) Leaders’ Meeting, the story that seemed to capture headlines was the decision by this year’s host, Solomon Islands, to disinvite all external partners from attendance. The reporting around this decision...

Port operator invests heavily as Papua New Guinea’s economy strengthens

Motukea International Terminal outside Port Moresby. Credit: ICTSI BAPNG: Can you provide an update on trade volumes and key drivers? Robert Maxwell (RM): Imports are up 13 per cent year on year and exports are up 9 per cent year on year [to...

University of Papua New Guinea students against Frieda project

EAST Sepik students at the University of Papua New Guinea (UPNG) are against the opening of the Frieda project in West Sepik. Vice-president of the East Sepik students Francy Mandau said the reason for their rejection is that the livelihood of 80...

Another nation set to enforce social media age restrictions to tackle fake news, online abuse

Following the footsteps of Australia, Britain, Norway, and European Union countries, Papua New Guinea is now in the “early” stages of discussions with Meta on imposing age restrictions to reduce the impact of harmful content. This has fuelled...

The Pacific Tourism Organisation Hosts Two-Week Research Training for PNGTPA to Strengthen Tourism Data Capacity

From 16 to 30 September 2025, the Pacific Tourism Organisation (SPTO) hosted a two-week research training program for the Papua New Guinea Tourism Promotion Authority (PNGTPA), aimed at strengthening PNGTPA’s capacity to manage and deliver...

BPNG calls for united action against financial crime

BANK of Papua New Guinea governor Elizabeth Genia has urged stakeholders to empower Papua New Guinea to combat corruption as it is integral to their efforts in fighting money laundering and financial crime. Genia said this yesterday at a two-day...