PNG Forest Minister Urged to Allow Audit

The Papua New Guinea Forest Minister has been urged by a transparency and environmental NGO to allow an audit of financial reporting by the logging industry.

Despite a new report by the Oakland Institute tracking massive tax evasion by foreign companies involved in PNG forestry, the minister Douglas Torumiesa has defended the loggers.

Mr Tomuriesa attacked the report's findings as being inaccurate because the companies do pay log export taxes.

But Act Now's Effrey Dademo said Mr Tomuriesa seems to miss the fact that the companies have been reported as avoiding corporate, not log export, taxes.