Minister for Justice

Minister for Justice, Bryan Kramer said Prime Minister, James Marape has directed that these changes be made and brought before Parliament to be passed.

Minister Kramer said the bill is part of the Government’s effort to curb corruption.

 “The Unexplained Wealth provisions when passed under the Proceeds of Crime Act will be used against public officials whose wealth exceeds that which cannot be explained by their legitimate income.”

The conference came after Transparency International  PNG (TIPNG) launched its 2021 report on how PNG has performed in the global community and significantly improving in it’s stance against corruption in the country.

PNG had a made a significant move in its placing by moving 18 places up, from 142 in 2020 to rank 124 out of 180 countries by 2021. This showed a 15 percent increase from where the country initially was to where it is now.

“The jump in PNG's score from 27 to 31, demonstrates the reforms implemented by the Marape government are working.

Minister for Justice, Bryan Kramer, said the cabinet has made the decision to repeal the death penalty and replace it with life imprisonment without parole.

“The history of the death penalty in PNG has been problematic. The death penalty was first introduced in the territory of Papua in 1907 and last execution was carried out in 1954.

“It was later abolished in 1974 prior to independence in 1975. Despite being reintroduced in 1991, the death penalty has never been properly implemented,” he said.  

The other Bills include:

• Attorney General Act 1989
• Claims By and Against the State Act 1996
• Criminal Code Act
• Wrongs (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act.

The Bill for an Act to amend the Family Protection Act 2013 addresses key areas of improvement noted by relevant entities in the referral process in assisting survivors of domestic violence, including law enforcement authorities.

Bryan Kramer and four others appeared before Justice David Cannings after a court order was issued last year by the same court.