PNG's O'Neill expected to talk LNG at Brisbane forum

12:42 pm on 1 May 2018

Papua New Guinea's prime minister is expected to address concerns about his country's landmark LNG Project in a speech in Australia today.

PNG PM Peter O'Neill

PNG PM Peter O'Neill Photo: AFP / Peter Parks

Peter O'Neill is in Brisbane to deliver the keynote address at the annual PNG-Australia Business Forum.

Mr O'Neill is likely to address concerns about the impact of the LNG Project laid out in a new report by the anti-poverty NGO Jubilee Australia.

The report charted how the US$19 billion project, since beginning exports in 2014, has not produced benefits for PNG's economy despite promises by political backers.

Additionally, many landowners in the project area still haven't been paid royalties or promised benefits.

Mr O'Neill's government has said that a clan vetting process, aimed at establishing the project area's genuine landowners, needs to be complete before people can get paid.

At today's forum, the prime minister is also expected to discuss a number of investment opportunities opening up in PNG as it prepares to host the APEC leaders summit in November.

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