Papua New Guinea in Crisis: Crime and Corruption Demand Immediate Action
Port Moresby, May 2, 2025 — Papua New Guinea (PNG) is facing a deepening crisis as the nation grapples with escalating crime rates and pervasive corruption. Civil society leaders, anti-corruption groups, and concerned citizens are calling for immediate and decisive government action to address the breakdown in law and order.
Recent data places PNG among the world's most crime-affected countries, with a crime rate of 80.79 incidents per 100,000 people. Port Moresby has been identified as the epicenter of this surge, accounting for 42% of major crimes reported nationwide. Communities in East New Britain, Enga, and the National Capital District are also experiencing rising levels of violent crime.
In a strongly worded public statement, Daniel Baulch, Deputy Commissioner of the Independent Commission Against Corruption (ICAC) PNG, emphasized the urgency of the situation:
"Papua New Guinea must get serious about crime and corruption. PNG is now ranked among the most crime-riddled nations in the world. This is not just a statistic—it’s a national crisis that is crippling our economy, undermining public confidence, and eroding the very foundation of our justice system.
Corruption continues to weaken our institutions, embolden organised crime, and block access to services for our people. Violent crime has become a daily reality for too many citizens. And law enforcement agencies remain under-resourced and overstretched, trying to contain a wave that demands coordinated, intelligence-led, and uncompromising national action.
We are well past the point where soft measures and political rhetoric are enough. The time for decisive leadership is now. What PNG needs is a unified national security and anti-corruption response—anchored in reform, accountability, and integrity. The solutions exist. What’s needed is the will to act.
Let’s stop normalising dysfunction. Let’s start demanding better."
Transparency International’s 2024 Corruption Perceptions Index scored PNG at 31 out of 100, indicating a high level of perceived public sector corruption. The organisation noted that institutional decay is allowing transnational crimes—such as drug and arms trafficking—to flourish. Weak governance, limited oversight, and under-resourced law enforcement have further exposed PNG’s vulnerabilities.
The Community Coalition Against Corruption (CCAC) echoed these concerns, urging the government to shift from political rhetoric to real policy action. “The law and order situation has spiraled beyond local capacity. What we need now is a national-level, coordinated response with clear accountability mechanisms,” a CCAC spokesperson stated.
As pressure mounts, calls are growing for a national action plan focused on policing reform, anti-corruption enforcement, border security, and public service accountability. Analysts warn that failure to act could deepen the crisis, further destabilizing one of the Pacific's most strategically significant nations.
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