Papua New Guinea Cybercrime Policy 2014 FOREWORD BY THE MINISTER The National ICT Policy, 2008 makes a passing mention of cybercrime not being permitted in Papua New Guinea. While this brief mention of cybercrime is acknowledged, the Government intends to do a lot more than just make a fleeting mention of an issue that is becoming more prevalent, particularly when information and communication technologies (ICT) are also becoming increasingly prominent both at work and in the workplace. It therefore gives me much pleasure, as the Minister responsible for ICT, to introduce a standalone cybercrime policy for the country. The Papua New Guinea Cybercrime Policy was formally endorsed by Cabinet through NEC Decision No. 219/2014. Cybercrime refers to offences committed using electronic devices, systems and/or networks. This important National Cybercrime Policy just didn’t happen overnight. The Government had earlier formed a Core Working Group (CWG), comprising officers from my Department, the National Information & Communication Technology Authority (NICTA), and the Department of Justice & Attorney General. Since 2010, the CWG has been working progressively to develop our own Cybercrime Policy. The CWG attended several lead up cybercrime workshops with their Pacific Island colleagues, through funding and technical support from the International Telecommunications Union (ITU). The workshops were held in the Republic of Vanuatu, Samoa, and the Kingdom of Tonga respectively. From these workshops, Pacific Island countries developed country-specific policy templates for their respective countries, drawing inspiration from the Commonwealth Model or the Budapest Convention on Cybercrime. At that time, the Kingdom of Tonga was the only Pacific Island country that had adopted its own Cybercrime Policy. I commend the work of the CWG highly while the ongoing participation and guidance of Cybercrime Expert, Dr Marco Gerke, through the joint efforts of the PNG Government and ITU is also acknowledged. Generally, the PNG Cybercrime Policy highlights the need to develop a legal framework that criminalises cybercrime in the country, while also calling for the strengthening of our collaboration and partnership with specialised regional and international agencies and governments on cybercrime. It also calls for increased levels of awareness on threats and consequences of cybercrime on our people, with a particular focus on our children. It also promotes the importance of developing and strengthening the capacity and capabilities of State institutions like the police, judges, and other court officials to effectively deal with cybercrimes. I encourage you all to read and familiarise yourselves with the ensuing pages of this crucial Policy. It is incumbent on every citizen, the Internet service providers, the wider business community, the media, and government and other non-government actors to work together to minimise the real and serious threat that cybercrime possess, particularly with the increasing presence of ICT and the borderless environment they operate in. Let’s make it our collective business to tackle cybercrime in Papua New Guinea. I commend the National Cybercrime Policy to you all. Hon. Jimmy Miringtoro, OBE, MP Minister for Communication & Information Technology P|4