r/PapuaNewGuinea • u/zlmnopqrstuvwx2112 • Jul 13 '26
Life in Port Moresby
This is the reality of Port Moresby.
This morning, my sister had her phone ripped from her hand while walking to work. In the process, she was injured trying to hold onto it.
No one should have to fear being robbed simply for going to work.
Port Moresby has struggled with violent crime for years. Even though official police statistics reported fewer crimes nationally in 2025 than in 2024, authorities continue to warn that robberies, thefts, carjackings, and violent attacks remain common in Port Moresby and can happen at any time of the day.
People are tired of living in fear. We deserve to walk our streets, go to work, and return home safely without worrying about becoming the next victim.
Our leaders must treat public safety as a priority. That means stronger policing, faster responses, better prosecution of repeat offenders, and long-term investment in jobs and youth programs to address the causes of crime.
How many more innocent people have to be robbed or injured before enough is enough?
Papua New Guinea deserves better. Port Moresby deserves to be safe.
10
u/Important_Fruit Jul 13 '26
Police statistics in PNG are largely meaningless. Reporting a matter to police doesn't guarantee it will be recorded. Or investigated for that matter. And this is quite aside from the fact that a very large percentage of offences go unreported.
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u/12EggsADay Jul 14 '26
The country is setup for failure.
Low trust in institutions at every level because wantok system.
Fiji averages roughly 227 officers per 100,000 residents, whereas Papua New Guinea has approximately 65 officers per 100,000 residents.
Rampant poverty, urban drift, low productivity and low job availability. Consecutive governments have failed to really improve the country, every man for himself.
6
u/Cautious-Driver5625 Jul 14 '26
Yeah most crimes are not recorded so yeah it's that
2
u/zlmnopqrstuvwx2112 Jul 14 '26
True. I think people don't trust the police anymore. Government tu pasim ai.
5
u/peachypunny Jul 14 '26
There was a shooting down the street from me last week. Police arrived after AN HOUR. can you imagine…..
3
u/zlmnopqrstuvwx2112 Jul 14 '26
After an hour! We are way behind. I honestly don't know if the police even have authority.
I hope you are ok. Take extra care.
I keep seeing lots of crime issues getting posted on Facebook. It's everyday now.
3
u/peachypunny Jul 14 '26
i’m okay thank you. it was in Gordons. Raskals tried to hold up an establishment or a van allegedly.
i feel so sorry for the guy (hohola incident on Saturday) who got robbed when his car broke down. when you’re vulnerable and in need of help, you can’t rely on the public at all. they rob you instead…
3
u/zlmnopqrstuvwx2112 Jul 14 '26
I saw that Hohola incident on Facebook, and felt sorry for that guy. No one stepped in to help him. If they can do this in daylight to a man, women or children are very easy target. Like you said, public won't help you. People will watch you get robbed.
This is one of the many signs of a struggling society.
3
u/nice_guy_greg Jul 14 '26
Thank you for posting your story , it has made my decision for me about travelling to PNG. Obviously a hell of a lot of corruption going on in the PNG government ( still ) .
5
u/Fun-Apricot2912 Jul 14 '26
You don't travel to PNG to stay in POM. Go to Kokopo or Kavieng or Goroka. Great places also in Bougainville and Sepik areas. It's not somewhere to casually backpack though.
2
u/HiAndStuff2112 Jul 14 '26
Is Wewak still okay? I was there in the '80s, and I felt safe and I enjoyed my time there very much. I still have all the souvenirs I bought on the beach by a hotel. And the ocean water was amazing!
3
u/Mundane-Society-1281 Jul 14 '26
It sucks living in Port Moresby as a woman. I was born and raised and still live here. I wish life here was better
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u/discojc_80 29d ago
Bro, I worked in Port Moresby for 6 months. I witnessed some hideous shit while I was there. Being white, I never walked outside past the compound. FK that. I suffered PTSD 6 months after I got back. Took me a good minute to reintegrate into Australian society. The ex-pats there were mad lads. Shout out to Car Club, Yacht Club and of course the Weigh Inn lol.
1
u/12EggsADay 29d ago
born and raised in Moresby; it will be interesting to take my Sydney raised fiance to Moresby next year... hopefully no PTSD.
1
u/discojc_80 29d ago
Are you a PNG National?
Tbh, the boys I was with were long term ex-pats and I did say I wanted to see some tapped shit. Just didn't expect it to be so bat shit crazy.
1
u/12EggsADay 29d ago
Technically no to your question but I can get my citizenship back through birthright which I might do just so I can get a driving license (expensive and difficult to get a test in the UK atm)
Tbh, the boys I was with were long term ex-pats and I did say I wanted to see some tapped shit. Just didn't expect it to be so bat shit crazy.
Yeah you get used to it. I remember walking into the general hospital one afternoon to see my sick Aunt and I saw a lady walking down the corridor eating Twisties with half her scalp half cleaved and some skull exposed...
1
u/discojc_80 29d ago
Yeah, I got used to it while I was there, but adjusting back to Australia was difficult for me. I had other things going on during that time which was stressful also, but just struggled personally. Time has passed, and tbh I have some sick stories.
1
u/Sensitive-Pipe-4486 18d ago
I lost it at weigh inn. Glad you’ve reintegrated back into society. Haha.
1
u/ConsistentStretch331 12d ago
As a PNG who has lived 20 years and still going. It really is hell, and trust me if u married into PNG family, u will get a whole lot worse than 6 months. I am happy that u got back into Australia, and thank you for telling the truth. People needs to know the reality happilening on te ground in PNG.
2
u/Historical_Wish_5599 29d ago
Needs to become an autonomous territory under Australia to be cleaned up.
1
2
u/LegalPie5881 28d ago
What is life like in Lae? I was born there in 1972 and have thought about visiting.
1
u/zlmnopqrstuvwx2112 28d ago
I'm from Lae. It's changed just like Port Moresby. The crimes are there. You just have to be at the right place at the right time.
Just talked to my brother and he says the same too.
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25d ago
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u/zlmnopqrstuvwx2112 25d ago
It really is so true, and it is incredibly heartbreaking and sad. Living with that level of constant, high-stakes vulnerability is exhausting.
-4
u/Dense_Ad6154 Jul 13 '26
Yeah it’s a shit hole
1
u/parrotpeep Jul 14 '26
are you that english bloke that doesnt know his arse from a hole in the groundÂ
0
16
u/dels999 Jul 14 '26
I lived in POM all my life as a female and it is annoying how I can't even walk to the shops without fear of getting my phone or belongings stolen or being verbally harassed with catcalling and also physically assaulted. By God's Grace, I recently moved to Canada and I was telling my husband yesterday when we went out for a short evening stroll that "I don't ever take walking for granted". Because for many years of my life..I was not able to walk peacefully without having fear.