Bougainville: What is truth?

This publication examines the complex and contentious history of copper mining development in Bougainville, Papua New Guinea during the late 1960s. Through detailed parliamentary records and firsthand accounts, it traces the negotiations between the Australian Administration and Bougainville Copper Pty. Ltd., a subsidiary of mining giant C.R.A., as they pursued one of the region's most significant economic projects. The text documents the landmark Mining Agreement of 1968, which promised substantial tax incentives and land rights to the company in exchange for mine development, while revealing the growing tensions between colonial development policies and indigenous land rights. The work captures the voices of both government officials and local Bougainvilleans, particularly through member Paul Lapun, whose warnings about respecting local autonomy were overshadowed by enthusiasm for industrial progress. As the narrative unfolds, it becomes increasingly clear that the copper venture would fundamentally transform Bougainville's landscape and society. This meticulous historical account illuminates the origins of one of the Pacific's most significant mining conflicts, offering essential context for understanding postcolonial resource politics and indigenous resistance movements in Papua New Guinea.