Michael John Manning OBE[1] (1943 – 22 August 2008) was an Australian-born Papua New Guinean anti-corruption activist and economist.
Manning served as the second Chairman of Transparency International PNG (TIPNG), one of Papua New Guinea's largest organizations dedicated to eradicating corruption, from 2003 until 2008.
Manning went on to attend the King's School, Parramatta thanks to a trust fund set up by his grandfather, who was a wealthy grazier.
Much of his work, lectures and economic studies centered on the expansion of smallholder production within the tree crops industry of the Papuan economy.
[4] The cocoa industry in New Britain was severely hurt by the failure of the initial hybrid crop, which companies like NGIP invested in heavily, and then by the devastating Rabaul volcanic eruption of 1994, which also damaged parts of the town.
[4] In 1997, Manning became the director of the PNG Institute of National Affairs, the country's leading independent economic agency and think tank.
He suggested in the study that the government of Papua New Guinea was in danger of collapse due to corruption and lawlessness, similar to what had occurred in the neighboring Solomon Islands in the early 2000s.
[4] Manning's reputation as a well-respected anti-corruption campaigner led to his seat on the Transparency International PNG board of directors beginning in 1999.
[2] Manning also served on the global accreditation board of Transparency International and was re-elected to that position at TI's 2007 meeting in Bali.
[1] He once again came under fire from Prime Minister Michael Somare in December 2007 when he stated in a TIPNG anti-corruption seminar that two-thirds of PNG's total annual revenue, equal to 2.5 billion PGK a year, was being stolen by corrupt politicians and government bureaucrats.
"[6] Manning was elected a full member of Transparency International's global governing board of directors on 19 August 2008, just three days before his death.
[4] Manning died of a sudden heart attack while walking near his home in Rabaul, East New Britain, on 22 August 2008.
[3] Prominent dignitaries who attended included Governor General Paulias Matane, the Australian High Commissioner to PNG Chris Moraitis and the deputy leader of the opposition, Bart Philemon.
[3] Somare further wrote that "While I have not always agreed with his views on issues, I respect his courage to speak his mind without fear or favour.
"[3] Transparency International PNG announced that Peter Aitsi had been chosen as Manning's interim successor as chairman on 9 September 2008.