Battle of words over PNG election date

Liam Fox, Port Moresby and staff

Last Updated: Thu, 12 Apr 2012 05:47:00 +1000

Papua New Guinea's Prime Minister, Peter O'Neill, has again assured his people the country's general election will not be deferred.

This contradicts predictions of a delay by the parliamentary Speaker.

Mr O'Neill, has repeatedly said last week's vote in parliament to defer the election by six months is null and void.

But Speaker Jeffrey Nape has said it still stands and the only way it can be rescinded is by another vote in parliament.

Military

But Mr O'Neill maintains the vote has no effect because only the electoral commissioner has the power to determine the election's timing.

He also announced that a call-out of defence force soldiers in two Highlands provinces would be extended throughout the country during the election.

He said the Police Commissioner would be able to call on the troops to maintain law and order as needed.

Mr Nape, disagrees says there would need to be another vote in parliament to rescind the deferral.

"The action taken by the (National Executive Council) and its public servant, the electoral commissioner, is deemed unlawful," he said.

"I have to advise member of NEC, including the prime minister . . . to simply come to parliament and rescind the motion."

Mr Nape says the six-month delay still stands, and as the Electoral Commissioner, Andrew Trawen has failed to have the voter rolls completed on time and therefore must set new election dates.

"I would like for the electoral commissioner to do his duty by setting new dates for the 2012 general election," he said.

"If the electoral commissioner is reluctant to complete the electoral process, parliament will advise the head of state to perform the duties of the electoral commission to set the new dates for the 2012 general election."

He also told parliament that he will be seeking legal advice about who can call the elections.

"(I am) seeking clarification who has the power to call elections - the parliament or the public servant who is the electoral commissioner," he said.

Mr Nape's comments are at odds with most experts, who say neither the parliament nor the government has the power to defer elections under PNG's constitution.

Anger

On Tuesday Mr O'Neill spoke before a protest of 10,000 of people, who were angry at the proposed delay.

He told the crowd parliament has no power and the election will proceed as scheduled.

"The National Executive Council, the parliament does not have the powers to direct the Electoral Commission," he said.

Commissioner Trawen, told the crowd the issuing of writs will be deferred by three weeks so electoral rolls can be finalised but polling will proceed on time at the end of June.

Michel Malabag from the Trade Union Congress says their main concern was parliament's vote to defer the general election by six months.

"All politicians, we elected them for a fixed, mandated term of five years and not a day later," he said.

Australia's Foreign Minister Bob Carr says Papua New Guinea's prime minister should be proud of his commitment to hold the country's general election as scheduled in June.

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