PNG Speaker accuses leading MP of contempt


IN THE latest episode in Papua New Guinea's tumultuous political impasse, the leader of the two-member opposition, Dame Carol Kidu, was yesterday accused of contempt of Parliament by the Speaker and targeted for investigation for alleged crimes that carry a hefty jail sentence.

But arriving in Geelong yesterday for a conference exploring PNG's political, economic and social prospects beyond this year's scheduled national elections, Dame Carol was defiant about her questioning of how two versions of the controversial Judicial Conduct Act - which empowers the Parliament to sack judges - came to be in circulation.

The duplication appeared to indicate another breakdown in the systems of proper parliamentary process, failures that were ''eating away out our democracy'', said Dame Carol, PNG's only female MP and a long-standing minister in the former Somare government.
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Having announced that she will retire at the end of this parliamentary term, Dame Carol has become increasingly outspoken during the nation's recent months of political turmoil.

''If the Speaker (Jeffrey Nape) wants to investigate me, I am very comfortable with that. It's my job as a mandated member and Opposition Leader to expose improper practices. He's telling me not to do my job.''

Meanwhile in Port Moresby, the Supreme Court bench yesterday issued stay orders against actions relating to the law, effectively reinstating Chief Justice Sir Salamo Injia and another suspended judge, Nicholas Kirriwom.

Given that on Tuesday Prime Minister Peter O'Neill promised the protest rally that he would withdraw the law if those two judges stepped aside, the scene now appears set for further destabilising clashes of the leadership of the fragile nation and the judiciary.

Academics and veteran political observers warned the Geelong conference, hosted by Deakin University, of deep concerns about the coming election, inspiring vigorous debate on what - if anything - Australia could and should do at this late stage.

''Based on the current situation we should expect the elections to be violent, expect them to be marred by fraud and malpractice on a scale never before seen,'' said PNG election analyst Dr Nicole Haley of the Australian National University.

''Expect the security personnel to be partisan and politicised and less effective than 2007,'' she said.

Dr Haley raised particular concerns about the proliferation of ''money politics'' and blatant vote buying by candidates, particularly in the fiery highlands electorates where big resources projects - most notably the massive Exxon-led $15 billion PNG LNG natural gas project - are based. In the highlands in 2007, ''fraud, malpractice and voting irregularities were commonplace as were bribery and intimidation''.

SMH

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