KEITH JACKSON

IT'S WAY PAST TIME  that Australia stopped taking Papua New Guinea for granted, and throwing in a dash of patronisation to go along with it.

Our story yesterday (PNG allows Australia to use Manus; Oz will still lecture) provided a taste of how this works when Julia Gillard announced the opening of an asylum seeker centre in Manus.

And than added, with almost studied gratuitousness, that Australia will continue to feel free to comment on domestic political events in PNG.

To understand the offence this causes PNG, with its concomitant relational damage, just ask yourself: would Julia make the same comment about the USA, or Indonesia or even New Zealand?

PNG's distinguished high commissioner to Australia, Charles Lepani, has told today’s The Australian newspaper (PNG wants to see the finances before giving go-ahead) that Gillard acted prematurely when announcing the Manus facility, warning that PNG did not want to be seen as "a little brother of Australia".

I think the high commissioner was too kind – Australia’s mankimasta would be my expression.

Mr Lepani told The Australian PNG was a "sovereign" country and that Gillard's calls for early action were "a little premature".

"We need official formalities to be entered into - discussions for what it is they want to have put in place," he said.

Asked about PNG's expectations regarding compensation, Mr Lepani said: "The national government and the Manus provincial government will then enter into discussions about what is required (compensation) before anything is agreed to."

The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade is sending two senior diplomats to Port Moresby this weekend to discuss a framework agreement for reopening Manus.

Let’s hope PNG drives a hard bargain – and insists that future declarations by the Australian government pay the due courtesies to PNG as an independent, not a vassal, state.

GANJIKI D WAYNE

I'M NOT A BIG FAN OF THE GRAND CHIEF. When Michael Somare hung the banners celebrating a political career of 40 years, I'd drive by screaming.

Something like: "So what if you've been there 40 or a hundred years! We got nothing to show for it!"

I'd get very incensed at his manoeuvres to avoid motions-of-no-confidence. I'd complain constantly about him all the time. It's true, just ask my fiancé!

I didn't like National Alliance. When I was at the University of PNG, NA had a convention at the main lecture theatre.

I and like-minded students printed protest posters and pasted them around campus for NA members to read as they had their convention.

His government wasn't the best. And he wasn't my favourite prime minister. (I'm truly hoping that one day we can have a favourite or best PM.)

When the NA government amended certain Acts, it disgusted me, raised suspicion and further inflated my contempt for the government, and the GC.

But I'm Melanesian and have to justify a lack of respect for my elders. Otherwise my reverence either way has no meaning.

Respect for elders is natural and perpetual in our Melanesian culture. If we are to treat them like common thieves or "corrupt" leaders, our negative perception must be justified. and so I rethink my perspective of Somare.

Anyway, then along came "Hammer and Nail" (forgot who gave Namah and O’Neill that nickname).

If I had such low respect for the PM's seat with GC in it, these two men, and their saints who "shall not be moved", stretched my contempt for government to an all-time low.

And it was worse for them as people. (My confidence had in fact been restored briefly when Sam Abal carried himself professionally, humbly and with dignity.)

I watched the blatant abuse of the Constitution at both spirit and letter. I watched the sheer craving to gain and hold on to power.

One puppeteer had the strings snatched from him by another, while he was too sick to hold on. The puppets moved and voted accordingly; what strings were used on them we can only speculate.

More rushed Acts than ever before. Authoritarian laws born way before the people even knew they were conceived. In the GC puppet show at least we debated and protested. Even if it was in vain because those acts were passed.

SUSAN MERRELL | NewMatilda.com

PAPUA NEW GUINEA WENT TO THE POLLS in June and just last week a new parliament was sworn in. Most interested observers could not have foreseen the results.

Yet, for all its newness, there is a strong sense of déjà vu around the ninth PNG parliament.

The 2012 elections followed an established historical precedent in that there was a high turnover of MPs — only 40 sitting members (37%) retained their seats (although admittedly, some of the "new" MPs were reborn and recycled from older regimes — such as former PM Paias Wingti, who re-won a Western Highland’s seat)

There were 111 MPs elected from a field of 3,343 candidates representing 21 parties. Some 2,197 candidates ran as independents and 16 were elected. The party with the greatest number of winning candidates was the Peoples’ National Congress (PNC), with 27 seats, headed by the immediate past prime minister, Peter O’Neill.

O’Neill was invited to form government — but to do so he needed to make up the numbers.

If things had gone according to a prearranged plan and followed the Memorandum of Understanding, the government benches would have been occupied in tandem with O’Neill’s previous coalition partner, leader of the PNG Party and former deputy prime minister, Belden Namah. But they didn’t.

Here, it gets complicated. Namah was the architect of the August 2011 political coup that ousted the incumbent prime minister, Sir Michael Somare, in absentia. Although Namah did so as leader of the opposition, he was also forestry minister in the regime he sought to overthrow.

Namah was the self-confessed "kingmaker". He chose Peter O’Neill, also a former minister in the Somare regime who had been marginalised and sidelined into the Works portfolio from Treasury, to lead the country.

There was nothing really new about this government.

It contained twice as many faces from the old regime as from the opposition. What’s more, even some of the opposition MPs were actually disgruntled MPs formerly from the Somare administration — such as Belden Namah and the veteran politician, Bart Philemon.

It was this coup  that would see PNG in political turmoil for 12 months. Retaining power became the government’s primary agenda and the legislature and the executive were pitted dangerously at loggerheads with the judiciary. It was hoped that the elections would solve the impasse.

Intending to obtain unfettered legitimate power, Namah took steps to ensure his election victory and that of his party members — armed with $13.5 million from his private fortune.

He predicted that he would be the one who would be asked to form government. The kingmaker would henceforth be king.

Cracks started to appear in the O’Neill/Namah alliance. Namah accused O’Neill of filling the 2012’s Queen’s birthday honours list with his "drinking buddies". O’Neill responded that all Namah had to offer PNG was "his big mouth".

It was a portent of things to come and proved strategically fatal for Namah. He played his cards badly.

KEITH JACKSON

Sources: Daniel Flitton, Jo Chandler, The Age | Eoin Blackwell, AAP | ABC News

AUSTRALIAN PRIME MINISTER Julia Gillard has said Australia will continue to raise concerns about political events in Papua New Guinea even if PNG agrees to re-open an asylum seeker centre in Manus.

Ms Gillard had been asked whether agreement to the centre would curb Australia's ability to pressure PNG.

She said these were ''different days'' in PNG since Mr O'Neill had managed to win recent elections.

Prime minister Peter O’Neill foreign affairs minister Rimbink Pato will will negotiate with Australia to reopen the detention centre.

Mr O'Neill had said last year he was willing to reopen the centre, but it was not Australian government policy until yesterday.

The last refugee left Manus in 2004, after 10 months as the only detainee at a cost to Australia of $250,000 a month.

Mr O'Neill also said the Manus provincial government will be consulted so the views and concerns of the people can be taken into account.

Manus MP Ronny Knight said yesterday that when the centre was last operating on Manus, the people had got little out of it “except a few low level jobs”

Meanwhile National Capital District Governor Powes Parkop, a member of the O'Neill coalition, said a detention centre contradicts PNG's law and culture.

"You cannot detain people here in PNG - even if they are aliens from outer space - we cannot detain them indefinitely," Mr Parkop said.

"That's the law in PNG. It isn't in our culture to lock people up without a charge.

KEITH JACKSON

The service for H H (Jim) Leigh will be at 2pm this Friday 17 August at Drydales Funeral Home Chapel on National Park Road in Nambour. There will be some drinks & food afterwards at Nambour RSL, which Jim told me was his “least worst” drinking hole

BACK IN JANUARY, as I mentioned at the time, I was reunited with Jim Leigh after about 40 years. His daughter Kelly was the catalyst in this series of events  and I remain very thankful she took the trouble.

Not, I must add, that Jim and I actually made it to pressing the flesh and sharing a beer. Floods in south-east Queensland took care of that possibility.

But Jim and I did manage four long telephone conversations extending across politics, society and the fiendish ways of ne’er-do-wells of many years ago.

Discourse with Jim was always protracted and broad of traverse, and that we met only over the phone (which Jim claimed was bugged) and not in person seemed to matter not.

We spoke of many matters; and one was especially prescient and poignant: Jim expressed the view that he did not have long to live. He spoke in the tones of a man who had settled the ledger with his own life, even if he hadn’t managed to put all to rights or square away every scoundrel. I weep some tears for Jim as I write this.

Jim had given me my first management job in radio in 1969. At the time he was controller of broadcasting in the colonial administration and had been given the task of transforming what was a lone radio broadcasting station in Rabaul into a mighty network that would cover the whole of PNG.

To do this would represent a nation-building task of enormous importance. He did it. In just 10 years. It was a monumental achievement for which he was never given the full credit he deserved.

Part of this was because of a quixotic personality and an intolerance of fools that brought Jim ill repute, especially with those of idle mind. But, mostly, it drove PNG broadcasting forward in mighty leaps.

He later went on to a successful career as a Brisbane television newsreader and, subsequently, National Party press officer, but I know nought of those years at first hand.

And so I will repeat a story about Jim, told in these columns before, that depicts his wonderful personality…

JEFF FEBI

Doped up with morphine in St Vincent’s, I somehow managed to read Jeff's verse on my iphone. Aware a new PNG government had just been formed, I wanted to get the poem on PNG Atttitude post haste. So I typed it with urgency – on my hospital sliding table! I am finding my notebook more effective - KJ

We marched yesterday
And barked for a new day.

Walked with a certain aim;
Talked about this game.

And today’s wait n’ pray
As we ponder n’ wonder,

‘Bout uncertain tomorrow
And a certain sorrow;

Their mistakes we see,
And smile in pure glee.

Of course it’s our gain,
As them slowly we drain.

GANJIKI D WAYNE

IN A LETTER TO the Post-Courier editor (10 August), a Dr Sepoe asks whether three seats are enough for women in our national parliament.

Dr Sepoe quotes prime minister O’Neill as saying the number of women recently elected in the 2012 election (reprsenting 2.7% of the 111 seats on offer) is not good enough.

The global target is a critical mass of at least 30% of the total number of MPs to be women - influencing decision-making and public policy.

I say stuff the global target!

We work at our pace, and we get there when we get there. The UN can take its targets and shoot arrows at them!

I want my country-ladies to beat my country-men fair and square.

Only then, can they claim true equal voice. Just having a fair voice is nothing if that voice is not attained squarely.

Our women can get there. Just give us time and let us do it our way: the PNG Way. We have to crawl before we can walk. We got thee women into parliament this year. That's two better than last term. Next time we may do even better.

And stuff the 22 so-called ‘reserved’ seats. My mum and sisters don't like it. My fiance doesn't like it. My well-educated female colleagues don't like it. And Delilah Gore doesn't like it. And these women are Papua New Guineans.

So shove your ‘global targets’, UN...

And power to the women. True power, not that imposed by UN-inspired policies for ‘equality’.

The PNG Way is one of our Five Goals. I say we work it out and stick by it.

God Bless PNG! And the PNG Way!

KEITH JACKSON

I CAN SENSE IT'S going to be a struggle writing this. I've  already made 18 errors and I've just clambered to the end of the first paragraph. Hurray!

I've been in hospital - a very good hospital, St Vincent's in Sydney, for major surgery on my back. There were some complications and I'm only just learning to walk again.

This is the first time since the blog started seven years ago that we've been off the air for more than a couple of days, no matter where in the world I happened to be. But the world of illness is another place.

I think of my good friend Francis Nii up there in Kundiawa, who will need a miracle to ever walk again. All I required was an excellent surgeon.I won't name him. He's a gruff man and wouldn't appreciate the compliment.

So, after a week, I am now on the mend and, shaky though I may be on the keyboard, this will come good too.

Let me apologise to you two thousand or so readers, who might have missed your daily dose of analysis, controversy and issues. Let me assure you it's on the way back.

And let me especially apologise for the couple of photo mix-ups in the "new MP" series I wrote just before entering hospital - they will corrected soon.

And now allow me to go. These few words have quite exhausted a brain that's not quite itself - and it's time to practice that creeping gait that passes for attempts at walking right now.

See you tomorrow.

KEITH JACKSON

The information in this series is derived from public sources and, in some cases, may not be accurate. We invite readers to offer corrections and additional material by contacting the editor here.

EASTERN HIGHLANDS 

The Eastern Highlands provincial seat was one of the last in PNG to be declared. Most unexpectedly, Julie Soso (Triumph Heritage Empowerment Party) defeated a strong field of male candidates, including political veteran Barry Holowe. Julie  is a prominent community leader in the Eastern Highlands, being president of the Women’s Council and deputy chairperson of the district AIDS council. She is a women’s rights advocate and a former radio broadcaster

Ron Ganarafo (Daulo, Independent) was the local MP from 1997-2002, during which time he was fisheries minister. He has had a successful career in the coffee industry as chief executive of the Coffee Industry Corporation. The main cash crop in Daulo is coffee. But Ganarafo introduced inland fishing in 2002. During the current election, police reported that supporters of a losing candidate attacked Ganarafo and, in the altercation, a man was killed.

Bire Kimisopa (Goroka, Independent) is widely considered to be a first rate politician. As Tavurvur commented a few days ago, “Kimisopa's win sees the former Police Minister return to parliament. A very capable MP, the fight for his services will be fierce.” A cable released by Wikileaks a couple of years back mentioned that he was “effective” and, cynically, “obviously [not] corrupt enough, so he won’t survive for very long in PNG politics”. Kimisopa was appointed as Minister for Police and Internal Security by Sir Michael Somare in 2004, the same year he took out an advertisement in a newspaper arguing for the Australians to come back to PNG. As minister he once remarked: “The greatest fear that our people have is not the criminals in this country but it's the police. And the ethical standards, the way you go about arresting people and reading their rights, these are some of the hard-core issues that need to be alleviated.” He has taken a public stance against PNG’s death penalty and was referred to as “a quality leader” even after he lost his seat in parliament. People will be happy to see him back as an MP. As one voter said: “Kimisopa knows what he is talking about. More of the candidates should come out and talk to us, the voters.”

Robert Atiyafa (Henganofi, Independent), a self-described ‘subsistence farmer’, returns to parliament having lost the 2007 election by only 100 votes. He is a former Eastern Highlands premier (1991-95).

Johnson Tuke (Kainantu, Independent) is another one of the strong group of independents who have done particularly well in the Eastern Highlands. He is owner of Fessa Building and Maintenance, established in 2010, which specialises in building construction and maintenance, electrical maintenance and plant and equipment installation. His Facebook description: “Just single again, about to go into politics and have quite number of kids to keep me busy all day long. Yeh, looking for someone to assist in looking after my 11 or so kids for a change in life.” Any volunteers?

Jeffrey Kuave (Lufa, PNG Country Party) is a first-timer and the Country Party’s only successful candidate. He beat writer, Jeff Febi, Crocodile Prize winner, into fourth place. Kuave is a motor mechanic and coffee buyer. He was a village councillor in the 1980s then became a provincial MP for Unavi constituency. He lost his seat and remained a village leader until his victory at this election.

Benny Allan (Unggai-Bena, People’s National Congress Party) lost his environment and conservation ministry when O’Neill came to power. In 2008 he revealed that dduring his first five months in office he had been offered three bribes by three different foreign companies, all of which he refused. That said, he was responsible for changing the law to prevent landowners concerned with protecting their rights making successful appeals to the supreme court. The Union of Watut River Communities thanked O’Neill profusely for getting rid of Allan when the new government came into power last August.

Mehrra Minne Kipefa (Obura-Wonenara, Stars Alliance Party) is a first-timer who, by his own admission, has long been an avid follower of politics. In a 2009 letter published in the Post-Courier, he wrote: “As an avid follower of PNG politics, I’d like to share an opinion on the likely profits that would be coming from the LNG Project. It is likely that the projected revenue of Aussie $15.6 billion might fall into the black hole of corruption… Adhering to improving basic infrastructural development and living standards of the 6.5 million people of Papua New Guinea can be a positive way forward.” On that basis, the people of his electorate have got themselves a good man.

Issac Waigavara (Okapa, People's National Congress) ousted the sitting member Bonny Oveyara (PNG Party). He is a private businessman and was appointed by the O'Neill -Namah government to the PNG Power Board as acting chairman not long before he left to contest the election

KEITH JACKSON

The information in this series is derived from public sources and, in some cases, may not be accurate. We invite readers to offer corrections and additional material by contacting the editor here.

NATIONAL CAPITAL DISTRICT

Powes Parkop (National Capital District, Social Democratic Party) looked good for this seat as we went to press although Wari Vele (People’s National Congress) still had a slender chance of winning. The Manus-born Parkop is a lawyer specialising in human rights and was first elected to parliament in 2007. PNG Attitude commentator, Reg Renagi, has written that he has “achieved more for his constituents than the prime minister and cabinet members put together.” Parkop is a firm and articulate proponent for the freedom and independence of West Papua but is no stranger to local controversy, last year banning betelnut from sale in public places, depriving many impoverished people of a living. He has also been criticised for doing little about unemployment, urban drift, traffic problems, rubbish collection and lack of preparedness for the looming impact of the LNG project.

Labi Amaiu (Moresby North-East, People's Movement for Change) defeated John Kaupa by just 31 votes, the closest contest in the country. Amaiu, originally from Enga, was educated at UPNG and Queensland University and describes himself as a ‘consultant and project landowner” with the PNG Resources Corporation. “I have a great deal of connection, experience with the current LNG Project in Hides, Mt. Kare, Pogera and other project developments across PNG,” he says. Amaiu is also a prominent promoter of rugby league and a community leader in the 5-Mile area.

Michael Malabag (Moresby North-West, People’s National Congress) was sitting in third place for most of the election count but jumped to the top spot in the final elimination. He is president of the PNG Trade Union Congress and in his third term as president of the Public Employees Association. The prolific social media user is also committed to pursuing O’Neill’s policies of free education and health care. Malabag is a popular figure who says, through his experience as a trade unionist over the past 23 years, he has built a strong connection with the people of Port Moresby, especially workers and their families.

Justin Tkatchenko (Moresby South, Social Democratic Party), also known as ‘The Gardener’, is PNG's best known landscape gardener, horticulturist and orchid specialist and something of a television personality. Last year he was forced to deny allegations that he had received millions of kina from the National Capital District Commission through his association with Governor Powes Parkop. The allegations were contained in a purported internal audit report circulated on the internet. Tkatchenko told a day-long media conference at the Bluff Inn Hotel outside Port Moresby to explain that the K3 million he was paid in 2010 was “for projects that were carried out through cooperation between the public and private sectors”.

KEITH JACKSON

The information in this series is derived from public sources and, in some cases, may not be accurate. We invite readers to offer corrections and additional material by contacting the editor here.

ENGA

Peter Ipatas (Enga, People’s Party) has served as a politician for three terms in the national Parliament and 19 years as provincial governor. He has written: “To many I am known as ‘Action Governor’ a nickname I am very much honoured to be called. My greatest achievement as a politician has been to champion free and quality education”. In 2009 he offended prime minister Somare by questioning why millions of kina were being diverted from provincial governments and going instead to committees that were essentially political pork barreling mechanisms. Last month he savagely criticised the conduct of the election and call on the Electoral Commission to follow up on corrupt practices and address them. Somewhat unusually in PNG for a politician of his longevity, his career has been free of scandal.

Don Polye (Kandep, leader Triumph Heritage Empowerment Party), first elected in 2002, was briefly deputy prime minister from July to December 2010 and has been Foreign Minister and Finance Minister, a position O'Neill relieved him of last February citing "the continuing lack of ability by the department and ministry of finance to contain expenditure overruns outside of the budget appropriations". However he retained the Treasury portfolio, and gained that of Border Development. O'Neill hinted that the finance ministry would eventually be returned to him.

John Pundari (Kompiam-Ambum, People's Party) has been in parliament for 15 years and is Mining Minister. Mr Pundari has been criticised for spending too much time on business activities in Port Moresby and there have been claims of vote rigging in his seat. He was a strong supporter of the Solwara 1 undersea mine which has since run in to trouble with the government.

Nixon Koeka Mangape (Lagaiap-Porgera, Independent) is a major landowner, a partner in Barrack Gold and chairman of the Porgera Development Authority, which is credited with bringing significant infrastructure development to the area. He created some controversy in October last year by paying for a full-page paid advertisement in The National bragging about  the benefits he Authority had brought to the region. NP

Robert Sandan Ganim (Wabag, Independent) had the distinction of defeating one time acting prime minister Sam Abal. He is a former correctional services inspector who became a secondary school teacher after graduating from the University of Papua New Guinea. Most recently he was assistant secretary for education in Enga Province and was one of the key players in executing the successful free education policy of Enga Governor Peter Ipatas.

Rimbink Pato (Wapenamanda, United Party) is a colourful lawyer and property investor who has won a seat after a number of attempts. In 2000 the PNG Ombudsman Commission said Pato Lawyers had an alleged conflict of interest by acting for both a vendor (Katingo Pty Ltd) and a buyer (Public Officers Superannuation Fund) in a transaction. It described the arrangement by Pato Lawyers as "dangerous and wrong" and alleged it had given "incorrect advice." It also recommended that the law firm should not act for the State, any government department or other government body, for a period of five years.

KEITH JACKSON

The information in this series is derived from public sources and, in some cases, may not be accurate. We invite readers to offer corrections and additional material by contacting the editor here.

MADANG

Jim Kas (Madang, PNG Party) upset former Attorney-General Sir Arnold Amet (National Alliance). Mr Kas was governor in 2000 when the national court dismissed him from office after a leadership tribunal found him guilty of misconduct for instructing his police driver to take his vehicle onto the airport tarmac to stop a departing plane. In 2010 Kas supported calls for an inquiry into the awarding of the multibillion kina Ramu nickel and cobalt project to China Metallugical Construction Company. Kas paid special tribute to candidate, Mary Kamang, who finished third in the count. He described her as a 'strong woman' and a team- maker and had done the women of Madang proud. In office he committed himself to not interfering with the public service machinery and saying the only public servant he will deal with is the provincial administrator.

John Hickey (Bogia, National Alliance), first elected in 2002, retains the seat into his third term. He was Minister for Agriculture and Livestock in the Somare government. In 2010, when still minister, Hickey was assaulted by two employees of Chinese mining company MCC, owner of the Ramu nickel mine, at him and his wife while they were travelling on the North Coast Road. Last year, he backed a controversial Special Purpose Agriculture and Business Lease in his electorate reportedly against the wishes of his own constituents. People from the Dongan and Nenem clans petitioned him to explain why their land was taken without their knowledge, but the MP refused to help them saying the lease was a done deal and they need to shut up. They’ve obviously forgiven him.

Nixon Duban (Madang, People’s National Congress) was executive officer to Peter O’Neill. He was previously adviser to the Minister of Inter-Government Relations. Nixon established an eponymous blog in September 2010, authoring two posts. The blog hasn’t been touched since. During the recent election campaign, Duban spoke of the changes PNG has seen within a short space of time under the leadership of O’Neill. Referring to the deteriorating conditions of Madang, he said this clearly reflected the kind of leadership that Madang has had in the past decade. He said henwas ready to bring the changes that people wanted for PNG.

Assik Tomscoll (Middle Ramu, People’s Democratic Movement) defeated sitting member Ben Semri (National Alliance), making a return to parliament after 10 years.

James Gau Gelak (Rai Coast, Triumph Heritage Empowerment Party), a civil engineer, first won the seat at a 2010 by election. He is the son of Gau Yabile, a prominent Madang leader and senior public servant.

Ken Fairweather (Sumkar, People’s National Congress), Minister for Housing and Urban Development, was first elected in 2007. In that election as in this, he defeated former PNGDF commander Brig Gen Jerry Singirok to take the seat. Initially a government backbencher, Fairweather withdrew his support from the Somare government in June 2010 in protest over amendments to the Environment Act, which he said had been undemocratically "bulldozed through Parliament". Under the amendments, if the authorities granted a company permission to exploit resources on particular lands, landowners would have no recourse to challenge the permit in court. Fairweather said the amendments deprived the people of their rights, and would lead to harmful environmental damage. Fairweather announced he would sit on the "middle benches" rather than joining the Opposition. He has remained a staunch voice in support of the environment and landowners.

Anton Yagama (Usino-Bundi, United Resources Party) , former Madang town manager, said people who had been longing for honest leadership can celebrate his win with him. He told the NBC that he is looking forward to working with his people to develop the district, which is home to several multi- million kina economic projects. He appealed to those causing trouble in the election aftermath to move on with their normal day to day life now the election is over.

RANGGA PRAKOSO | Jakarta Globe

OFFICIALS FROM INDONESIA AND PAPUA NEW GUINEA hope to schedule a meeting in which the return of corruption fugitive Djoko Tjandra will be the topic of conversation.

Foreign Affairs Minister Marty Natalegawa confirmed the Indonesian government’s interest in such a meeting while discussing a letter sent by the neighboring country.

“We will [respond] immediately,” Marty said.

Deputy Attorney General Darmono said the PNG government was reviewing its decision to grant Djoko citizenship and that he hoped to discuss Djoko’s return soon.

Former Justice Minister Yusril Ihza Mahendra denied reports that he helped the graft fugitive obtain PNG citizenship.

The veteran lawyer said he was shocked at recent allegations identifying him as the person who helped Djoko win approval for naturalization in June.

“It’s been said that I gave false testimony about Djoko’s legal status in order to help him get citizenship there,” he said. “These reports are all fabricated and not based on any facts whatsoever.”

Yusril also ridiculed the notion that his recommendation would have been enough to convince officials in Port Moresby to grant Djoko citizenship.

“How could anything I say trump the Indonesian government’s law enforcement, security and diplomatic authorities? Would the PNG government believe me over Jakarta?” he said.

Djoko fled Indonesia in June 2009, one day before he was convicted by the Supreme Court of embezzling $58 million in bailout funds meant for his troubled bank.

KEITH JACKSON

The information in this series is derived from public sources and, in some cases, may not be accurate. We invite readers to offer corrections and additional material by contacting the editor here.

WESTERN HIGHLANDS

Paias Wingti (Western Highlands, People’s Democratic Movement) is back in parliament after his defeat in 2007 by student activist Tom Olga (Triumph Heritage Empowerment Party), who was runner up this time. The Wingti name is well known throughout the towns and villages of the Western Highlands. He is a two-time prime minister (1985-88 and 1992-94) and a former provincial governor. Some critics have alleged Wingti hasn’t always been fully disclosing of the source of his wealth but there have never been any adverse findings against him.

Koi Trape (Baiyer-Mul, People’s National Congress Party), the multi-millionaire owner of Mt Hagen-based Traisa Transport, the third largest trucking operator in PNG, defeated the sitting MP. In September last year he was instrumental in putting an end to a 20-year tribal conflict by bringing together five warring clans and brokering a peace settlement. He spent hundreds of thousands of kina helping the Baptist Union Church put to an end to a conflict that cost more than 200 lives. “You are wasting your time and destroying your own lives when you resort to violence and tribal fights,” he said. “You have destroyed many things that should have brought you many benefits. We must all live in peace, rebuild our health centres, churches, schools and send our children to school. This is the only way we can help ourselves improve our lives.”

Westly Nukundj (Dei, People's Party) won this seat in a very tight contest with the sitting member, Civil Aviation Minister Puri Ruing, back in third place. Nukundj has been working as a project manager at Esso Highlands Ltd. Previously he was a technical advisor in the National Planning Committee in the Prime Minister’s Department. He was educated at the PNG University of Technology and the Beijing Language Institute, where he studied Mandarin.

William Duma (Hagen, leader United Resources Party) is Minister for Petroleum and Energy and considered a political “strongman”. It has been alleged that 21 ballot boxes in his electorate were not counted. Duma raised eyebrows last year by courting controversial Australian billionaire Clive Palmer at a fund raising dinner which raised K1 million for the URP. Soon after he was sacked from his portfolio for “under-performance” by acting PM Sam Abal, only to be reinstated when O’Neill took over the reins. The URP has yet to join the new coalition being put together by O’Neill.

Benjamin Poponawa (Tambul-Nebilyer, Triumph Heritage Empowerment Party), like many PNG politicians, is a regular party switcher, now on to his fourth in five years as an MP. He has been a parliamentary secretary for Treasury and Finance in a parliament where most government members are afforded an office of some kind. He has an MBA and held the senior role of assistant Auditor General before contesting the 2007 election. He is said to be a devout Christian.

PETER MAIME

IT WAS IN THE YEAR 1982 that I did Grade 8 at Minj High School in what is now Jiwaka Province.  I don’t know what the school is like now because I haven’t been back since completing Grade 10 in 1984.

During my time there were no dormitories for the boys.  The girls had one small dormitory.  This building for the girls was an old converted administration office.  The boys who came from distant areas were given land on the school grounds to build their own houses to live in and go to school. 

My two cousin-brothers, Alki Tine and Du Kunagel, who arrived there before me had a house and I was accommodated by them.

Alki had left at the end of 1981 and gone to Goroka Technical College.  I was with Du who was doing Grade 9.

We had to find food ourselves.  Du and I were unfortunate because we were cut off from home due to tribal fights.  Our home was some 30 kilometres away from the school.  We depended on Du’s sister for food since she was married to a man from Kudjip, at that time a 50 toea bus fare trip away.

Our staple food was kaukau.  We would cut flat kaukau and fry them on a heated drum oven.  If we were lucky we would have them with tea.  Most of the time we just had to be content with kaukau.  The school only provided lunch and we had it with the rest of the students.  Lunch was mostly rice and tinned fish.

One weekend I decided to go home and see my family because it had been almost a year since I had seen them.  The tribal fights at home had stopped and people were now moving around freely.  I went on a Friday. 

My mother wailed and cried because she was happy to see me again.  I am her first born son.  My other family members were also happy to have me in their midst.

On Sunday it was time for me to return to the school.  My mother filled an empty rice bag with some kaukau that she had dug and three round cabbages from my father’s vegetable garden.  Then my parents walked me to the next village to catch my transport.  The distance between my home and the next village was about three kilometres.

I was lucky.  There was a car ready to leave with some passengers for Minj when we arrived.  Our neighbouring Golekup clan owned the car, a green Toyota Stout.  My parents put me on the car and saw me leave before they returned home.

LEONARD FONG ROKA

Nem’makaa…
the magic little boy
loves blowing his kovi
high in the black hills.
Lusts listening erect
those sinking, rocking sacred echo go
rolling
bumping
crushing pellucid quake!
through the deepest valleys to the kunu’nava
that legend house heat
of mystic  chastity
scaring away the owl spells
like clouds fading dying
due to no adoration dogma,
but just chatting o
laughing away’d his trespasses.

O magic.
The magic…the magic little boy
who blows across ranges
tunes of strangeness…
anew
mysterious
tempos that retrieve
the blood of  virgos;
o chaste magic little girls
from the initiation of kunu’nava.

Amazed.
Shocked in disbelief
and inclined to the verses
of joy sweating, burning and glowing they sing:
‘o magic…
the magic little boy
come…o come…
come you magician
of a hundred rivers and slopes.
Come kiss this cone
sharp breasts and
caress them to fire
and fetch your share of dreams
and power.

Come… o come…
come disqualify my holiness.
Smear  my lips
with  that spell of mystic oils—
the surge of your pride—
that pride…o…pride.

O magic…
magic …the magic little boy.
Come…o’ii  bakaa  nem’makaa,
the heir of my menstruation genesis…
oh boy, o.
Boy of my happiness and heritage.
Come!
O come…by
the taboos of your forefathers
pay your homage
to the night owners—
o killer of souls—
who  keep the door of the kunu’nava
as owls of death.

Death. O death…
In the dark canopies, it’s death.

Death it is, my magician
Of a hundred rivers and slopes.
O magician,
homage the spells over and over
with the magic flutes
from the blackest hills and peaks of fog.’

To the verses, the boy yodels: ‘o owl spells,
care for my womanhood, I am the boy…and
she owes me the powers.
Pleasures.
Joyful dances
and wisdom potions of rain making –
seasons and life—and prolonged love making nights.

Secure my life,

my good servants of the kunu’nava,
she’s the cuddle of my loins…
fattened by the first produce
of the land and seasons.

She is the pride of me, the foreigner.
O magician of a hundred rivers and slopes.

KEITH JACKSON

The information in this series is derived from public sources and, in some cases, may not be accurate. We invite readers to offer corrections and additional material by contacting the editor here.

WESTERN

Aide Ganasi (South Fly, People’s National Congress), a former Army officer, is the new MP. Major Ganisi a PNGDF officer for 23 years and who served in Bougainville, had come a close second in the past two elections. Before the election  he reflected on the need for leadership and said “the South Fly people have been suffering for too long and with Mr O’Neill certain to retain the top post they must consider their choice carefully as it will reflect on services finally reaching the people.”

Ati Wobiro (Western, People's United Assembly) shocked the leader of the PNG Labor Party, Dr Bob Danaya, who held this seat for 10years. The PNG Sustainable Development Program Director, who led much development in the province, was considered a good thing by locals. Wobiro, a former corporate planner with PANGTEL, is something of a management guru and has written a number of monographs for the Melanesian Institute on management related issues.

Roy Biyama (Middle Fly, People’s National Congress) is now in his third term and has been Minister for State Assisting the Prime Minister. He gained something of an advantage in May when Peter O’Neill opened ‘Roy Biyama House’ in Balimo which accommodates five new government offices. O’Neill urged urged the people to re-elect Biyama as their MP if they wanted to see more services. They complied. In 2007 he wrote that he was angered by a report in the Post-Courier, MP’s defraud K5m set for town project, but did not sue the newspaper.

Boka Kondra (North Fly, People’s National Congress) was first elected in 2007 after failing at his first attempt in 2002. The giant Ok Tedi mine is located within the electorate, and Kondra has made it clear he intends to facilitate the creation of wealth by Papua New Guinea land and resource owners by handing over control of Papua New Guinea’s resources to landowner groups – an idea which briefly flourished in late 2011 (after Kondra was appointed ‘vice minister’ for mining) under Byron Chan, until O’Neill, shocked by resource companies’ reaction, put an end to it. Kondra has also joined an international campaign to support West Papuans alleged to be persecuted by Indonesian authorities, criticising PNG’s inaction over the “plight of their fellow Melanesians”.

SIMBU

Kerenga Kua (Sinasina-Yongomugl, Independent) defeated widely disliked Speaker Jeffrey Nape. Kua, a lawyer for 25 years, is president of the PNG Law Society and very distinguished in his profession. He has had great experience in company and commercial law and two years ago had to flee Port Moresby after a price was put on his head by a vexatious litigant. Amongst other roles Kua has worked as a senior associate with Blake Dawson Waldron in PNG and Australia and has been a lawyer of the Supreme Court since 1987.

Wera Mori (Chuave, Triumph Heritage Empowerment Party), well known in the Simbu, unseated Jim Nomare (People’s National Congress). He is a successful businessman who was founding national president of the People’s Party, which he’s since left behind. A geologist by training he is managing director of EMR Limited, a company specialising in mineral exploration and geotechnical services. Mori holds a post graduate diploma in geology and graduated with a Bachelor of Science from the University of Papua New Guinea.

Noah Kool (Chimbu, Independent) seemed to have the seat well in his grasp as we went to press. He is a local teacher, a respected church leader and has been described as ‘laid back’. Kool was a rugby league star in the 1990s when who made an international appearance for PNG. He has previously had an unsuccessful attempt at winning a seat.

Dawa Lukas Dekena (Gumine, PNG Party), one time Planning Minister, has been re-elected. Best remembered for supporting moves to weaken the Ombudsman’s powers to issue directives when investigating allegations of misconduct by politicians. “When jealous critics file false allegations before the OC, they proceed on with investigations and suppress the MPs from performing and delivering services which greatly affect the people in their respective districts,” Dawa said.

Tobias Kulang (Kundiawa, PNG Constitutional Development Party) Kulang graduated from Divine Word University as an accountant and, after a stint in the Ok Tedi Mining township of Tabubil, established Star Business Consultancy. The operation expanded and by 2009 had opened a head office in Port Moresby with more than 40 staff. When the local MP Joe Teini died last year, Kulang won the seat in a by-election. The people of Kulang’s home place of Mt Wilhelm are said to be “ecstatic” at his success.

Maugerema Siko Wii (Karamui-Nomane, Independent). Narrowly defeated (about 70 votes) sitting candidiate Michael Korry. Maugerema carved out a successful busines in Lae as owner of the City Guest House in Top Town Lae.

Camillus Dangma Bongoro (Kerowagi, Independent) defeated the sitting member Guma Wau and is a first-timer in parliament. He is reported to manage some of the many business enterprises owned by Kerenga Kua (Sinasina-Yongomugl, above).

 .

OLIVER MILMAN | The Guardian (London)

A "NEW FRONTIER" IN MINING is set to be opened up by the underwater extraction of resources from the seabed off the coast of Papua New Guinea, despite vehement objections from environmentalists and local activists.

Canadian firm Nautilus Minerals has been granted a 20-year licence by the PNG government to commence the Solwara 1 project, the world's first commercial deep sea mining operation.

Nautilus will mine an area 1.6km beneath the Bismarck Sea, 50km off the coast of the PNG island of New Britain. The ore extracted contains high-grade copper and gold.

The project is being carefully watched by other mining companies keen to exploit opportunities beneath the waves.

The Deep Sea Mining (DSM) campaign, a coalition of groups opposing the PNG drilling, estimates that 1 million sq km of sea floor in the Asia-Pacific region is under exploration licence. Nautilus alone has around 524,000 sq km under licence, or pending licence, in PNG, Tonga, New Zealand and Fiji.

"PNG is the guinea pig for deep-sea mining," says Helen Rosenbaum, the campaign's co-ordinator. "The mining companies are waiting in the wings ready to pile in. It's a new frontier, which is a worrying development.

"The big question the locals are asking is 'What are the risks?' There is no certain answer to that, which should trigger a precautionary principle.

"But Nautilus has found a place so far away from people that they can get away with any impacts. They've picked an underfunded government without the regulation of developed countries that will have no way of monitoring this properly."

The mining process will involve levelling underwater hydrothermal "chimneys", which spew out vast amounts of minerals. Sediment is then piped to a waiting vessel, which will separate the ore from the water before pumping the remaining liquid back to the seafloor.

The DSM campaign has compiled a report, co-authored by a professor of zoology from University of Oxford, which warns that underwater mining will decimate deep water organisms yet to be discovered by science, while sediment plumes could expose marine life to toxic metals that will work their way up the food chain to tuna, dolphins and even humans.

"There are indirect impacts that could clog the gills of fish, affect photosynthesis and damage reefs," says Rosenbaum.

Activists also claim that an environmental analysis by Nautilus fails to properly address the impact of the mining on ecosystems, nor explains any contingency plan should there be a major accident.

Wenceslaus Magun, a PNG-based activist, told the Guardian that local fishing communities are concerned about the mining and are planning to challenge the exploration licence.

"We are really concerned because the sea is the source of our spirituality and sustenance," he said. "The company has not explained to us the risks of deep sea mining. They haven't responded to my requests for information."

SPECIAL BROADCASTING SERVICE

IN HIS FIRST INTERVIEW since being re-elected to the nation’s top job Papua New Guinea’s prime minister Peter O’Neill has told SBS News his government plans to crack down on corruption,.

Speaking of a massive deal with petroleum company Exxon Mobil that could see PNG’s GDP double over the next two years, Mr O'Neill said a sovereign wealth fund had been put together to manage revenue coming from mineral developments.

“Our country has squandered similar opportunities in the past. My job now is to create an environment where these funds are managed properly.”

Mr O’Neill also spoke of his government’s willingness to support equal rights in parliament.

“PNG has had a change in its attitude towards women, and it’s encouraging to note that two ladies have been elected to parliament now, and, although that is not enough, I think it is a good start.”

Mr O’Neill was re-elected in early August by a huge majority of 94-12. PNG’s new government is formed from a broad coalition of former leaders and senior parliamentary figures, including Sir Michael Somare, who was ousted as Prime Minister in August last year.

“For them to come and give support to myself and other young leaders, to manage our country over the next few years is an indication of the maturity of politics our country,” Mr O'Neill said."

KEITH JACKSON

The information in this series is derived from public sources and, in some cases, may not be accurate. We invite readers to offer corrections and additional material by contacting the editor here.

MOROBE

Kelly Naru (Morobe, Independent), a lawyer, was asked by people from three electorates to run in this election. Renowned as a “Good Samaritan”, Mr Naru was initially approached by locals from Mindik village in the Finschhafen district of Morobe province. Eight men from the village walked for two days and two nights over rugged terrain to meet him in Lae. Community leader Sokiong Kata said they were sent by the village elders to request Mr Naru to contest the Morobe Regional seat. He did – and he won. Mr Kata said Mr Naru’s involvement in the Lutheran Church for so many years proved him to be the leader for the province.

Sam Basil (Bulolo, PNG Party) has a blog last updated in January 2009. That oversight aside, the tough and intelligent National Planning Minister seems to have the goods. His publicist emotes about how he “stepped out from the Taekwondo ring into the crazy world of business and now into the harsh political ring.” But Basil is a politician of real substance. He has been outspoken against corruption, especially by politicians in the Somare government, to the point of being under serious personal and family threat. The most outrageous was made by Sir Michael Somare on the floor of parliament in July 2010, when a death threat was made. A black mark against the Basil name came last November when he was aboard the government Falcon jet on a mysterious flight that was intercepted by Indonesian defence force fighter planes over Indonesian airspace. His explanations back then about what was actually happening were unconvincing.

Theo Zurenuoc (Finschhafen, People’s Progress Party) was first elected as an independent in 2007. He won the seat by defeating his uncle. His father ahd previously held the seat. In 2009 he said he would support reserved seats for women in parliament. When Peter O'Neill became prime minister last year, he appointed Zurenuoc as his Minister for Education. One of the O'Neill government's first announcements was that it would commit funds to providing free primary education to all children in the country, and subsidised secondary education. At the time Zurenuoc stated that all classes should be in English in primary schools, with classes in indigenous languages abolished, and that outcome-based education should be abandoned, since many teachers considered it to be "suppressive, irrelevant, outdated and not working".

Ross Seymour (Huon Gulf, PNG Party) defeated former MP Tukape Masani (Independent). Seymour is a Lae businessman from Chevasing village in the Wampa area.

Bob Dadae (Kabwum, People’s National Congress), PNG’s former defence minister under Michael Somare, retains the seat for a third term. In 2007 he rejected outright the findings of the Defence Force inquiry into Julian Moti’s clandestine flight from the country aboard a PNG military plane. The inquiry had implicated the Prime Minister Sir Michael Somare, senior bureaucrats and a number of soldiers. Dade said the inquiry was “wrongly headed” by supreme court justice Gibbs Salika, had overstepped its jurisdiction and was biased. He said none of the report’s findings would be accepted and none of its recommendations implemented. He refused to comment when asked if his decision meant there were two laws in PNG - one for ordinary Papua New Guineans and one for its leaders.

Loujaya Toni (Lae, Indigenous People's Party). An unexpected and celebrated win over veteran sitting member and minister, the well respected Bart Philemon gave parliament its second female MP in this election. The academically credentialed Toni is a journalist, singer and poet and her win was greeted ecstatically by people throughout PNG and Australia. She is a poet of real quality and has contributed many poems to PNG Attitude. Toni said she believed she could use her knowledge and experience to bring holistic development in her Lae electorate. “I understand human beings and basics of not only to look after people within Lae electorate, I also understand how we can develop together our human resources and how to communicate development.”

Paul Isikiel (Markham, People’s National Congress) is a businessman. He is third time lucky in this seat, having contested finished third in 2002 and second in 2007. He unseated Koni Iguan (PNG Party).

Benjamin Phillip (Menyamya, United Resources Party) has retained his seat. He’s a politician whose good works are sadly unrecorded on the internet, but we do know he is chairman of the Morobe provincial government works committee.

Gisuwat Siniwim (Nawae, People’s National Congress) is a former MP who has returned to defeat Timothy Bonga (National Alliance). Siniwim is a member of the Evangelical Lutheran Church and was previously principal of Bumayong Lutheran High School.

Mao Zeming (Tewae-Siassi, People’s National Congress) has a bit of form.Just before the 2002 election Zeming was referred to a tribunal for misusing public money and found guilty of breaching the leadership code. That career glitch aside, he is considered to be a capable leader. After his election, Zeming said he will “focus heavily on delivering basic government services to his people. “I have seen a lot of things that have been left undone during my nine years absent from politics,” he said, commenting that this was the fourth time he had been elected to represent his people after he was dismissed wrongfully by the leadership tribunal.

PATRICIA MARTIN

Young, wild and free
I grew to believe that the tapa and grass-skirt is for the villager
I chose to wear jeans and shirts
Accusations and assault appalled me

Aren’t I a Papua New Guinean growing up between two cultures?
I disposed the thought to relieve myself of shame
For not knowing my peoples’ ways
Bored and bothered, I bungled the bridge of my cultural identity

Logic started whispering tormenting scads of loss
From what?
Haughty hugged me tight
And gave me sobriquet

On a fast lane, fast food and falling frenzy
I heard voices chanting
Goon… Goon… Goon… Goon
Have you forgotten?

That being a Papua New Guinean
You have cultural roots
Your ancestors wore tapa and grass-skirt
Simplicity was the order in the village

And oh, yes there is a place called village
Where the father and brother of your father live
Where your father’s brother can also be called dad
Where your grandmother cooks food in a clay pot

Where dinner is served in wooden bowls
Where you sit on a sago leaf woven mat and eat
Where you sleep in a bush material house
This is shelter and home to your people

I blush yet baffled
What has become of me?
To live that life is difficult
To adapt is unthinkable

Pride rests in the deepest part of my inner being
To know who I really am
The comfort of what I am experiencing now
Inhibits me from confronting the truth

I hear an unpleasant continuous music
Beckoning me to sing
I choose instead to listen
Intently will I listen

The dark cloud hovering over me will be diffused
Then I will embrace reality
And be liberated
To accept growing up between two distinct cultures

Patricia Martin (42) was born in Port Moresby and now lives in Lae.  She is a teacher and enjoys teaching poetry and story writing.  She is hoping to one day have her poems published

KEITH JACKSON

The information in this series is derived from public sources and, in some cases, may not be accurate. We invite readers to offer corrections and additional material by contacting the editor here.

GULF

Havila Kavo (Gulf, People’s National Congress) retains his seat and governor’s role. He was first elected governor in 2007 but the  appointment was rescinded in June 2010, following a vote of no-confidence by the Gulf Provincial Assembly. Kavo successfully challenged this decision and was reinstated following a ruling by the Supreme Court the following August. Then, in April last year, Kavo was arrested and charged for the misappropriation of over K131,000 in public funds from the Gulf administration between January and February 2010. Earlier this year stated that said companies which discredited Papua New Guinea by calling it a failed state should be banned from the country. “Ten years ago, Shell described PNG as a failed state, gave up its operations, sold it to InterOil and left. Now they have decided to come back,” he said.

Richard Mendani (Kerema, PNG Country Party) was managing director at Oceania Klasic management consulting having previously worked for the Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat. Mendani, 45, also has other business interests.

Mark Maipakai (Kikori, Triumph Heritage Empowerment Party), former Labour and Industrial Relations Minister, is now in his third term. In March this year he was suspended from parliament suspended pending an investigation into allegations of misappropriation of public funds. Community leaders complained that during Maipakai’s previous two parliamentary terms there were no improvements in Kikori’s roads, health services, police, or water utilities. "Maipakai’s suspension is welcomed,” said a local chief. But the incident did not hamper his re-election.

JIWAKA

Dr William Tongamp (Jiwaka, New Generation Party) has been elected as the inaugural governor of Jiwaka Province in a surprise result where he defeated former health minister jamie Maxtone-Graham (PNG Party). Tongamp is an associate professor in the faculty of engineering of Akita University in Japan. He said Jiwaka could be like Japan if educated people of the province went back and contributed ideas to develop it. Tongamp said PNG had many politicians but no leaders who could see and understand things of the past and prepare it for the future.

Komun Joe Koim (Angalimp-South Waghi, Independent), whose campaign was launched by Belden Namah, fills the vacancy created by former MP Jamie Maxtone-Graham choosing to contest the Jiwaka Provincial seat.

Mai Dop (Jimi, United Resources Party) a local businessman defeated the minister assisting prime minister on constitutional matters, Wake Goi, amongst vehement complaints in the electorate that their elected member was letting them down. In late May a man died and two were seriously wounded after Dop and another candidate, Clement Kupul, attacked each other during nomination formalities. Dop confirmed the incident but said he had already left when the fight broke out. “I told my supporters that I wanted peaceful and fair elections and then left for Kwiop when the fight started,” he said.

Dr Fabian Pok (North Waghi, United Resources Party) returns to parliament after defeating sitting MP Benjamin Mul, an independent, arrested for allegedly handing out funds and in possession of a bag containing over K4,500 and seven guns. Pok 47, attended Keravat National High School, studied commerce at UPNG and in 1990 graduated with a masters degree in economics from the University of New England. He then went on to complete a PhD. Returning to PNG he lectured at UPNG and consulted to various government departments and businesses. He was in parliament from 1997-2002. Pok is the author of three books and has written many papers on accounting issues in developing countries.

EDITORIAL | Canberra Times

THE PEOPLE OF PAPUA NEW GUINEA have had both the best and the worst that the nation's political and constitutional system has to offer over the past year.

Last Friday, after a general election, Peter O'Neill was voted in as Prime Minister by an overwhelming majority, 94 votes to 12. Parliament met rather earlier than it should have with polls not yet declared in a number of seats, but that could not have affected the outcome.

It was probably not without significance that the week of the opening of parliament was an anniversary - a year since Mr O'Neill ousted Sir Michael Somare as prime minister after a declaration by a majority in parliament that Sir Michael, ill and unconscious while slowly recovering from heart surgery in Singapore had forfeited his seat by absence, and thus the prime ministership.

Thus began a year of constitutional upheaval that will probably be remembered most - by outsiders, including Australians, and PNG citizens - as a year of wasted time, inaction and serious delay in addressing PNG's fundamental problems.

Sir Michael, the nation's first prime minister in 1975, one of the national fathers and big chiefs, has stayed in politics for much too long. Even his family had announced, during his illness, that he was quitting politics.

However, soon after the formal deposition, he had fresh wind and insisted that he had not been deposed in the manner that the nation's constitution required. He challenged his sacking and, by majority, judges of the PNG constitutional court agreed and ordered that he be re-sworn as prime minister by the governor-general.

Months of political and constitutional confusion and farce followed. After the governor-general swore in Sir Michael and a cabinet he nominated, Mr O'Neill, with a firm grip on the numbers in parliament, had parliamentary confidence in his leadership affirmed, then sacked the governor-general and appointed a new one, who recognised him, and he continued to govern.

The national bureaucratic machinery, independent officials and the military and police continued to recognise Mr O'Neill as prime minister, and followed instructions from his ministers.

This did not stop a mischievous and foolish Sir Michael from occasional acts of vandalism of a threadbare government fabric, such as purported appointments of new police and military commanders, followed by abortive ''coup'' attempts, and the general chaos, pathos and bathos which naturally followed the comic opera operation of a nation in which there were generally at least two people in every official role. The last thing PNG needed was to be a local joke and an international laughing stock.

PACIFIC PENCIL

A NEW BI-MONTHLY WOMEN’S MAGAZINE, bringing together words and images from the best creative minds in Papua New Guinea and the Pacific, will launch in Port Moresby on Thursday.

Stella magazine will initially be distributed in Port Moresby and Kimbe, later circulating in other parts of Papua New Guinea.

The magazine was founded to provide a creative outlet for contemporary writers, poets, artists, illustrators, and photographers in the region.

Stella is a celebration of the unique Pacific lifestyle, covering Melanesia, Polynesia and Micronesia.

The publisher, Pacific Pencil, says Stella will offer readers a blend of short and long features that together form a collection of insights of what Pacific women are achieving across the region.

The first issue features candid interviews with political candidate Jennifer Baing and Samoan fiction writer Lani Wendt-Young.

The large-format, full-colour publication will include regular features covering funky fashion and practical products, experimentation with second hand fashion, current law, finance, technology and business trends and travel stories from a Pacific perspective.

Stella will also have an online component, an electronic newsletter and be active in social networking.

The launch event will be held at 10.30 am on Thursday at Star News Link, Vision City in Port Moresby to coincide with the International Day of the World’s Indigenous People.

You can purchase Stella at UPNG Bookshop, Theodist Waigani, Star News Link Vision City, Holiday Inn Waigani, Trophy Haus Boroko, and K-Mart Kimbe West New Britain for K9.95

KEITH JACKSON

The information in this series is derived from public sources and, in some cases, may not be accurate. We invite readers to offer corrections and additional material by contacting the editor here.

CENTRAL

Kila Haoda (Central, Independent), the new governor of Central Province, is a Gaire businessman and owner of the popular March Girls Resort. Haoda is said to understand tourism and its potential and there is a view he will be able to put more emphasis on an industry which, outside mineral resources, remains as one of PNG’s most promising sources of revenue.

Dr Sir Puka Temu (Abau, leader Our Development Party). Puka Temu, a medical practitioner by profession, spearheaded an attempt to overthrow Michael Somare in 2010 and, when the attempt failed, became leader of the opposition. O'Neill, on gaining power, appointed him Minister for Agriculture & Livestock. He is a highly respected politician although there is some distrust of him in the province for not more actively pursuing land rights issues.

Daniel Mona (Goilala, PNG Party) is a former journalist and was the provincial Disaster and Emergency coordinator, Daniel Mona. He’s a son of the first Goilala MP, Louis Mona, who in the 1970s and 1980s was seen to improve services and oversee the construction of the Port Moresby–Tapini Highway and Tapini High School. There is great anticipation in the electorate that Daniel will follow in his father’s footsteps.

Paru Aihi (Kairuku-Hiri, People’s National Congress) was Minister for Higher Education, Research Science and Technology in the Somare government. Following Somare’s ousting, Aihi defected from the National Alliance to join the O’Neill group in March this year saying he was “concerned about delivering goods and services to the people of his electorate therefore had decided to align himself with the government of the day” and stating that he had “defected not for my personal gain but for the people of Kairuku-Hiri”.

Ano Pala (Rigo, People’s National Congress), Minister of Foreign Affairs and Immigration, is an astute politician who defected to the opposition for a second time in August last year, helping to overthrow Michael Somare. He became Minister for Foreign Affairs, Trade and Immigration. He had previously served as parliamentary clerk. In 2010 he took the extraordinary step of telling the media to stop discussing PNG’s controversial environment laws or be in contempt of court. Recently he was allegedly associated with the awarding of PNG citizenship to controversial Indonesian fugitive Joko Tjandra.

JEFFREY FEBI

If humans were formed from dust, and poetry is human's meagre attempt to reveal the beautiful or sublime; the beauty of this dust from from which we originated is unsurpassed

Once a man in his quest to be poetic,
Twisted and mingled words to find
Subtle beauty in meager arrangements.

At birth of day;
When the day was ripe;
At death of day;
Even when the night’s eye
Was sleeping, he searched

His dreams. Reaped them apart;
Turned them upside down and
Scribbled their charms on memory.

Only to find hosts of
Re-arranged clichés.
Exhausted, out loud he cried.

'Give me a drink of thesaurus, and
Cigars rolled in pages of a dictionary.
I'd be drunk with beautiful metaphors
And be high with unusual rhymes that

Sing and dance. I’d sing along and
Sprightly dance that our voices may
Reach over vales and hills
Till my mind’s ink is drawn.

Yes! O yes, an echo on shelf
Lonely and dusty continues to sing.
On platforms or from behind silent corners,
I'd care not because, time …;
Would’ve dealt with me”.

Jeff Febi is a geologist working in the oil and gas industry.  He is an accomplished poet and writer and won the 2011 Crocodile Prize for short stories

PETER SEVARA

THE DRUNK’S EYES ARE MOLTEN RED as he sets out to grab innocent females in the evening dimness. The female’s yelps of fear are drowned by the loud music blaring from the taxis parked leisurely at the bus-stop.

The cop-shop is all but empty and deserted. It’s Fortnight Friday at Boroko bus-stop at its peak hour. Hova is among a handful of late passengers heading for Waigani. She checks her phone.

Why isn’t he answering my text messages? Darl I need you. Fear creeps up her spine. She logs into facebook: dayumm…stranded @ bko bustop 4 2 hrs nau! Log in time: 5:30pm.

The sun glares down at Ela Beach. Haivavu is sweltering in the 38 degree heat; He brushes off the droplets of sweat on his “goaty” and tucks back his sharp jaw in a yawn. His brown deep eyes scan the sea for some peace of mind. His tall lanky frame steaming under the heat!

The beach is mostly filled with teenage love-birds, street vendors, and a handful of public servants boozing away. He walks towards the Okari trees lining the beach. He is playing patience because Hova is late - again.

Hova wipes her broad sweaty brows as she waits with her cousin-sister, Uaopou at Boroko bus-stop. The buses are all full. Her dimples show because she knows that Haivavu is already tired of waiting. Her full lips sucked in.

It’s been two hours now and she still hasn’t got a chance to get on a bus. She looks around at the raskols sneering for an opportunity, pushing amongst the passengers to fish out a phone or wallet. She shivers. No! She would rather wait for an empty bus. She turns to Uaopou.

“Sorry for keeping you with me tita.”

“Nah it’s okay, you just worry about your bf ok?” She offers kindly.

She gives her a weak smile and logs into facebook: oi osem wanem? PMV short ah? Kasssttt!! Log in time: 2:00pm.

Haivavu tires of waiting. Two hours is too much to wait. He ignores her messages and leaves town. An hour later as the bus rolls into Tokarara Service station, Haivavu checks his phone and sees a new message. It’s from Hova. 

“Wer r u? m @ town alredi. Walkn 2 ela beach nau. Wer r u?”

‘Ye lon taim yu stap lo wer? Wari blo yu.’  He ignores the text and sets the alert to silent. Its 3:30 pm.

He gets off for the main market. As he walks toward the market he senses eyes on his back. He turns around and hears Hirisi calling his name as she crosses the road.

“Hi sexy?” she drawls.

KEITH JACKSON

A THIRD WOMAN HAS BEEN ELECTED to the PNG parliament in one of the biggest boilovers of the 2012 national election.

Julie Soso, standing for the Triumph Heritage Empowerment Party, is a prominent community leader in the Eastern Highlands.

A former broadcaster, she is a women’s rights advocate , president of the Women’s Council and deputy chair of the Eastern Highlands AIDS council.

In an unexpected victory, she defeated political veteran Barry Holowe (Independent), who as a kiap was elected to PNG’s very first parliament, the House of Assembly, in 1964.

Contributor David Kitchnoge points out two major firsts: that Julie Soso is the first female parliamentarian to be elected in the Highlands and also the first woman governor ever.

The Eastern Highlands provincial seat was one of the last in PNG to be declared. There was a huge field of male candidates but Julie Soso, having obviously done her homework on the electoral calculus, managed to win after the allocation of preferences.

Ms Soso joins Loujaya Toni (Lae) and Delilah Gore (Sohe) in the national parliament. Her strength of character, career experience and commitment to rights issues singles her out as formidable ministerial material.

The appointment of one of the three elected women as a minister is now presenting itself as something of a test for prime minister Peter O’Neill.

KEITH JACKSON

IF YOU WANT TO KNOW who the key players are likely to be in the new government of Papua New Guinea, the identities of the men (yep, they’re all men) in the caretaker cabinet gives you all the clues you need.

The full ministry is due to be announced on Wednesday, but here are the real movers and shakers:

Peter O’Neill – Prime Minister, National Planning, Police

Don Polye – Treasury, Finance, Correctional Services, Labour and Industrial Relations, Immigration, Transport

Patrick Pruaitch – Housing, Inter-Government Relations, Forests

William Duma – Petroleum and Energy, Defence, Tourism, Arts and Culture, Autonomy and Autonomous Regions (including Bougainville Affairs)

Sir Puka Temu – Public Service, Agriculture and Livestock, Foreign Affairs and Trade

James Marape – Works, Implementation, Lands Physical Planning, Education, Research and Science and Technology

Charles Abel – Commerce and Industry, Small and Medium Enterprises, Justice, Attorney-General, Communication, Information and Technology

Mao Zeming – Fisheries, Marine Resource, Health, HIV AIDS, Family Affairs, Youth Religion and Gender

Ben Micah – Public Enterprise, Sports, Pacific Games, Mining

John Pundari – Environment, Conservation, Climate Change, Civil Aviation

KEITH JACKSON

KEN MCKINNON IS ONE OF Australia’s most distinguished educators. Ken and his wife, Suzanne Walker, in her time a notable public servant in Australia, are great friends of Papua New Guinea.

Now they have donated a considerable sum of money to the Crocodile Prize that should allow the printing of up to 10,000 books of original Papua New Guinean writing to be circulated throughout the length and breadth of the country.

It is believed that this print run of The Crocodile Prize Anthology 2012 will be the largest of any book ever published in PNG.

Ken McKinnon has done so much in his life that is often overlooked that he was a pioneering director of education in PNG from 1966-73; known as the man who reformed and redirected the education system, gave it a national orientation and put it on an ‘independence footing’.

Despite the fact that the ASOPA-trained McKinnon (he was in the first batch of young Australian teachers bound for PNG who were trained there in 1954) quickly showed that he was someone out of the ordinary - rising rapidly though the ranks in the PNG teaching service - there was nothing straightforward about his appointment as PNG director of education.

Contemporary records show that the head of the Australian Department of Territories, George Warwick Smith held back McKinnon’s appointment for a year “because he did not like [him]” and despite it being “crystal clear that McKinnon was so far ahead of the others that it would be ludicrous to consider anybody else.’

The selection committee had unanimously agreed to appoint McKinnon, then in his early thirties, and then TPNG waited for a year it could ill afford while Warwick Smith got over his angst.

That Warwick Smith, a notoriously stubborn and bloody-minded man, was also a goose of the first order is shown by McKinnon’s brilliant career following upon those early days.

Emeritus Professor Kenneth R McKinnon AO AUA(Adel) BA BEd (Qld) EdD (Harvard) DLitt (Hon Woll) DLitt (Hon Deakin) DLitt (Hon UNSW), DUniv (Hon James Cook) FACE was to become one of Australia’s most outstanding educators and educational administrators.

After leaving PNG he became chairman of the newly-established Australian Schools Commission (1973-81) and vice-chancellors of Wollongong University (1981-95), James Cook University (1997) and Charles Darwin University (2002-03). He was also chairman of the Australian Press Council from 2000-2011.

His other appointments also provide a clear indication of his energy and ability - board member of the College of Law, president of the Australian Vice-Chancellors’ Committee and chairman of the National Commission for UNESCO as well as a consultant to the World Bank and 18 universities in Australia, New Zealand and Indonesia.

Apart from his great support of the Crocodile Prize, I have a particular reason for being grateful to McKinnon.

As a young school teacher at Gagl (near Kerowagi) in 1966 – writing occasional scripts for the ABC and freelancing for the then South Pacific Post and Pacific Islands Monthly – I was plucked from my outpost and transferred to Port Moresby as editor of school publications, so initiating a career that has continued to this day.

And it was McKinnon who signed the papers that gave me the job.

So, after nearly half a century, the two of us are still managing to find common cause in our love of PNG and its people.

And that’s a good story, if ever I had the pleasure to write one.

EMMA MacDONALD | Canberra Times

WOMEN WHO FEED THEIR FAMILIES by growing vegetables on small plots of land in Papua New Guinea will be the subject of a new University of Canberra research project into their business skills.

The university has received an $800,000 research grant - awarded by the Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research - to send a group of researchers into the field to see whether improving the business skills and financial literacy of women vegetable growers in PNG would improve their ability to make a profit and live more securely.

The research is led by the university's associate dean in the Faculty of Education, Professor Barbara Pamphilon, who says the study is a first.

''Quite a lot of work has been done to improve the actual growing of vegetable or agricultural produce, and this has often focused on men,'' Professor Pamphilon said.

“Women smallholders grow vegetables for the family and sell the excess but the business skills behind planning and selling this type of produce has not been looked at to date.”

The four-year study will focus on improving the business know-how of women farmers and supporting their role in providing for their families.

''The long-term aim of the project is to improve family livelihood and family security. We will be focusing on women's work as part of a family small business, but it's important that men are welcome and the whole family unit is supported.''

Part of the research grant would also build the capacity of local trainers and researchers so that the project could continue once the study is finished.

''We're really looking to understand the contextual, cultural and social factors that impact on women both as farmers and on how they learn.

“We will trial a range of ways to support learning that are well beyond simple training days - women are already joining into collective groups and we will build on this sort of local activity.''

Traditional practices such as bartering would be examined as business impediments.

The project will focus on women in East New Britain, the Western Highlands and the area in Central Province around the capital city of Port Moresby.

It will include an email newsletter twice a year to the wider Papua New Guinea region to disseminate findings throughout the study.

KEITH JACKSON

AT THE END OF EACH MONTH we survey the stories in PNG Attitude that attracted the most comments from readers. The summary provides an accurate view of the themes and issues that resonate with readers motivate them to take up their quills and rattle off a some volleys of approbation, indignation or enhancement.

July was a month of voting, counting of votes and the associated political analysis in Papua New Guinea. It was also a month in which Australians were in one of their rare moments of focusing on PNG; with much journalistic breast-beating about what they’d done wrong.

It’s all a little bizarre, really. But nothing can take away from the fact that – each five years – Papua New Guineans turn out to vote in a democratic process that, no matter that it be flawed, sometimes horribly so, exists, is committed to and results in a largely peaceful handover of the reins of government. I find it quite inspirational.

Anyway, let’s look at the stories that got our readers fired up and writing during July. We've provided links to each of them; just click through….

21 comments - Loujaya Toni – a life of music, politics & poetry…. (Keith Jackson). When academic, journalist, singer and poet Loujaya Toni shocked a strong field of male contenders to become Papua New Guinea’s newest female parliamentarian, it proved to be an event that resonated within and outside PNG.

20 comments - Road to hell is paved with religion & westernisation (Martyn Namorong). You can count on Martyn to take the pin out of the grenade, engender some danger and trigger a degree of excitement from readers. This was he case when PNG’s best known purveyor of buai turned his attention to westernisation and development – which he saw as a cover for “the greedy white ruling class decid[ing] to loot the rest of the world's nations of their wealth they carried with them their laws, their customs, their government, their technology, their diseases and their religion.”

18 comments - Time for action with dysfunctional, violent PNG (Geoffrey Barker). The Australian Financial Review journalist set the cat amongst the pigeons when he argued that “it has been downhill all the way since Australia, under international anti-colonial pressure, granted independence to Papua New Guinea in September 1975.”

15 comments - In defence of Belden Namah & his leadership (Simon Simbiken). Belden comes in for a fair bit of stick and most people would probably agree that he deserves it, but Simon offered another perspective of a man who he said “has unique leadership qualities generally lacking in Papua New Guinea's political arena”.

14 comments - What should Australia do? What can Australia do? (Paul Oates with a comment from David Kitchnoge). Continuing the election-driven introspection, Oates observed that “Australian commentators and journalists have recently identified a large island immediately to our north”. Then he posed the question, ‘Why would a similar system of government practised in both Australia and PNG work in one country and not another?’ The answer he proposed – tribalism – set hounds and hares running.

11 comments - Dame Carol pushes to decriminalise homosexuality in PNG (Elise Kinsella). This is always a topic guaranteed to stimulate controversy. Fortunately we were spared the worst excesses of homophobic abuse in a debate where commentators exercised commendable restraint in expressing often strongly-held views.

10 comments - At long last, Kiaps to be honoured by their country (Ian McPhedran). “Hundreds of former kiaps who served with the Royal Papua New Guinea Constabulary between 1949 and 1973 have become eligible to receive the Police Overseas Medal.” A well-deserved honour, most people might think, but not everyone agreed.

9 comments - Keepin' the fire alive: Loujaya Toni has just won Lae (Keith Jackson). “In one of the real shock results of the current Papua New Guinea elections, activist, poet and singer Loujaya Toni has just won the seat of Lae.”

8 comments - Politics without principle; wealth without work.... (Trev Shelley). Don’t blame Australia for PNG’s failings, Trev argued, look at our own countrymen who try to sneak out of their shortcomings by deflecting blame on the former colonial master.

8 comments - ‘Markham Tom’, big-hearted PNG pioneer, dies at 83 (Max Uechtritz). “The remarkable Tom Leahy – Papua New Guinea pioneer, planter and politician – passed away in Toowoomba aged 83.” When great men die, the rest of us pause, reflect and are thankful for their life’s work.

7 comments - Wolves, sheeple & the illusion of two choices (Martyn Namorong). “Are Peter O'Neill and Belden Namah the best Papua New Guinea can produce to be prime minister? What about the rest?” asked our resident controversialist, remarking that reducing the leadership option to two men was a false choice.

7 comments - Oops, there goes the dynasty… Arthur loses seat (Keith Jackson). “Arthur Somare, former minister and son of Papua New Guinea's Grand Chief, this afternoon lost his seat of Angoram in the East Sepik Province.” The heir apparent, and a man whose actions were often regarded with suspicion, has had his political career at least temporarily put on hold. I feel relieved, he said; not entirely convincingly.

KEITH JACKSON

The information in this series is derived from public sources and, in some cases, may not be accurate. We invite readers to offer corrections and additional material by contacting the editor here.

SOUTHERN HIGHLANDS

William Powi (Southern Highlands, People’s National Congress) has been provincial administrator of the Southern Highlands and now moves into the governor’s office. He is also chairman of the provincial forest management committee. Earlier in his career he was principal policy advisor in the prime minister’s department. As provincial administrator he did not get on well with then governor Anderson Agiru who last October said he would institute investigations into allegations of misappropriation of K4 million in provincial government funds by Powi and provincial treasurer Simon Tomba. After returning from medical leave earlier this year, he affirmed he was the legitimate administrator and warned then governor Anderson Agiru to leave his province and his people alone and not play politics with the public service machinery.

Peter O'Neill (Ialibu-Pangia, People’s National Congress) was the first candidate to be declared after a massive win in his seat which was also symbolically important for the prime minister. His post-election ‘reconciliation’ with Michael Somare was an important gesture, as was his total repudiation of the mercurial Belden Namah, and he seems excellently placed to form a strong government. His personal story is well told on the internet so we won’t repeat it here.

Francis Awesa (Imbonggu, People’s National Congress), Minister for Transport and Works, is a long-term politician. In 1994, then a former provincial secretary, he was elected premier of the Southern Highlands. As a law graduate from UPNG, he brought with him experience from the PNG Electricity Commission and the corporate circles where he was an executive. It was during Awesa’s tenure that the royalty benefits from the LNG projects were reviewed, paving the way for increased benefits to landowners.

James Aiya Lagea (Kagua-Erave, Independent) , a public servant before entering politics, first contested the seat in 2002 when voting in Southern Highlands was cancelled due to widespread violence. He contested the supplementary election in 2003, but lost to the incumbent. In 2005 Lagea chaired the organising committee for the celebrations surrounding the 30th anniversary of PNG independence in the Southern Highlands. After succeedig at the 2007 election he was appointed chair of the parliamentary citizenship committee. Last year he was forced to deny embezzling K1 million allocated to rebuild the Sumi health centre in the Kagua district.

De Kewanu (Mendi, Independent) defeated the sitting member to take this seat. He is a business advisor and registered practising accountant who graduated from the University of Technology with an accounting degree in 1986. He has worked with international accounting firms in PNG and Australia. He has been a senior partner of accounting firm, HLB Niugini.

Pesab Jeffrey Komal (Nipa-Kutubu, People’s National Congress) upset sitting MP and PNG Party strongman Philemon Embel, who the local voters were tiring of. “We need to change the leadership now because the people of Nipa-Kutubu has suffered miserably and this unproductive MP can not continue to cling on to the chair which is rightfully belongs to the people of Nipa-Kutubu,” one said.

JOE PONDUK/LINDEN CHUANG | Seventh Day Adventist Record

FOUR STUDENTS AND A STAFF MEMBER have been injured in an attack on an Adventist school in Papua New Guinea.

The attack at the Kabiufa Adventist Secondary School by two neighbouring villagers took place last Monday as students returned to the school for an evening program.

Three of the victims were admitted to hospital, while areas of school property were damaged during the attack.

The incident appeared to be part of post-election violence and prompted education authorities in Goroka, in consultation with the Papua New Guinea Union Mission administration, to close the school for a week.

While the climate around the school has quieted since the attack, principal Terry Haru said there is a high degree of tension in the area due to a continuing dispute between the two villages.

One of our most prolific and most valued contributors is BARBARA SHORT, educator and author, who lives in Sydney’s north shore. Barbara had a distinguished teaching career in Papua New Guinea and Australia and is particularly noteworthy in PNG Attitude for her sensible, supportive, informed and positive commentary. Here Barbara writes about a major and critical personal challenge, and how she responded to it….

IN 2008 I FOUND I HAD a large tumour on one of my lungs. My left lung and numerous lymph glands were removed. At the time, I wrote about my experience and explained how I had known that, through it all, God “had me in His hands”.

After I recovered from the operation, an oncologist determined that, as there were no remaining signs of the cancer, I should not undergo any chemotherapy. So I went on with life.

Then, last November, I detected a swollen lymph gland in my neck. I waited to see if it would go away, but it didn’t. So I went to my GP who arranged for me to have tests, but they didn’t reveal anything about the cause.

So I was despatched to the haematologists at Royal North Shore Hospital to see if they could find out more. After blood tests, CT scans and a bone marrow test, we were still none the wiser about what was wrong.

Next to Hunter’s Hill Hospital where, on 12 December, a surgeon removed the gland which was sent off for a full test. Sure enough, it showed the lung cancer had returned. But where exactly was it?

Then a PET scan, which I’d had in 2008 and suffered from claustrophobia while positioned for many minutes in the tight tunnel. I spoke to the doctor about being sedated, but he said it would be better if I wasn’t. So, in I went.

The Lord led me to pray for many people over the next 20 minutes, with my eyes tightly closed so I didn’t suffer from a claustrophobia attack. Praise the Lord again, for it was the PET scan that showed where the cancer had started growing again. Unfortunately it was very close to my heart and the aorta, right on the stump where they had removed my left lung in 2008.

The next ordeal was a biopsy under a CT scan. Here I put my life in the hands of another great doctor who had to place a fine needle beside the aorta and into the growth to extract a sample. I think I went under the CT scanner 21 times during this process.

With all these results now defining precisely what was going on, I had to find an oncologist, a cancer specialist, to look after me. My husband and I were thrilled to find a leading doctor, a professor, who was willing to do that.

It was even more comforting that we knew him; he is on the North Sydney Presbytery with my husband.

The professor studied my test results and explained how surgery and radiology were out of the question but that there was a 75% chance of removing the cancer with chemotherapy. I should have 4-6 sessions.

KEITH JACKSON

The information in this series is derived from public sources and, in some cases, may not be accurate. We invite readers to offer corrections and additional material by contacting the editor here.

WEST NEW BRITAIN

Sasindran Muthuvel (West New Britain, Coalition for Reform) is PNG’s first ethnic Indian MP. The naturalized PNG citizen will also become governor of the province. He is well-known in the province as owner of Hamamas Trading Ltd, which was established in 1991 and employs around 150 people. Hamamas specialises in retail and wholesale merchandise, hardware, whitegoods and groceries.

Joseph Lelang (Kandrian-Gloucester, leader Coalition for Reform) was secretary for National Planning. Early last year he was suspended after falling out with a group of senior ministers after, on his own admission, he unlawfully distributed hundreds of millions of kina from national development funds. This was allegedly done on the orders of Arthur Somare, Patrick Pruaitch, Paul Tiensten, Peter O’Neill and Michael Somare. Within a short time, Leland was back in his old job, the spat apparently over. Earlier this year he launched the Coalition for Reform Party at Port Moresby’s Dynasty Restaurant saying: “The CRP represents a group of political reformists, who are not satisfied with the fact that not only do the country’s rural and urban problems continue to persist but they have also gone [from] bad to worse. As a group of reformists, this party believes that we need to think deeply about how we can manage our country and its resources. We need to identify a development path and develop sets of policies, strategies and programs that will enable PNG to develop consistently. And the CRP wants to present to this country likeminded leaders who can think this way.”

Francis Marus (Talasea, PNG Party) was born in East Sepik, but was raised in WNB. He was a businessman before entering politics. He first contested the Talasea seat in 2002 but was defeated by independent John Vulupundi. He again contested in 2007, defeating Vulupundi.

BOUGAINVILLE

Joe Lera (Bougainville, United Resources Party) was the former Commissioner for South Bougainville in the Bougainville administration. He defeated sitting member Fidelis Semoso, recently found guilty of misappropriating K2.7 million in public funds by a supreme court judge. Earlier in his career he was director of the Buka Open Campus and an associate director of the University of Papua New Guinea Open College.

Jimmy Mingtoro (Central Bougainville, People’s National Congress) is the sitting member and Minister for Communications and Information. The Meekamui Government of Unity and Panguna Landowners Association named candidates who gave large sums of money to lure the people to vote for them.

Lauta Atoi (North Bougainville, People’s National Congress), the sitting member, is a businessman of mixed Mortlock and Tasman parentage. He narrowly defeated Rachael Konaka, the only female candidate in the seat.

Steven Pirika Kamma (South Bougainville, United Resources Party) is the incumbent member and Minister for Bougainville Affairs.

NANISE LOANAKADAVU | The Fiji Times

FIJI IS LOOKING FORWARD to enhance its already close relationship with Papua New Guinea.

Presenting his credentials to governor general Sir Michael Ogio, Fiji's High Commissioner to PNG, Romanu Tikotikoca [pictured], said Fiji and PNG had enjoyed close and friendly relations ever since the arrival of the first missionaries from Fiji in 1875.

Tikotikoca, who was previously Fiji’s police commissioner, said Fiji was grateful to the PNG government and people for their understanding during the recent difficult times his country had encountered.

Speaking of progress towards democracy in Fiji, Mr Tikotikoca said the commencement of constitutional consultations and launch of the voter registration process confirmed Fiji's commitment towards fundamental reforms of democratic and government institutions.

He said the government was serious about its intentions to rebuild Fiji into a stable, peaceful and truly democratic nation.

Sir Michael Ogio said that following the establishment of formal diplomatic relations in September 1975, the association between the two countries have been cordial.

"Relations expanded through the area of trade, technical co-operation and high levels of political visit by both countries, which re-enforced the commitment to each other in our relationship over the last thirty six years," he said.

He said despite the political climate of Fiji, investments from both countries continued to show evidence of increasing and flourishing business activities.

DANIELLE CAVE | Lowy Interpreter / Lowy Institute

THE PNG-AUSTRALIA RELATIONSHIP has had a pretty rough year. Comparisons can be made with the fragility of our relationship with Indonesia – seemingly small issues can trigger a large backlash.

Despite the breadth and depth of the relationship and our shared history, there is a new tension in the air that I'm not sure has been there before.

Trawling through 2012 official releases from our Prime Minister and Foreign Minister is akin to watching a rolling set of orange traffic lights. Our senior leaders have paid scant attention to PNG this year but when they have, it hasn't been to charm or congratulate our nearest neighbour.

Statement after statement has been used to send warnings. All warranted, mind you, but they stack up, and with little positive news in between, they paint a rather pessimistic picture.

In April, Prime Minister Gillard was concerned at PNG's election delay. In May, Foreign Minister Carr was forced to explain that Australia would not 'take action' against PNG after all. This admission stemmed from the glaring red light which appeared from nowhere, forcing the relationship to a screeching halt: Carr's threat of sanctions if PNG did not keep to its election timetable.

I assume swift diplomacy resulted in forgiveness from Papua New Guinea's top officials and leaders. Unfortunately for Australia, the same can't be said for PNG's general public. This is evident in PNG's social media spaces. Since Carr's remarks in mid-March, a anti-Australia discussion has emerged, one that has risen in intensity over these past few weeks.

It's hard to say exactly what is behind this mentality and whether this is a real shift or simply a below the surface irritant which has forced its way up. However, one thing is certain: this frustration can now be channeled into a growing range of online platforms.

On the upside, this gives Australia access to huge amounts of information and the ability to understand how Papua New Guineans view their southern neighbour. On the downside, discovering what people think of you is not always so pretty.

This aversion to Australia was on display last night after MP (and former Deputy Prime Minister) Belden Namah released a press statement accusing Australia's High Commissioner, Ian Kemish, of interfering PNG's sovereignty.

Kemish attended a state ceremony where Peter O'Neill was invited to form PNG's new government. PNG's The National newspaper quoted Kemish as saying: "If there is anyone who can take it that far (five years), it is him". Kemish denied making this comment.

KEITH JACKSON

The information in this series is derived from public sources and, in some cases, may not be accurate. We invite readers to offer corrections and additional material by contacting the editor here.

NEW IRELAND

Sir Julius Chan (New Ireland, People’s Progress Party) is one of the founding father’s of independence and a former prime minister (1980-82 and 1994-97). Sir Julius was knighted in 1981 and became a privy councillor in 1982. In 1997, the Chan government's multi-million-dollar contract with Sandline International, a mercenary organization, to counter guerrilla warfare on Bougainville caused immense public protests and a 10-day mutiny by the army. Chan was defeated in the election of June 1997 and succeeded as prime minister by Bill Skate. He has continued to play a prominent role in PNG politics.

Ben Micah (Kavieng, People’s Progress Party), who has been Peter O’Neill’s chief of staff, distinguished himself earlier this year by publishing a notice in the daily newspapers vowing those who spread “malicious and misleading” information would be “dealt with.” In the statement Micah called on “patriots” to report to the authorities pople who were publishing material online and via text message information “subversive to the overall security of the nation … All patriots and law-abiding citizens are required to be vigilant,” the statement said. After public outrage, Micah was repudiated by O’Neill who said his government had no intention of setting up investigations into what’s said in the press or online about his administration.

Byron Chan (Namatanai, People’s Progress Party) is the son of Sir Julius and Minister for Mining. A plan he announced late last year to hand to landowners the ownership of PNG’s vast resources threatened billions of dollars of investment and shocked resource companies. O’Neill moved in quickly to put things back on track and not much has been heard from Byron since.

MILNE BAY

Titus Philemon (Milne Bay, People’s Progress Party) is a professional politician, with no personal wealth or business. He’s a political veteran, who continues to enjoy his second stint as governor of Milne Bay. He is a former vice minister for forests and is said to be pro-logging.

Davis Steven (Esa'ala, People's Party) is a lawyer who defeated sitting member and former minister Moses Maladina for this seat. He has represented high profile clients in many tricky cases, including before the supreme court, and is one of the new generation of politicians with considerable professional experience who are already marking this new parliament as perhaps one of the most savvy PNG has ever seen.

Charles Abel (Alotau, People’s National Congress), a descendant of one of PNG’s great missionary families, is Minister for Trade, Commerce & Industry and an occasional contributor to PNG Attitude. He is one of the quiet achievers of the government and reputedly a source of continuing sound advice. Abel is on record as saying PNG needs a “more vibrant literary culture”. Praising the Crocodile Prize late last year he said: “As a person strongly committed to our nation’s culture, I recognise that the Prize is both motivating our writers and also facilitating publishing opportunities for the best of them. We need a more vibrant PNG literature, and the government of which I’m a member is committed to this objective.”

Douglas Tomuriesa (Kiriwina-Goodenough, Triumph Heritage Empowerment Party), who is from Losuia, was executive chairman of the Border Development Authority. He dedicated his victory to God and said without God he would not have come out a winner. He pledged to work with the churches, chiefs, the ward councillors, women and youth in his electorate. He then pledged K3,000 in cash as a way of thanking the electoral team involved in the polling and counting.

Gordon Wesley (Samarai-Murua, People’s National Congress Party) retained his seat. He is also Milne Bay deputy governor and Chairman of the PNG Tourism Promotion Authority. He is an active local member with a keen interest in environmental matters.

THE ECONOMIST / London

POLITICS IN PAPUA NEW GUINEA is notorious for spectacular changes of allegiance, with former adversaries making improbable deals and close allies suddenly becoming bitter foes.

So it has proved with a former prime minister, Sir Michael Somare, and his successor, Peter O’Neill. Only a month ago Sir Michael, who was prime minister from 2002 until last year, was threatening to put Mr O’Neill behind bars for illegally usurping his position in August 2011.

Now, in the wake of the country’s eighth general election since independence from Australia in 1975, the two have made peace. Sir Michael, along with two other former prime ministers, Sir Julius Chan and Paias Wingti, has thrown his support behind Mr O’Neill in his strong bid to form the next government.

The rapprochement between Sir Michael and Mr O’Neill looks likely to end a period of intense instability, which threatened to spill into a military coup in January. Sir Michael’s dramatic change of heart comes in the wake of a general election in which his National Alliance fared poorly.

Although he won his own seat with a thumping majority, many close allies lost in a poll that, as usual in PNG, saw over half of incumbents fail to win re-election. Among the casualties was Sir Michael’s son Arthur, a former minister of public enterprises who cultivated close links in office with companies involved in a $16 billion liquefied natural gas project in PNG’s southern highlands.

The contrasting fortunes of father and son neatly illustrate the fragile political base of PNG’s new generation of wheeler-dealer politicians. Sir Michael (aged 76) is a leader with enduring roots in the Sepik area of PNG. As prime minister he presided over a government that acquired a reputation for graft.

Mr O’Neill’s party, the People’s National Congress (PNC), did reasonably well in the election, at least by PNG standards. None of the prime ministers since independence has led a party with a majority in parliament.

With only 27 seats in the 111-member parliament, the PNC’s position may look precarious, but the rest of the field is highly fragmented. In all, 21 different parties and at least 16 independents have won seats. No single party looks to have won even as many as half the PNC’s number of MPs.

By law, the largest political party has first crack at forming a government. In doing so, it accentuates a bandwagon tendency in Melanesian politics that is also evident in the neighbouring Solomon Islands.

As soon as a potential prime minister looks like forming a government, other politicians flock to join behind him, unrestrained by ideological differences and desperate to avoid the ignominy of a five-year term on the opposition benches, with none of the rich pickings of ministerial office.

At least 60 MPs have so far joined Mr O’Neill at his political “camp” in Alotau. Whoever gets to lead the next government will have 18 months’ grace before facing the threat of being ousted in a no-confidence vote.

The politician left out in the cold by the new realignment is Belden Namah, Mr O’Neill’s former deputy prime minister, whose camp was based at Kokopo on the island of New Britain.

Mr Namah had eyes on the top job, but his ambitions led to a falling-out with his former boss on the campaign trail. He has accused neighbouring Australia of interfering in the election, and hopes to split the new coalition. But he looks unlikely to succeed.

The ability of the country’s politicians to shake off the sharp rivalries of the past year offers some prospect for greater stability.

On the one hand, this should also give them a better chance of using a mineral resources boom to raise living standards in a country that remains desperately poor.

On the other, it is now even less likely that the next government will break from the cronyism—even kleptocracy—that has come to characterise government in this vast country.

MEKAMUI | Mekamui News

IT’S A PAINFUL EXPERIENCE to have felt and it is sad to hear and see our Bougainville leaders talk about reopening the closed Panguna mine.

What do the leaders want? Do they care for the people and their land, or do they care for the money which will destroy land and ruin people’s lives?

We the people of Arawa have had to face all kinds of social problems and have been victims of the mine. We think we’ve had enough of the mine issue.

Instead of finding other avenues to raise money, the Autonomous Bougainville Government leaders talk only about reopening the mine.

Is this the only way for Bougainville to go forward?

For the last 25 years since the mine was closed we, the grassroots people, have earned money from cocoa, copra and other commodities.

It’s very funny, though, that some of those leaders who are making big money from cocoa plantations that they own still talk about reopening the mine.

What went wrong? Or do they just want more money? More money, which means more destruction in the name of development.

In June I went up to Panguna and, when standing outside Pirurari village, I saw a few taro gardens on the side of the waste gravel where there was still some soil from when the mine stopped.

I asked Michael, the man from Pirurari, whether, if mining starts, he will plant taro there again.

He told me that the village people don’t want the mine reopened; it’s only the leaders who are talking about it.

Reopening Panguna mine is hazardous, so please leaders talk about agriculture, tourism, fishing, etc.

If you want to talk about Bougainville Copper Ltd, talk funding reconciliation, schools and medical centres because BCL has already got plenty out of our motherland and left it with a big scar.

GEORJA RYAN | Warwick Daily News (Queensland)

FOR SEVEN DAYS, optometrist Rachel Abraham swapped the white walls of her clinic, My Optical, for the rough terrain of Port Moresby.

She, alongside 50 other clinical workers including dentists and primary health care professionals, volunteered their time to work with the locals.

"On the Monday we set up at the school and for the rest of the week we were set up at Kila Kila Clinic," Miss Abraham said.

While she said her time with the Youth With A Mission crew was rewarding, it was also heartbreaking.

"The ones that stick in my mind are the ones with injuries in their eyes that are just too late and we can't do anything about it," Miss Abrahams said.

"But for the people we can help, it's really good."

Youth With A Mission is based in Townsville and a ship is docked at Port Moresby where the volunteers stay while abroad.

KEITH JACKSON

IT WAS A YEAR AGO that Peter O’Neill took over the reins of leadership from Michael Somare via Sam Abal – and it has been 12 months of political mayhem since.

This afternoon, having won an election with a commendable level of political organisation and strategic understanding, O’Neill was elected 94 votes to 12 in his own right as prime minister. Absent was the taint of a job deviously obtained and a parliament fragmented by internecine strife.

As new beginnings go, this is a promising one.

O’Neill has forged a coalition of considerable strength and he has shown that, in pursuing and attaining group leadership, coolness and reasonableness are more potent traits that aggression and volatility.

On the opposition benches sit Belden Namah and his men; Namah with time to reflect on whether boisterousness and threat are worth perpetuating if he is ever to realise his goal of leading Papua New Guinea.

I can’t help but feel that, despite the many flaws of the election just past, we have witnessed a new maturity and sense of proportion in the way Papua New Guinea has assembled its new government.

Much of the credit for this must be given to O’Neill but, as I have mentioned previously in PNG Attitude, when you see the calibre of so many of the new members of this parliament, you see a new breed of politician emerging.

This new generation certainly owes something to clan and tribal loyalties, but it also reveals a strong connection to experience in the world beyond – to education, career and interaction with modernity.

From this group of men and women, O’Neill has a wonderful opportunity to put together a ministry of talent and past attainment.

Sure, he will have to pay attention to the political composition of a complex coalition – such is the case in most governments these days – but the chance of great change is there.

There are some rogues who will need to be kept in check, and maybe even brought to book, and this will be a test, but overall this government looks like a very good one indeed.

The people of Papua New Guinea have done well in this election. We all know they deserve better in the future. Let’s hope the promise of this  new group of politicians can be delivered.

KEITH JACKSON

THE WELL-CREDENTIALLED FINSCHHAFEN POLITICIAN Theo Zurenuoc, seen here in casual clobber, was this morning elected as the Speaker of the Papua New Guinea parliament.

Now representing the People’s Progress Party, Zurenuoc was first elected as an independent in 2007, winning the seat by defeating his uncle. The PPP has six members in the new parliament.

Zurenuoc has an impeccable political pedigree, his father Sir Zibang Zurenuoc KBE (1927-2008) also being a parliamentarian and onetime Deputy Speaker,

Zibang had served as a cooperative officer in the colonial public service before being elected to parliament in 1977 as MP for Finschhafen, serving as Minister for Community and Family Services.

When Peter O'Neill became prime minister in August last year, he appointed Zurenuoc as his Minister for Education.

One of the O'Neill government's first announcements was that it would commit funds to providing free primary education to all children in the country, and subsidised secondary education.

At the time Zurenuoc stated that all classes should be in English in primary schools, with classes in indigenous languages abolished, and that outcome-based education should be abandoned, since many teachers considered it to be "suppressive, irrelevant, outdated and not working".

In 2009 Zurenuoc said he supported reserved seats for women in parliament and has consistently held a progressive and nation-building view of his position ion national politics.

He replaces the controversial Jeffrey Nape, defeated at this election, who never seemed to be able to raise the role of Speaker above the hurly burly of party politics.

LIAM FOX | ABC PNG Correspondent

BREAKING NEWS - The National Court has just refused the application filed by Sam Basil. Parliament will now go ahead and convene its first sitting, swearing in new members and electing a Speaker - KJ

THE NATIONAL COURT in Papua New Guinea is due to decide whether to prevent the country's parliament from convening to elect a prime minister.

Parliament is due to sit this morning for the first time after the general election so MPs can elect a prime minister.

But two politicians have asked the National Court to prevent the sitting because votes are still being the counted in three seats.

Their lawyer argued it would be undemocratic for parliament to sit without every MP present.

Lawyers for the state and for Peter O'Neill said the constitution only requires a majority of seats to be declared before parliament is convened.

Judge Colin Makail is due to hand down its decision just 90 minutes before parliament is scheduled to start.

Peter O'Neill and around 80 newly-elected MPs have arrived in Port Moresby after spending most of the week in Alotau shoring up support ahead of the vote.

O'Neill has been invited by the governor-general to form government after his PNC party won 27 votes in the general election.

He expects to be returned as prime minister after forming a coalition with several parties, including that of his former nemesis Sir Michael Somare, and some independent MPs.

He says it's unfortunate not all MPs can be present for today's vote.

"Unfortunately that is the case, but you must realise that we've been having these elections for the past three months," he said.

"We started in April, now we're in August. It's unfair to the seven million people that we drag this issue out forever."

Among those launching the challenge is Sam Basil, deputy leader of Belden Namah's PNG Party.

Despite joining forces to throw Sir Michael Somare out of prime minister's office a year ago, relations between Namah and O'Neill have soured.

Namah is urging MPs to desert O'Neill's camp and join his push to form government.

The National Capital District, which takes in Port Moresby and its surrounds, is one of the three seats in which counting is continuing.

Incumbent Governor, Powes Parkop, is in the lead and says it will be a shame if PNG's capital is not represented in Parliament.

"I'm disappointed, but I can't help it now...the process has to go ahead," he said.

Meanwhile, the PNG Defence Force Commander has taken the unusual step of holding a press-conference to dispel a rumour about a military coup was imminent.

Brigadier General Francis Agwi says the rumour, sent around by text message and email, is rubbish.

"This is not true," he said. "Whoever has started this email has tarnished the good name of the PNGDF."

REG RENAGI

AT THIS VERY MOMENT, many Papua New Guineans are hoping for an ideal situation in the formation of the next coalition government.

But unfortunately there will never be an ideal situation in PNG politics.

PNG governments have always been formed from horse-trading. This 2012 election is no exception to the rule.

From my personal observation, the new government of PNG needs to come out of the Belden Namah’s New Britain group, with some good men and women from Peter O’Neill’s Alotau camp.

Some of the re-elected political party leaders as well as certain individuals have many skeletons in their closets.

Some so-called leaders in the Alotau camp have been seriously implicated in shady deals. Such serious dereliction to duty in public office would have politicians and public officials behind bars in other countries.

This has not happened yet in PNG and must be done now. We need a credible leader and prime minister to form a good honest government for the next five years.

The new government must start taking action against these men who have compromised our national interest. These people should be classified as 'persons of interest' by the authorities.

They must be kept under constant surveillance by the intelligence community, law-enforcement agencies and the defence organization. It is time relevant state authorities took serious action against those who break our country’s laws by embezzling huge amounts of the people's money to hide in offshore accounts.

The Alotau mob trying to form the next government does not have the right mix of good men to form a transparent and transformational government for PNG over the next five years.

These people gathered in that quiet eastern Papuan township have too many skeletons in their closets. Many need to be properly investigated in accordance with the laws of our country. Many have consistently failed to clean out the rot in government.

So a new government from that group will not fix the many serious problems of governance within our weak political system.

The horse-trading to get the numbers will continue even after the election writs are returned by the end of next week.

I still cannot see any credible leaders emerging. Someone must be found soon or we are going to be stuck with an unsuitable prime minister without the balls, and another weak and compromised government.

Notwithstanding, there must be someone suitable out there biding his time. But this can’t go on too long. There are a few suitable individuals in one of the smaller parties who I am urging quietly to take the bull by the horns.

Belden Namah may not be the ideal choice now but he may be able to prop up the good men to counter the Alotau mob and put in a credible leader and government from all camps.

I’m advising these people to gather like-minded MPs and form a strong coalition comprising all smaller parties and independents, and ncluding some from the Alotau camp.

The government and PM will be formed on the floor of the parliament – and that includes every member from whichever camp they represent, or no camp at all.

The horse-trading is part of the rough and tumble but I see as political gambling playing to form the next coalition government for PNG.

Let’s hope it pays off.

KEITH JACKSON

The information in this series is derived from public sources and, in some cases, may not be accurate. We invite readers to offer corrections and additional material by contacting the editor here.

Patrick Pruaitch (Aitape Lumi, National Alliance) has had a political career so rich in controversy that it’s hard to get it into a pithy comment. Pruaitch has been part of PNG’s political landscape since 2002. He was groomed by Michael Somare as a future PM and, after Somare stepped down in late July, has become acting party leader until a permanent leader is chosen later this year. After being appointed Forest Minister in August 2002, it was alleged Pruaitch enjoyed the generous patronage of the giant Malaysian company Rimbunan Hijau. For his part, Pruaitch defended the company at every turn, even taking out press advertisements to deny claims it had been logging without legal permits and claiming it to be "one of the most committed logging companies in PNG”. In addition to Forests, he has held the portfolios of education, state enterprises, communication, lands, national planning and finance. In June 2010, the Supreme Court ordered his suspension from office as Finance and Treasury Minister pending a leadership tribunal into allegations of misconduct. His appearance before the tribunal still hangs over his head with no indication at this stage of when it will be held.

Akmat Mai (West Sepik, Triumph Heritage Empowerment Party) was for many years a lecturer at Divine Word University. After being endorsed by Don Polye’s THE Party, he announced midway through the count that he would defect to Belden Namah’s PNG Party. So far that remains his main political claim to fame. One of our contributors has written: “I know this man from back to front. He used to called me One Bush as my Enga Province and WSP share same forest and land border. I was with him for years during my time in university. He is open and kind to everyone.”

Joe Sungi (Nuku, National Alliance) is a newcomer to national politics who was previously Provincial Administrator of the West Sepik. “This parliament is going be an exciting one,” he said. “It will be made up of some old and new members of parliament. We will have a big mixture. It’s good to have the wise people with us. I think what the country needs now is a search for good managers and good leaders. We should not create parliament as a social club.”

Solan Mirisim (Telefomin, Independent), local businessman from Telefolip village, defeated the PNG party incumbent to take this seat.

Belden Namah (Vanimo-Green River, leader PNG Party). Where does one start? There’s already more than enough material for a fascinating biography. One of the more outrageous characters in a political culture that sometimes defies comprehension. A soldier who was gaoled for sedition. An entrepreneur who commandeered the forests. A property investor in the Pacific. A gambler at Sydney casino. Mysterious flights intercepted by Indonesian air force jets. A challenger of the constitution, parliamentary procedure, the courts… Yet a man who commands a large and loyal following in PNG. And he’s been in parliament only five years.

AUSTRALIA NETWORK NEWS

MEDICAL HUMANITARIAN AGENCY Medecins Sans Frontieres has called for better record-keeping on domestic and sexual violence in Papua New Guinea, where research shows extremely high levels of abuse.

Medecins Sans Frontieres says specific data-keeping will help address the problem in PNG, which has one of the highest rates of violence against women in the Pacific.

It says about two-thirds of women have been abused by their partners.

It also says 60% of PNG men have reported participating in lainap (gang rape) at least once.

PNG domestic abuse figures from Medecins Sans Frontieres show that:

70% of women experience domestic violence

67% of wives have been beaten by their husbands

60% of men reported participating in gang rape at least once

55% of women had been forced into sex against their will

Women are six times more likely to be accused of sorcery than men

MSF project coordinator and midwife, Ruth Kaufman, told Radio Australia abused women in PNG often don't know the best ways to seek help.

"They'll try to go through the criminal justice system, they'll try to get help in a health centre and yes, the injuries may be taken care of but the broader aspects of the psychological care, the social care and the legal support for them and their children is difficult to obtain."

Ms Kaufman says the World Health Organisation has done similar studies into domestic in Solomon Islands, Vanuatu and Kiribati, with similar levels of abuse.

Poor organisation of medical records in PNG may contribute to the lack of awareness about the problem, Ms Kaufman says.

"In PNG they keep good records of medical care, but they include any kind of violence-related injuries as one topic also included under accidents."

"In the data you would see someone who was injured from a car accident, someone injured from tribal violence and then someone injured from sexual violence all coming under the same category."

PETER KRANZ

I FIRST MET PAULIUS when wandering around Kundiawa on my first visit to the Simbu. I walked down to Dickson's Oval and found the Simbu Warriors rugby league team in training, and took a few pictures.

Paulius had the body of a superhero and, as I was to discover, the heart of a lion and the soul of a lamb.

A month or so later the Warriors were playing in Moresby. As some team members were related to my wife Rose, they invited us to an after-match celebration at the Galaxy Warehouse.

Paulius came up to me and said, “Hey tambu, I remember you from Kundiawa! You came and took pictures!"

From that moment on we were friends.

As you may know, there are many suspicious characters in certain Mosbi clubs and you need to be careful when frequenting these places. Well, that night at the Galaxy, a young woman came up to me and proposed something irregular.

Paulius stepped between us, held up his hand and said, “'No!” The force of her body meeting his gigantic hand sent her sprawling to the floor.

No one was hurt and Paulius turned to me and said, “Mi laukautim yu".

A year later I was on a business trip to Lae and staying at the Melanesian Hotel (a fine accommodation, by the way). One night I was walking through the front door, and who should greet me but Paulius. The Warriors were in town.

He gave me a hug like a bear and said, "Peter - I'll take you out tonight!"

And he did. I never knew there were so many nightclubs in Lae.And it seemed that everyone knew Paulius and gave us the best treatment. Nothing untoward happened (although I don't recommend tourists go on a pub-crawl in Lae on a Saturday night).

Next time I met Paulius, he was in Mosbi again. We met at a pub and he came home and stayed with us for a few nights. (Actually he also fell in love with my sis-in-law - but that's another story.)

So God bless Paulius, may you live a long and rich life.

THE GUARDIAN

HOW LARGE DOES A BUTTERFLY HAVE TO BE before anybody notices it is disappearing? In the case of Papua New Guinea's Queen Alexandra's birdwing, the answer is enormous.

The world's largest butterfly boasts a 30cm wingspan – imagine the width of a school ruler - yet few outsiders in its rainforest home in Oro province in northern PNG have ever seen it.

It's a scenario unlikely to improve as oil palm plantation and logging remorselessly devours this endangered butterfly's habitat.

Edwardian naturalist Albert Meek first recorded it in 1906 on a collecting expedition to PNG. The fast-flying butterfly frequents high rainforest canopy so Meek resorted to blasting them down by shotgun.

The Natural History Museum taxonomically allocated his buckshot-peppered specimens into the birdwing genus (a tropical grouping possessing super-elongated forewings) and named it after Edward VII's wife.

Because of substantial sexual dimorphism it took some time to correlate males and females as the same species. The females are velvety-black with cream patches and bright yellow abdomens. They are almost one-third larger than the males, which are iridescently patterned gold, turquoise, green, and black.

It is not clearly understood why the butterfly grows so large but its lack of predators due to its unpalatable nature is certainly a factor.

Queen Alexandra's eggs are laid on the poisonous leaves of a tropical pine-vine called aristolochia, found in Oro province's rainforests. Emerging caterpillars feeding on aristolochia ingest its toxins throughout all stages of growth until they pupate into chrysalises. Red hairs on the emerged adult butterfly's thorax warn predators that it remains highly toxic.

Their biggest threat, however, remains progressive habitat clearance. Queen Alexandra's have lost much of their range across Oro province's coastal plain and are now condensed into a small stronghold on a remote plateau called Managalas.

"Its habitat is being destroyed by oilpalm expansion and coffee and cocoa growing," explained Eddie Malaisa, wildlife officer for Oro provincial government.

"I'm very worried about this butterfly's future because on the lower plains I know of only seven isolated blocks where it's found but these are small patches of rainforest between 100-200 hectares surrounded by oil palm".

Ironically, weakening regulation set up to protect them may be the butterfly's best hope for survival.

Queen Alexandra's are currently classified as an appendix 1 species under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (Cites), which prohibits their trade as specimens for overseas collectors. With no legal trade, an illegal black market keep the specimens in demand.

In Winged Obsession: Chasing the Illegal Trade (2011), journalist Jessica Speart tells of a jailed butterfly trader who was offering pairs of Queen Alexandra's illegally smuggled out of PNG for more than $8,500.

She estimated the global butterfly smuggling trade to be worth around $200 millon each year.

Malaisa believes downgrading Queen Alexandra's Cites status  to allow a controlled limited trade would incentivise poor subsistence farmers to protect the butterfly's habitat by allowing them to sell an agreed quota of specimens.

"What is worse? Legally trading a few butterflies or removing Queen Alexandra's habitat forever," asks Malaisa.