CHRIS OVERLAND
ADELAIDE - While Phil Fitzpatrick's hypothesis in Dividing Not Blending: Multiculturalism in Oz, is broadly correct, I think it is wrong to say categorically that Australia is an unsuccessful multicultural society.
It would be more accurate to describe multiculturalism in Australia as emerging or evolving, presenting a society in which many of the institutional structures and arrangements have yet to adapt to emerging social and ethnographic realities.
Continue reading "Ethnic pressures versus white democracies" »
Sam Basil. The 'belsori' vote following his death increases the prospects of ULP candidates winning seats.
MICHAEL KABUNI
| Academia Nomad
WAIGANI – Many tributes have been written about the late deputy prime minister Sam Basil MP, who died last week after a motor vehicle accident.
In this article, I will write about the impact of Basil’s death on the political party he formed in 2020 - the United Labour Party (ULP) - and its situation leading into the 2022 elections before the tragic accident that took his life.
Continue reading "Basil: distrusted in life; praised at ‘belsori'" »
Frank Jordan - "To invite New Zealanders to work in Australia but exclude Papua New Guineans shows a deep lack of respect"
FRANK JORDAN
| Reason Australia Party
Reason supports giving Papua New Guinea citizens the same rights to live and work in Australia as New Zealand citizens and offering them legislative protections for fair and safe working conditions
BRISBANE - Papua New Guinea is a nation of nine million people just 10 kilometres north of Australia.
Most Australians will have met someone from New Zealand which has a population two thirds that of PNG. How many can say they have met someone from PNG.
Continue reading "Reason wants equal rights for PNG visitors" »
Voting at the 2017 national election (Commonwealth Secretariat)
OKOLE MIDELIT
| DevPolicy Blog
WAIGANI - Papua New Guinea’s elections are often dangerous affairs.
In the past, elections have been accompanied by spikes in violence between rival groups, resulting in injury and death. In some areas fraud is rife, and voters face significant intimidation.
Continue reading "PNG’s national election: Not so secure" »
Democracy & Human Rights in Crisis (Kal, Freedom House)
CHRIS OVERLAND
ADELAIDE – There has developed the most depressing reality that people can be seduced by falsehoods once they opt to suspend disbelief and accept as true that which has been fabricated.
In 1858 Abraham Lincoln famously said, ““You can fool all the people some of the time and some of the people all the time, but you cannot fool all the people all the time.”
Continue reading "Democracy’s flaws. Could they be fatal?" »
Benjamin Raue - "PNG may want to take a page out of Australia’s book and reduce the power of parliament over redistribution"
BENJAMIN RAUE
| Asia & The Pacific Policy Society
Open electorates should cover similar numbers of people but this is not the case in practice
SYDNEY – Next month, voters in the Pacific’s largest country, Papua New Guinea, will be going to the polls to have their say on who should run their country.
In addition to voting for the country’s 22 provincial governors, Papua New Guineans will also be voting for 96 members representing ‘open’ electorates, which cover the whole country.
Continue reading "Redrawing PNG’s unfair electoral boundaries" »
Making his mark for the nation - a voter ponders his ballot paper at the 1997 national election - one of Dr Joe Ketan's two favourites (ABC)
NOOSA – Academic Dr Joe Ketan has stated that Papua New Guinea has had only two credible national elections since independence — in 1992 and 1997.
And he’s afraid that, in the election coming up in June, the government will not repeat this slender history of well conducted polls.
The reason: senior politicians have ‘hijacked’ the system, are not providing adequate funds and need to take steps now to ensure an election with integrity.
Continue reading "PNG’s political system ‘hijacked’, says Dr Joe" »
James Marape and Scott Morrison. By the end of June both may be out of a job
MICHAEL KABUNI
| Academia Nomad
PORT MORESBY - Australia and Papua New Guinea head to the polls - in May and June respectively - and Australian prime minister Scott Morrison and his PNG counterpart James Marape risk losing their grip on power.
If PNG appoints a new prime minister, it will be our fourth since 2002. If Australia gets a new PM, it will be it sixth over the same period.
Continue reading "Australia: More PMs than PNG but…." »
United Nations women candidates workshop, Port Moresby, 2012. If training does not pragmatically address the socio-cultural barriers facing women, it is likely to be a complete waste of time
MICHAEL KABUNI
| Academia Nomad
Disclaimer: If your goal is advocacy for women’s rights, please don’t read this article. It will offend you. If you get offended easily, don’t read. But if your goal is ‘winning’ an election as a women in Papua New Guinea read on - MK
PORT MORESBY - There is the idealistic, modern, Western way of doing things. And then there is the Papua New Guinean Way, the Melanesian Way.
In electoral terms, one of these is clearly much more effective than the other.
Continue reading "No shortcuts: How women can be elected in PNG" »
MICHAEL KABUNI
| Academia Nomad
PORT MORESBY - Among the things to be mastered in Papua New Guinean politics are the subtleties and allusions of conversation, figurative speech, presentation and present-giving.
It’s a form of speech known as ‘tok-bokis’ – to speak in metaphors.
Continue reading "Thunder without rain not our preferred MP" »
THIERRY LEPANI
| Twitter @LepaniThierry | Edited for publication
PORT MORESBY – The Papua New Guinea parliament has approved the creation of seven new electorates by splitting seven existing ones in time for the elections.
This came after a majority endorsement of the Electoral Boundaries Commission Report.
Continue reading "7 PNG provinces get new electorates" »
Dulciana Somare with her father, the late Grand Chief Sir Michael Somare. Dulciana is contesting the seat of Angoram in this year's national election (Dulciana Somare)
THERESA MEKI
| DevPolicy Blog
CANBERRA - While political dynasties are not prevalent in Papua New Guinea, there are several notable political families.
Sir Julius Chan, one of the country’s founding fathers, has been in parliament since 1968 – 54 years. His son Byron was the member for Namatanai, a New Ireland electorate, from 2002 to 2017.
Continue reading "Can their political legacy get PNG women elected?" »
Dr Allan Marat -
MICHAEL KABUNI
| Academia Nomad
PORT MORESBY - Who would you like to see become Papua New Guinea’s prime minister? In this article, the top three candidates are ranked and profiled about why they're good prime ministerial material.
1 - Dr Allan Marat (Melanesian Liberal Party)
Since the passing of Sir Mekere Morauta, there’s probably only one true statesman in the PNG parliament.
Continue reading "Who would make PNG’s best prime minister?" »
Sylvia Pascoe - “I’m not the type of person that sees an issue and just walks away from it” (Godfree Kaptigau, The Guardian)
LEANNE JORARI
| Guardian News & Media Ltd | Edited
| Supported by the Judith Nielson Institute for Journalism & Ideas
PORT MORESBY – In June, entrepreneur Sylvia Pascoe will attempt to take her leadership to the highest level by contesting the country’s national election.
Pascoe, who began the Port Moresby city markets, is passionate about creating opportunities for business owners and entrepreneurs, especially other women.
Continue reading "Ipatas leads charge to get women into parliament" »
Manila and Justin Kundalin with Justin Jr
JUSTIN KUNDALIN
KANDEP, ENGA - One of the most deceptive acts for a member of parliament in Papua New Guinea is to use taxpayers or government money to win back their seats at an election.
But for any person to use money to bribe people to vote for a particular candidate is wrong and it is illegal.
Continue reading "Don't vote for politicians who deceive" »
STEPHEN HOWES
| East Asia Forum
CANBERRA - Papua New Guinea's national elections are approaching, with the voting period set to be held from 11-24 June.
Elections are held every five years and are very popular events. Although voting is voluntary, the turnout of voters is just below that of Australia, where voting is compulsory.
Continue reading "Election a'coming, & the going ain't easy" »
BUSA JEREMIAH WENOGO
PORT MORESBY - As the nation gears up for national elections in April, pundits and analysts are beginning to argue about the outcome.
However, the historical trend seems to tell us that the winners and losers have already been decided.
Just think about it, when was the last time Papua New Guinea experienced a truly fair and free election?
It was probably during the formative years after independence. Maybe not even then.
Continue reading "Different kind of election? I’m not holding my breath" »
MICHAEL KABUNI
| The Asia and the Pacific Society
PORT MORESBY - Policymakers in the Pacific Islands face multifaceted security issues, a fact that is not lost on the region’s leaders.
This was demonstrated in the 2018 Boe Declaration on Regional Security, which expanded the definition of security beyond geostrategic concerns to human security.
Continue reading "Many threats surround PNG’s coming election" »
Martyn Namorong - With elections due in June, police commanders are concerned at the lack of preparation
MARTYN NAMORONG
| Linked In
PORT MORESBY - Papua New Guinea goes to a national election in June with many people pinning their hopes on the outcome of the polls.
The election is pivotal, not just in terms of bread and butter socio-economic issues but also in dealing with a final political settlement for Bougainville, which in a 2019 referendum opted overwhelmingly for independence from PNG.
Continue reading "The season for beer, lamb flaps & clan loyalty" »
TIPNG founding director Richard Kassman OBE speaks at the relaunch of the Community Coalition Against Corruption on International Anti-Corruption Day last week
NEWS DESK
| Transparency International PNG
PORT MORESBY - Ahead of next year’s national elections and amid Papua New Guinea citizens’ concerns about governance and corruption, Transparency International PNG (TIPNG) has relaunched the Community Coalition Against Corruption.
Initially co-founded by TIPNG and the Media Council of PNG in 2002 with the support of churches, chambers of commerce, the Ombudsman Commission and the office of the Public Solicitor, the Coalition is a collective community network committed to standing together against the evil of corruption.
Continue reading "Coalition against corruption regroups" »
When PNG became a nation in 1975, it had high hopes of building a better society and Michael Somare seemed to be the right leader to do it
KELA KAPKORA SIL BOLKIN
PORT MORESBY – I want to talk about the kind of people who aspire to be national leaders and what might make them good leaders or not.
Leaders shape our local level governments, districts, provinces and ultimately our entire nation.
But the poor results on the ground are evidence that many of them, perhaps most of them, have not served our people well.
Continue reading "Election ‘22: Voter guide to how bad will oust good" »
Scrutineers watch as ballots are counted in Lae, 2017 (Terence Wood)
TERENCE WOOD
| DevPolicy Blog
CANBERRA - Papua New Guinea is set to hold elections halfway through next year.
Unlike many developing countries, PNG did not lapse into autocracy in the wake of independence. Its history of regular elections is something to be proud of.
Continue reading "Big worries about next year’s PNG election" »
MAHOLOPA LAVEIL
| Lowy Interpreter
WAIGANI - Papua New Guinea will conduct its tenth national election in 2022. A by-election last week for the Port Moresby North West electorate provides a preview of what to expect next year.
In PNG, a by-election is required when a vacancy occurs more than a year before the issue of writs for the next election.
Continue reading "What you can expect in the 2022 elections" »
Patilias Gamato - threatened to sue writer Martyn Namorong for defamation during the 2017 election when Namorong satirically compared him with a tomato
KEITH JACKSON
PORT MORESBY - Papua New Guinea's electoral commissioner, Patilias Gamato, was remanded in custody at the Boroko police cells in the national capital on Thursday after an alleged breach of his bail conditions.
Gamato was arrested in October and charged with corruption in relation to an incident in Port Moresby during the 2017 general elections.
Continue reading "Witness tampering: Gamato in custody" »
Sir Mekere Morauta - "The 2017 election was designed to be chaotic; it was designed to be rigged; it was designed to produce a particular result”
KEITH JACKSON
NOOSA – Former Papua New Guinea prime minister, Sir Mekere Morauta, has strongly criticised “foreign governments and organisations”, singling out Australia, for their assessments of the 2017 PNG national election.
Sir Mekere accused them of “whitewashing the rigging and corruption associated with it”.
He was reacting to shocking revelations in independent election reports published by the Australian National University and Transparency International.
“The ANU report and the report of TI PNG stand out in stark contrast to the remarks made by some foreign governments and in other observer reports of the 2017 election,” he said.
“While those other observers noted irregularities, mostly with the electoral roll, they failed to expose the widespread abuse, violence, intimidation and rigging that voters experienced.”
Continue reading "Sir Mek: 'Australia turned blind eye to election fraud & malpractice. PNGns expect Australia to condemn corruption, fraud & violence'" »
Peter O'Neill casts his vote at the 2017 national election that was riven by crime figures, intimidation by strongmen, money politics and outright corruption
MARK DAVIS
In this final article based on the Australian National University’s report on the 2017 Papua New Guinea election, journalist Mark Davis concludes with the observer group’s finding that there has been a fundamental shift in the relationship between the PNG people and their politicians – and it’s not for the better.
You can link to the full ANU report here
CAIRNS - Money politics, the use of criminal elements and the engagement of security forces are a feature of elections in the Papua New Guinea Highlands, and have slowly spread into all other regions, most recently into the PNG Islands and Milne Bay.
The ANU report states:
“Money played a huge part in the 2017 elections, and there is no doubt that ‘money politics’, which continues to be most pervasive in the Highlands, was more significant than ever before.
“Candidates across the country (in all four regions) were observed to have spent significant amounts of money securing support and offering material incentives to voters.
Continue reading "The rigging of the 2017 election: (4) Money politics & corruption" »
Election violence seized Kundiawa in Chimbu Province. A dispute over who won the governorship continues in the courts but not in Kundiawa where it is considered a danger to public safety
MARK DAVIS
Journalist Mark Davis continues his summary of the main issues arising in the lengthy Australian National University report on the 2017 Papua New Guinea national election. Mark documents election violence including an undisclosed level of murder and looting that has extended to this day
You can link to it in full here
CAIRNS - According to the ANU report, violence by candidates and their gangs, and police and Defence Force elements (both institutions comprehensively corrupted by People’s National Congress) reached unprecedented levels during the 2017 election.
Observers and citizens reported curtailing their movements throughout the campaign, polling and post-polling periods due to the violence and insecurity which punctuated the elections from start to finish.
The ANU observation team documented and witnessed election-related violence in all but three of the 69 electorates in which it undertook detailed observations.
This included 204 deaths due to election-related violence, hundreds of injuries and the large-scale destruction of property.
Continue reading "The rigging of the 2017 election: (3) Violence & intimidation" »
A happy Peter O'Neill receives the Commonwealth Observer Group report from secretary-general Patricia Scotland. The report was a whitewash, no wonder Peter was smiling. But not so after reading the forensic ANU observers report
MARK DAVIS
Journalist Mark Davis summarises the main issues from the Australian National University’s hard-hitting report on the 2017 Papua New Guinea national election. This is the second of Mark’s four part summary of a report that documents an election replete with threats, malfeasance and corruption. You can link here to the full report
CAIRNS - There is much for the Australian government to consider about the corrupt Papua New Guinea elections in 2002, 2007, 2012 and now 2017.
All were conducted with considerable aid support from Australia, some of it directly to the PNG Electoral Commission but most to the general strengthening of the country’s institutions.
On the evidence of those elections, and independent observations, that aid has failed - as has Australian diplomacy over many years.
But the failure of Australia’s Liberal-National coalition and Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) to understand the Pacific and develop and implement effective policies is nowhere more evident than in Australia’s relationship with PNG in recent years.
Continue reading "The rigging of the 2017 election: (2) Misbehaviour & malfeasance" »
Sir Mekere Morauta - the former prime minister demands an election inquiry
SIR MEKERE MORAUTA
PORT MORESBY – Following the release of the damning observer report by the Australian National University, I renew my call for a commission of inquiry into the 2017 national election.
The report is a comprehensive account of the election, based on observer teams led by Papua New Guinean experts who covered 69 electorates in all four regions with detailed studies of 44 electorates.
It is very clear from the report that the 2017 election was designed to be chaotic; it was designed to be rigged; it was designed to produce a particular result.
Those who must take responsibility are Peter O’Neill and Isaac Lupari, and their Chief Electoral Commissioner. They must share the blame for the organised chaos we had on an unprecedented scale.
I agree with the finding of the ANU report, based on my own experience, that this was the worst election ever in terms of official corruption and violence.
As the ANU report so amply demonstrates, the election was not free and fair, and therefore the O’Neill Government cannot claim legitimacy, and nor can Papua New Guinea lay claim to being a parliamentary democracy.
Continue reading "Commission of inquiry is needed to protect democracy" »
Mark Davis
MARK DAVIS
Journalist Mark Davis has abstracted the main issues of a comprehensive report by the Australian National University’s on the 2017 Papua New Guinea national election. Beginning today, we present Mark’s summary in four parts. The ANU report documents a scandalous election replete with threats, malfeasance and corruption.
You can link to it in full here
CAIRNS - The Australian National University has delivered a devastating and incontrovertible account of the 2017 Papua New Guinea election
The report calls into question the legitimacy of the current regime of prime minister Peter O’Neill and the future of the nation’s parliamentary democracy.
The long-awaited ‘2017 Papua New Guinea Elections - Election Observation Report’ reveals the systematic corruption of the election by Mr O’Neill’s ruling People’s National Congress Party, other parties and candidates, the PNG Electoral Commission, the Royal Papua New Guinea Constabulary, the PNG Defence Force and other elements of society.
It is an extraordinarily detailed report who’s unique and invaluable data is based on direct observation by a team of 258 including 32 PNG academics and researchers as team leaders, 31 ANU-based academics and students, 192 PNG observers and three support staff.
Continue reading "The rigging of the 2017 election: (1) You were very wrong Australia" »
Abraham Lincoln - "Government of the people, by the people and for the people"
SIMON DAVIDSON
PORT MORESBY - Abraham Lincoln’s Gettysburg speech captured the essence of democracy. Democracy, he said, is a government of the people, by the people and for the people.
In democratic societies, the people have the right to vote and elect their leaders. The democratic form of government was conceived as a revolt against the monarchical governments that controlled much of Europe and suppressed the people to servitude.
So democracy was established as an alternative to oligarchy.
According to British prime minister Sir Winston Churchill, real democratic process comes to play when “the little man, walking into the little booth, with a little pencil, making a little cross on a little bit of paper, without intimidation.”
In a democratic society, the people choose their representatives without fear or favour. When an electoral process is transparent, an election is deemed authentic.
Continue reading "Denuding democracy – election 2017 did not measure up" »
Kundiawa fears a return to election chaos as recount for governor's seat triggers violence
FRANCIS NII
KUNDIAWA - The Papua New Guinea electoral commission should consider a deteriorating law and order situation in Kundiawa before a recount of votes from the 2017 general election.
The long-delayed election of a new Simbu governor is occurring in a volatile climate of violence and arson as supporters of one of the candidates demand the venue for the recount be moved from Lae to a neighbouring province, preferably Goroka in the Eastern Highlands.
The national court ordered the recount completed by 7 February after a petition filed by former governor Noah Kool against the election result and the winning candidate Michael Dua.
After an affidavit was submitted by the electoral commission, the court also decided that Lae should be the recount venue.
The decision was badly received by governor elect Dua and his supporters.
Dua cited as his reasons in objecting were the distance, risks and costs to candidates and scrutineers in making their way to Lae. But the court dismissed his application for a change of venue.
Continue reading "Simbu on edge as governor vote recount triggers violence" »
Election violence in Kundiawa - in just 6 of 43 electorates surveyed were there no deaths or property damage
JO CHANDLER | The Guardian
MELBOURNE - Democracy in last year’s Papua New Guinea national election was “hijacked” in many places, with the vote undermined by brazen electoral fraud and unprecedented violence and insecurity, a damning analysis of the 2017 vote has found.
An analysis of the vote, led by the Australian National University, found failures in the electoral roll, the theft and destruction of ballot boxes, and “money politics” – payments by candidates for votes – on a scale that was “qualitatively different to previous elections”.
“The 2017 elections were marred by widespread fraud and malpractice, and extensive vote rigging,” Nicole Haley, associate professor at ANU and the lead author of the study, told a recent gathering of Pacific scholars in Canberra.
The findings, to be published early next year, are based on records collected by 258 election observers at 945 polling stations around the country. Many voters were denied genuine choice through block voting, coerced collective voting, violence, intimidation and pre-marked ballot papers in many locations.
Continue reading "2017 election was hijacked; ‘unprecedented violence & fraud’" »
Dr Joe Ketan
KEITH JACKSON
NOOSA – Far from being a celebration of democracy, Papua New Guinea’s recent general election provided a toxic banquet of malfeasance, deception, connivance and deadly violence.
Now Western Highlands-born academic Dr Joe Ketan, who spent four months intensively observing the election, has delivered what the Australian Broadcasting Corporation has termed “a scathing assessment” of what transpired.
Dr Ketan, a political scientist and former head of PNG Studies and International Relations at Divine Word University, concluded the election showed PNG “descending into community dictatorship” which "compromised the principles of democracy".
PNG’s democracy had been eroded through malpractice, fraud, violence, intimidation, bribery and corruption, he said.
Continue reading "Election 2017: ‘Fraud, violence, intimidation & corruption' " »
Mendi burns as post-election violence continues (ABC)
BELDEN NAMAH MP
PORT MORESBY - Real leaders emerge when there is a breakdown in civilian control and the soft power of the courts mean less and the police are powerless.
Mendi is burning and we have heard not one word from the prime minister directed at ending the cycle of violence that has enveloped his once beautiful provincial capital
Prime minister Peter O’Neill and electoral commissioner Patiliu Gamato now responsible for over 30 election related deaths in this area and millions of kina in losses and damage to property.
It is my view that both must eventually be held accountable and charged with treason. The prime minister must be removed from office immediately before the Mendi contagion spreads to the rest of Papua New Guinea.
Continue reading "Where are you Peter O’Neill? Mendi is burning" »
JOHNNY POIYA & JEFFREY ELAPA | Pacific Media Watch | Extracts
Read the complete story here
PORT MORESBY - A rampaging crowd has attacked Papua New Guinea prime minister Peter O’Neill’s official vehicle and business interests in Mendi, Southern Highlands Province.
The Toyota LandCruiser V8 vehicle was stolen, and construction and mining logistics company Wildcat Construction base looted and torched, on Saturday afternoon.
South West Air’s airport hangar was ransacked also although its fleet of fixed wing and rotary wing aircraft had earlier been moved elsewhere.
O’Neill’s LandCruiser was among 10 vehicles, including an excavator, backhoe and grader, stolen by a rampaging crowd that had ran amok through the town.
Continue reading "Warlords take over Mendi; rampaging mob attacks O’Neill car" »
Mathias Kin with Ingrid Jackson at a viewpoint on the Kundiawa-Gembogl road
JOHNNY BLADES | Radio New Zealand International
KUNDIAWA - A man who stood in Papua New Guinea's recent election says the country needs to establish an electronic voting system.
Mathias Kin, who stood in Chimbu's regional seat, said that for decades governments have paid lip service to introducing such a system.
He said commitment to this system, and its associated national ID plan, had been lacking at the top political level.
After this year's election threw up a host of problems, including electoral roll and ballot box inconsistencies, Mr Kin said the system needs to change.
While he doubts the system would change before the next election in 2022, Mr Kin said steps must be taken.
Continue reading "Electronic voting is needed in PNG - Mathias Kin" »
A happy Peter O'Neill receives the Observer Group report from Commonwealth secretary-general Patricia Scotland
KEITH JACKSON
You can read the complete report of the Commonwealth Observer Group here
BRISBANE - The Commonwealth Observer Group that covered Papua New Guinea’s recent general election has just released its report.
The group was in PNG from 19 June to 10 July with a small team remaining four more day to observe part of the counting, but only in Port Moresby.
Unlike Australian foreign minister Julie Bishop’s walk back from her earlier statement that the poll was “successful”, this document largely builds on the observers’ interim report.
The impression conveyed is that observers conducted their mission largely unaware of, or were unwilling to comment in detail on, egregious violations of ethical, legal and proper practice. (For a summary of such malfeasance refer to this earlier article in PNG Attitude.)
Continue reading "Punches pulled: The report of the Commonwealth Observer Group" »
TERENCE WOOD | Dev Policy Blog
CANBERRA - There are still reports to be written, official verdicts to be made, and electoral petitions to be heard. But media reporting alone is enough for the most important point to be clear….
The 2017 elections in Papua New Guinea were not good enough. There were major roll issues, there were likely cases of fraud, and electoral violence is ongoing. Voters deserve better.
The first step in making sure improvements occur is diagnosing the issues. That's what I'm going to do in this post.
I'm going to look at the structural drivers of PNG's electoral problems. I'm not here to level accusations at individuals. If people have committed crimes they should be tried.
Continue reading "What's the matter with elections in PNG?" »
KEITH JACKSON
“The Australian government congratulates PNG, one of our closest friends and partners, on its successful election and we looking forward to continuing to work with prime minister O’Neill and PNG’s new government” – press statement by Australia’s foreign affairs minister, the Hon Julie Bishop MP, c 5 August 2017
NOOSA – Nothing astounded close observers of Papua New Guinea’s recent shambolic general election than a public statement by Australia’s foreign affairs minister calling it “successful”.
The reaction from the commentariat to this profoundly inaccurate remark – made all the worse because it was clearly deliberate, not a throwaway line – was savage.
Even the think tanks which receive Australian government funding, and in their supplication are mostly reluctant to be harsh, seemed somewhat taken aback.
But there are actors as well as commentators, walkers as well as talkers, and this is where Queensland-based ex-kiap Paul Oates and some of his colleagues entered the arena – communicating directly with the Hon Eric Abetz, Senator for Tasmania and erstwhile senior minister in a number of Australian governments, but not (to his chagrin) in Malcolm Turnbull’s.
Continue reading "Julie Bishop walks back from talk of “successful” PNG election" »
JOHN M GLYNN OL | Transparency International PNG
PORT MORESBY - Sometimes in warfare innocent people are killed. This is called collateral damage.
When it happens everyone is very upset and sorry. Apologies are made by those who admit accountability, and hopefully compensation is paid to those who have lost their homes and family members.
Who is accountable for the collateral damage resulting from our national elections of 2017?
Who will give us an explanation and an apology for all that happened? Who will compensate those individuals, families and businesses who were so terribly hurt by the murder and mayhem that accompanied the election process?
Some 30 people have been murdered, including the police officers who were ambushed and assassinated; many mobile phone towers were destroyed, and the cost of their replacement will eventually be paid for by us, the users of mobile services; families dispersed by the fighting have fled to the cities and even now parents are trudging from school to school in Port Moresby looking for places where their children can continue their education; homes and businesses have been destroyed ... incomes lost ... bribery, lying and cheating ... hatred and envy stirred up ...
Continue reading "The cost of our democracy" »
JON FRAENKEL | Dev Policy Blog
WELLINGTON - The Papua New Guinea electoral commission gadget (pictured) has all the hallmarks of a misconceived donor project gone wrong, and left abandoned.
Neatly laid out on an interactive colour-coded map of Papua New Guinea, the commission’s gadget depicts each province in orange, green, grey, beige or blue to designate progress in counting ballot papers at the June-August 2017 polls.
The website was updated so slowly during the critical late July vote-counting days that it was way behind what was being reported on national TV or radio or in the daily newspapers.
Since the prime ministerial election on 2 August, it has languished in a multi-coloured state of semi-completion, full of errors and omissions.
Continue reading "The great electoral commission gadget white elephant" »
BUSA JEREMIAH WENOGO
PORT MORESBY - I consider myself fortunate. And it is not because I come from a wealthy family or enjoy the privileges of living in a developed nation.
In fact, I live in a developing country that happens to be one of the most corrupt in the world and where there is a general sense of disregard and disrespect for the rule of law.
Police are a law unto themselves. The national procurement system is a cash cow for corrupt politicians. Taxpayers’ money is wasted on unproductive official inquires that never see the light of day.
And we have a dysfunctional public service that is a hallmark of our nation's backwardness.
In saying all that, I acknowledge that we do have hard-working and honest public servants, law enforcers and politicians. But they are like specks in the sand. So few of them make any significant contribution to our nation's future.
Continue reading "Is PNG’s inability to learn smothering our young democracy?" »
JOHNNY BLADES | Radio New Zealand International
RESULTS are still pending in two seats in Papua New Guinea's election, three weeks since the overall return of writs.
The Electoral Commission has confirmed that declarations are not finalised in two Highlands electorates that experienced deadly election-related violence in the past month.
The vote count for the Southern Highlands regional seat remains suspended due to clashes between supporters of rival candidates in the provincial capital Mendi which resulted in several deaths. Electoral Commission has ruled out failing the election as a number of parties in the province are calling for it to do.
Having been moved to neighbouring Western Highlands province, the Southern Highlands regional vote count was expected to resume this week. Yet the delayed result in the Southern Highlands seat has tested the patience of voters in a volatile region.
Continue reading "Disputes & unfinished business as election wrangles continue" »
DANIEL KUMBON
WABAG, Wednesday afternoon - Election violence has resumed here and gunshots are ringing out over the small township after a ceasefire imposed last week broke down yesterday and a death was reported this morning.
Wabag is experiencing its most violent time since Enga Province severed ties with the Western Highlands to assume its own political and administrative responsibilities in 1974.
Maters were made worse by the unrelated death of a young pilot Sano Peter Mendai (pictured), who was to graduate from a flying school in New Zealand this month.
Sano Mendai had come to Port Moresby to witness the graduation of his wife, Jane Kipok, from the University of Papua New Guinea’s.
Continue reading "Gunshots all around as election violence resumes in Wabag" »
PHILIP KAI MORRE
KUNDIAWA - National elections give us the opportunity to vote for good leaders to represent us in parliament; leaders who can develop sound policies that respect the aspirations of the people for the growth of our nation.
But in the recent election, this freedom to elect good leaders was not practically achieved. Once again, it was accepted as normal to vote for tribally-based candidates.
The democratic process of electing the best leaders disappears beneath the strong wantok system where our mind set is not open to elect to represent us in parliament good leaders of upright moral character, honesty and integrity.
Corruption in high office is the cornerstone of everything that has gone wrong in Papua New Guinea.
How can we fight this evil when the very people who are supposed to fight corruption at the top level are corrupt themselves?
Continue reading "Trying to better understand corruption & violence in PNG politics" »
RONALD MAY | Australian Institute of International Affairs
CANBERRA - Papua New Guinea has recently concluded its ninth general election. With the results in five constituencies yet to be declared, parliament met on Wednesday 2 August and the incumbent prime minister, Peter O’Neill, was re-elected to head a new coalition government.
Congratulations were received from other heads of state, and Australia’s foreign minister Julie Bishop praised Papua New Guinea for its ‘successful election’ and said Australia looked forward to working with Prime Minister O’Neill.
But just how successful was the election, and to what extent should O’Neill’s re-election be welcomed?
Some 3,324 candidates contested the 111 seats in the 2017 election, an average of over 30 per constituency. This included 167 women. Forty-five political parties were registered prior to the election, but, as usual, the majority of candidates stood as independents and all candidates appealed primarily to local loyalties and parochial issues.
Continue reading "Papua New Guinea’s election: what happened, what next?" »
DANIEL KUMBON
WABAG - At last town residents, business houses and the general public are resuming normal life, or so we are assured by the authorities.
The post-election warfare officially ceased Wednesday under a heavy police and army presence. More than 30 people died in the violence, including four this week.
Provincial Police Commander Supt George Kakas said the Kii and Kala tribes had wrongly allowed former opposition leader Don Polye and civil aviation minister and member for Kandep Alfred Manasseh to exploit them to stage three weeks of killing and destruction.
Supt Kakas said the two tribes had agreed to stop fighting and accepted conditions of a preventative order which restrained them from further violence.
Continue reading "“We fought for our uncounted boxes,’’ Polye supporters tell" »
MATHIAS KIN
PAPUA New Guineans may never fully discern the extent of foul play Peter O’Neill and the Peoples National Congress (PNC) committed to retain power in the recently concluded 2017 election.
As a candidate for Simbu Regional and a regular contributor to PNG Attitude, I want to record my personal views of what I see as a grand scam by the ruling party.
First, I am very troubled by the shocking image circulated on social media of an Enga tribesman shot by the security forces in Wabag at the height of the counting.
My concern was that the photo clearly showed the gun the man was carrying had a red PNC4PNG sticker on it.
Continue reading "The grand scam: How Peter O’Neill managed to stay in power" »
DANIEL KUMBON
HUNDREDS of people stood helpless as a Bangladeshi businessman died in a fire early Thursday morning in the Enga Province capital of Wabag, a town already besieged by election violence.
Wabag has no fire service and the man died in an upstairs apartment already engulfed in flames.
The foreign businessman died even as local leaders from surrounding tribes planned to stage a peaceful demonstration to express their grievances at the lack of interest shown by the new government in stopping an election-related tribal war on the edge of the town.
Four other Bangladeshi men escaped the inferno.
Continue reading "Bangladeshi man burned to death as election warfare continues" »