Government and politics Papua New Guinea

1 government , politics

1.1 law
1.2 foreign policy
1.3 military
1.4 human rights
1.5 administrative divisions

government , politics

papua new guinea commonwealth realm. such, queen elizabeth ii sovereign , head of state. constitutional convention, prepared draft constitution, , australia, outgoing metropolitan power, had thought papua new guinea not remain monarchy. founders, however, considered imperial honours had cachet. monarch represented governor-general of papua new guinea, bob dadae. papua new guinea (and solomon islands) unusual among commonwealth realms in governors-general elected legislature, rather chosen executive branch.

the prime minister heads cabinet, consists of 31 mps ruling coalition, make government. current prime minister peter o neill. unicameral national parliament has 111 seats, of 22 occupied governors of 22 provinces , national capital district (ncd). candidates members of parliament voted upon when prime minister asks governor-general call national election, maximum of 5 years after previous national election.

in years of independence, instability of party system led frequent votes of no confidence in parliament, resulting changes of government, referral electorate, through national elections occurring every 5 years. in recent years, successive governments have passed legislation preventing such votes sooner 18 months after national election , within 12-month of next election. in december 2012, first 2 (of three) readings passed prevent votes of no confidence occurring within first 30 months. restriction on votes of no confidence has arguably resulted in greater stability, although perhaps @ cost of reducing accountability of executive branch of government.

elections in png attract numerous candidates. after independence in 1975, members elected first past post system, winners gaining less 15% of vote. electoral reforms in 2001 introduced limited preferential vote system (lpv), version of alternative vote. 2007 general election first conducted using lpv.

prime minister peter o neill

in 2011 there constitutional crisis between parliament-elect prime minister, peter o neill (voted office large majority of mps) , sir michael somare, deemed supreme court (in december opinion, 3:2) retain office. stand-off between parliament , supreme court continued until july 2012 national elections, legislation passed removing chief justice , subjecting supreme court members greater control legislature, series of other laws passed, example limiting age prime minister. confrontation reached peak, deputy prime minister entering supreme court during hearing, escorted police, ostensibly arrest chief justice. there strong pressure among mps defer national elections further 6 months 1 year, although powers highly questionable.

the parliament-elect prime minister , other cooler-headed mps carried votes writs new election issued, late, election occur on time, thereby avoiding continuation of constitutional crisis. crisis tense @ times, largely restricted political , legal fraternity, plus police factions. public , public service (including police , military) stood back. period when, increased telecommunication access , use of social media (notably facebook , mobile phones), public , students played part in helping maintain restraint , demanding leadership adhere constitutional processes. insisted on having elections people should legitimate representatives next 5 years.

under amendment of 2002, leader of party winning largest number of seats in election invited governor-general form government, if can muster necessary majority in parliament. process of forming such coalition in png, parties not have ideology, involves considerable horsetrading right until last moment. peter o neill emerged papua new guinea s prime minister after july 2012 election, , formed government leo dion, former governor of east new britain province, deputy prime minister.

law

the parliament building of papua new guinea in port moresby

the unicameral parliament enacts legislation in same manner in other jurisdictions have cabinet, responsible government, or parliamentary democracy : introduced executive government legislature, debated and, if passed, becomes law when receives royal assent governor-general. legislation regulation implemented bureaucracy under enabling legislation passed parliament.

all ordinary statutes enacted parliament must consistent constitution. courts have jurisdiction rule on constitutionality of statutes, both in disputes before them , on reference there no dispute abstract question of law. unusual among developing countries, judicial branch of government in papua new guinea has remained remarkably independent, , successive executive governments have continued respect authority.

the underlying law (papua new guinea s common law) consists of principles , rules of common law , equity in england common law stood on 16 september 1975 (the date of independence), , thereafter decisions of png s own courts. courts directed constitution and, latterly, underlying law act, take note of custom of traditional communities. determine customs common whole country , may declared part of underlying law. in practice, has proved extremely difficult , has been largely neglected. statutes largely adapted overseas jurisdictions, australia , england. advocacy in courts follows adversarial pattern of other common-law countries.

this national court system, used in towns , cities, supported village court system in more remote areas. law underpinning village courts customary law .

foreign policy

in foreign policy, papua new guinea member of commonwealth of nations, pacific islands forum, , melanesian spearhead group (msg) of countries. accorded observer status within asean in 1976, followed later special observer status in 1981. member of apec , acp country, associated europe.

military

the papua new guinea defence force (pngdf) military organisation responsible defence of papua new guinea.

human rights

the unity shown men, women , children on white ribbon day important reminder violence against women impacts on society whole.

papua new guinea ranked worst place in world violence against women. 2013 study in lancet found 41% of men on bougainville island, papua new guinea, reported having raped non-partner, while 14.1% reported having committed gang rape. according unicef, half of reported rape victims under 15 years of age , 13% under 7 years of age. report childfund australia, citing former parliamentarian dame carol kidu, claimed 50% of seeking medical after rape under 16, 25% under 12, , 10% under 8. homosexual acts prohibited law in papua new guinea.

the 1976 sorcery act imposed penalty of 2 years in prison practice of black magic, until act repealed in 2013. estimated 50–150 alleged witches killed each year in papua new guinea.

administrative divisions

papua new guinea divided 4 regions, not primary administrative divisions quite significant in many aspects of government, commercial, sporting , other activities.

the nation has 22 province-level divisions: twenty provinces, autonomous region of bougainville , national capital district. each province divided 1 or more districts, in turn divided 1 or more local level government areas.

provinces primary administrative divisions of country. provincial governments branches of national government – papua new guinea not federation of provinces. province-level divisions follows:

in 2009, parliament approved creation of 2 additional provinces: hela province, consisting of part of existing southern highlands province, , jiwaka province, formed dividing western highlands province. jiwaka , hela officially became separate provinces on 17 may 2012.