PARLIAMENT
Will PNG be better prepared this time than in the past? That is the burning question.
Part 4 of extracts from a report by the Special Parliamentary Committee on General Election 2022
GENERAL Election 2027 (GE27) is nigh and preparations are ongoing by the Government to ensure voters have a properly resourced, fair, transparent and credible experience when casting their ballots.
The 70 recommendations set out by the Special Parliamentary Committee on General Election 2022 have provided a pathway for the relevant authorities to take into consideration in their efforts to plan and prepare for the election to come next year and onwards.
On Nov 30, 2023, committee chairman and East Sepik Governor Allan Bird presented the 100-plus page report to Parliament, highlighting certain reforms to improve elections in the country.
The committee’s report outlined 70 recommendations with 28 that needed immediate implementation before the next national general election.
The recommendations focused on seven thematic areas, which included the prioritisation of cross-cutting matters such as addressing electoral corruption and the introduction of reserved seats for women.
The eight recommendations on cross-cutting matters are that:
AS much as possible, the elections must be delivered according to the Organic Law on National and Local Level Government Elections (OLNLLGE) and relevant regulations so that people do not have a valid reason to be unruly. Those committing crimes during elections should be prosecuted and penalised according to the law;
THE Joint Security Task Force (JSTF) must plan for and remove all non-licensed firearms from the general public before the next general election in 2027;
IN order to improve the planning and execution of logistics for the elections, the Special Procurement Committee for the PNGEC must ensure that it procures the necessary logistical requirements on time and that the respective personnel are equipped to implement the plan for logistics;
THE Electoral Commission and security agencies conduct training for electoral officials, temporary election workers and security force members annually commencing four years before the elections so that during the election year, all are fully trained and carry out their roles within the allotted time and budget. Besides the training on electoral matters, basic intelligence skills training (or intelligence awareness training) should be given to all Electoral Commission staff and all security force members so they are able to identify information of value and pass that up through the system. This process and system will help intelligence analysts at Headquarters in Port Moresby and in provincial capitals to see the full picture on the ground to plan their own operations.
THE alignment of the OLNLLGE with the recently developed anticorruption legislation namely, the Independent Commission Against Corruption legislation and the Whistleblower legislation. In addition, the proposed amendment through the Organic Law on the Integrity of Political Parties and Candidates, which has been recommended and tabled by the Integrity of Political Parties and Candidates Commission a number of times, be passed by Parliament.
THE Police investigate, arrest and prosecute electoral officials involved in corruption during General Election 2022 to send a strong message that electoral corruption will not be tolerated. This can be coordinated through a memorandum of agreement between the Roya Papua New Guinea Constabulary and Electoral Commission;
A COMPREHENSIVE review of all election-related laws in the Constitution and other laws be carried out by the Constitutional and Law Reform Commission to investigate and recommend areas for legal reform with the aim of making the elections better. As part of the review, a comprehensive study be done on election offences and crimes under the OLNLLGE, Criminal Code, Summary Offences Acts and other relevant laws and regulations, in order to determine the adequacy of the current penalties and recommend appropriate changes; and,
This is the first time we have a parliamentary committee in place to prepare well for the next election.”
THE National Parliament pass a constitutional amendment, supported by amendments to relevant organic laws, to introduce 22 reserved seats for women in the National Parliament, following similar approaches made by the Autonomous Bougainville Government, Motu-Koita Assembly and other international examples, and in the long term, institute a minimum requirement that a certain percentage of candidates endorsed by political parties be women.
Recent work of the committee
On Feb 19, 2026, the Special Parliamentary Committee on General Election 2022 conducted an inquiry at the Parliament House State Function Room in Port Moresby.
The committee conducted the hearing with officials from the Electoral Commission, Royal Papua New Guinea Constabulary, Defence Force and Treasury Department.
Committee chairman Allan Bird said this was to ensure all key agencies were ready for next year’s general election, particularly with the implementation of the recommendations in its report. Bird called for all key agencies involved in the upcoming election to implement some of the committee’s recommendation to avoid failures next year.
“This is the first time we have a parliamentary committee in place to prepare well for the next election,” he said.
“We need to make use of the time we have now before it becomes too late.
“Elections are always a catalyst for change, whether good or bad. That is why we need to prepare now so that our people can have a free, fair and safe election next year.”
The committee is expected to conduct another hearing this year. Acting Electoral Commissioner Margaret Vagi confirmed the tentative dates for the GE27, which were approved by Governor-General Sir Bob Dadae.
She said GE27 would start with the issue of writs on April 29 and would continue until writs are returned by July 30 next year.
“The approval has been given by the Governor-General and we can now announce them,” she said.
“We have already distributed those dates to the IDEC (Inter-Department Election Committee) members and preparations are being made.”
The confirmed tentative dates for GE27 are:
ISSUE of writs and nomination open – April 29, 2027;
NOMINATIONS close – May 6, 2027;
POLLING starts – June 26, 2027;
POLLING ends – July 9, 2027; and,
RETURN of writs – July 30, 2027.
Vagi said: “We have already distributed those dates to the IDEC (Inter-Department Election Committee) members and preparations are being made.”
“I recently chaired the first meeting for IDEC and we are working together with other key agencies to ensure the next election is conducted successfully.”
She said the commission would need about K500 million for GE27, especially to implement the voter registration and biometric voting.
“K50 million has been allocated for this year for election preparations but we are yet to receive those funds.
“We hope to get the funding soon so we can start training and procurement of big-ticket items like ballot boxes and ballot papers.”
Committee chairman and East Sepik Governor Allan Bird urged all the key line agencies responsible for GE27 to work together as there was no more time to waste.
“The country is looking at spending at least around K1.1 billion on the next election, if we include police and other players together,” he said.
“Funds must be released on time so that they can all start procuring what they need before 2027.
“The election is impending and we are all going to look silly if we do not prepare well for it.”’
- Next week: Public Accounts Committee
