3 Apr 2012

PNG speaker approves controversial Judicial Conduct Act

2:26 pm on 3 April 2012

The Papua New Guinea Speaker, Jeffrey Nape, has certified the Judicial Conduct Act 2012, despite assurances from the government that implementation of the law would be delayed.

There's major disquiet over the legislation which allows the government to suspend judges.

The prime minister, Peter O'Neill, said late last week that the law would be subjected to a review by the Constitutional Law Reform Commission.

That process was to take nine months.

However, the Post Courier reports that Mr Nape signed the law into effect last Friday.

Since then Mr O'Neill has reconfirmed his intention for the law to be deferred and for it to be referred to the Commission for awareness and wider consultation under the chairmanship of Gabriel Kapris.

A spokesperson says the Speaker's certifying of the law is conditional and doesn't reflect a change in the government's position.