30 Apr 2012

PNG women election contenders pushing hardship message

12:03 pm on 30 April 2012

A veteran contender of Papua New Guinea elections says she and other female candidates will be warning people of the dangers of succumbing to vote bribery.

Last week's United Nations-sponsored mock parliament for women gave those standing in this year's June poll a taste of the realities of political office.

Margaret Loko, who is standing for the National Alliance party in Port Moresby, says women candidates know they'll be facing men prepared to pay for votes.

"Who are going to be giving out large money, they're going to be giving out food, they're going to be giving out promises. But the promises, we're going to tell the people, are only five seconds now, in the next five years you're going to suffer. Is that what you're going to be doing?"

Margaret Loko says key campaign issues for women election candidates are reducing poverty through the delivery of basic services, transparency and accountability.