31 Jan 2014

Namah's lawyer hails PNG Supreme Court decision a landmark ruling

4:27 pm on 31 January 2014

The lawyer representing Papua New Guinea's opposition leader has hailed a Supreme Court decision as a key step in his quest to shut down Australia's detention centre on Manus Island.

The court has granted opposition leader Belden Namah legal standing to challenge the government over the constitutionality of the asylum-seeker arrangement between Canberra and PNG.

Mr Namah's lawyer, Loani Henao, says his client is over the moon with the court's decision.

"The Supreme Court has made this a landmark ruling that he does have standing and the basis of the Supreme Court's decision is he is a citizen of PNG, he is a member of the national parliament and he is the leader of the opposition."

Belden Namah's lawyer, Loani Henao, says one of the primary roles of an MP is to ensure that the laws passed are within the framework of the constitution.