Election nomination fees to rise tenfold

PAPUA NEW GUINEA – The Papua New Guinea government is planning a national election nomination fee for next year of 10,000 kina or US$3150.

Currently the nomination fee is K1000 but the government has indicated a need to offset a lack of funds for the Electoral Commission ahead of next year’s five-yearly general elections.

The Post Courier reports the government is looking to cut the costs associated with the 2017 election for which it has allocated US$126 million.

The nomination fee hike is a tenfold increase. The Prime Minister Peter O’Neill told parliament that the last time nomination charges were changed was well over 30 years ago.

He said the 2017 election could be expected to field more than 4000 candidates in 111 electorates, making it very expensive.

O’Neill said the increased fee was not for government revenue but to fund the election itself.

- RNZI