O’Neill’s leadership challenged

PORT MORESBY – Papua New Guinea’s opposition has formally given notice it will move a motion of no confidence in the government of prime minister Peter O’Neill.

A parliamentary committee will decide if and when the motion will be debated in parliament, but it is likely to be next week.

“Though small in number, the opposition believes in the values of quality leadership, so this notice is one of the primary duties of the opposition,” opposition leader Don Polye said

The prime minister, who is subject to an arrest warrant for official corruption, called the move “desperate and ambitious”.

“The country today faces huge challenges with EL Niño and global economic conditions which require our parliament’s attention,” O’Neill said.

“The 2016 budget will be presented next week and we should focus on that – not Somare and Polye’s ambition to crawl their way back into government.”

PNG’s parliamentarians sit for five-year terms, but several governments have fallen due to votes of no confidence.

The next election in PNG is not due until 2017.

Meanwhile, Papua New Guinea’s Supreme Court has dismissed an application by the attorney general, Ano Pala, to restrain police from enforcing an arrest warrant against him.

Pala has been asked to hand himself in to police after losing an attempt to stay an arrest warrant.

Pala is accused of conspiring with others to defeat the course of justice in relation to the Paraka lawyers scandal, which has engulfed many high-ranking officials, including the prime minister.

In November, he obtained stay orders at the National Court to temporarily stop the warrant, which were lifted in late August.

Yesterday, Supreme Court Justice George Manuhu dismissed Pala’s application to extend the stay, saying the power of police to investigate and arrest should not be interfered with.

PNG Loop reports the assistant police commissioner for Crimes, Thomas Eluh, as calling for the attorney general to hand himself in for questioning.

- ABC