Bills passed in proper manner, Speaker says

SPEAKER Theodore Zurenuoc says all bills passed by Parliament have been done so in a proper manner.
He said that yesterday after he was taken to task by Rabaul MP Dr Allan Marat last week over the manner in which important bills were speedily pushed through Parliament without ample time for research by MPs.
Zurenuoc said passing bills was a key feature of Parliament.
“Bills or proposed laws and amendments that are passed into law by Parliament have implications on the lives and work of our people and organisations,” he said.
“Hence, it is important and necessary, that (there must be) a full and fair understanding and appreciation of a proposed new law, a bill or an amendment before a law is made on the floor of parliament.
“Sufficient time must be provided to the members, for we are legislators to review and appreciate the contents of proposed laws, bills and amendments in order to adequately debate before voting.”
Zurenuoc said he understood the “suspicions or perceptions” raised by Marat “about a conspiracy by Government to prevent debate on bills”.
“He has this perception because, on a number of occasions, bills or amendments were passed in a manner where insufficient time was provided for members to review and consequently leaving no time or space for adequate and meaningful debate,” he said.