Electoral Commissioner to decide on poll fee: O’Neill

ELECTORAL Commissioner Patilias Gamato is the only government officer to decide whether to increase the nomination fee from K1000 to K10000, Prime Minister Peter O’Neill says.
He told Parliament on Friday that he did not know if the nomination fee would be increased or not.
“It entirely depends on the PNG Electoral Commissioner. If he says yes that will help us meet the cost of running the election,” O’Neill said.
He said the last increase in nomination fee was made 20 years ago.
“Between that time and now cost of doing elections have increased dramatically. So we have to be realistic about this,” O’Neill said. “I know that election cost even more for individuals when they are conducting their campaigns but even more for the State and the burden is being placed on the taxpayers.
“I think over 4000 candidates will run for this election and to run an election for 4000 candidates for 111 seats on the floor of the parliament is quite expensive.  That’s why we have to allocate K400 million.”