Niningi wants judges’ salaries increased

National

Imbonggu MP Pila Niningi wants the salaries and remuneration committee led by the parliament speaker to consider increasing salaries for the country’s judges.
Niningi, who is also the Higher Education, Research Science and Technology Minister, said judges had to live in secured accommodation as their security was paramount.
Speaking during grievances debate in Parliament on Friday, he said as a former associate to a judge, deputy registrar and lawyer, he understood the needs of a judge.
He noted that judges in Australia and New Zealand were paid much higher than their PNG counterparts.
For instance, Niningi said the country’s judges received K4000 per month for accommodation.
He said that was not sufficient to rent a decent house in a good class residential area.
“The speaker as the chairman of the salaries and remuneration committee, must look at increasing the judges’ pay as they have been overlooked for a long time. Despite that, the judges continue to perform their work without complaining.
“Increase the perks and privileges of the judges, including their salaries and housing allowances.
“As a former judge’s associate, I know that a judge’s job is a lonely job and they can’t socialise. For example, the late Mark Sevua’s family are now living in 9-Mile because when he was a judge he had no freedom to move around and look for homes.”