O’Neill defends polls result

PRIME Minister Peter O’Neill, pictured, rates the 2017 general election as one of the “most peaceful” in many years, “although there were problems in some areas”.
He was replying to a statement by Moresby North-West MP and former prime minister Sir Mekere Morauta who claimed that the 2017 general election had been designed to be “chaotic, rigged (and) to produce a particular result”.
Sir Mekere had based his statement on the recently released Australian National University (ANU) report on the 2017 election.
O’Neill denied that the election was rigged.
“The reality is that the People’s National Congress Party lost 50 per cent of our members in the last election. So how can he talk about elections being rigged?” O’Neill said.
“While it was unfortunate there were problems in some areas after the vote took place, this was one of the most peaceful elections in many years.”
He did not elaborate on what the problems were. O’Neill’s People’s National Congress Party won the largest number of seats (27) and was asked to form the Government.
He later formed a coalition with other parties such as Pangu (11 MPs), United Resources Party (nine), People’s Progress Party (five) plus Independents.
He was elected prime minister with a 60-46 vote in Parliament in August 2017.
O’Neill also rubbished Sir Mekere’s statement that PNG was “not a parliamentary democracy”.
“What nonsense is that? Papua New Guinea has one of the most active and stable parliaments in the region,” O’Neill said.
“(Sir) Mekere draws his claims from a report by an ANU academic. Just because an academic releases a political statement, it does not mean it has credibility.”
O’Neill also branded as “desperate and clueless” Sir Mekere’s call for a commission of inquiry into the 2017 general election.
“It is again disappointing to see Sir Mekere Morauta stoop to a new low in a desperate attempt to draw attention to himself,” he said.
“His call for a commission of inquiry into the 2017 election is desperate and clueless.
“He will do anything to take cheap shots and this is his latest nonsense.”
An observation team led by Nicole Haley from the ANU Department of Pacific Affairs in its 130-page report claimed “serious irregularities, voter intimidation, personation, underage voting and multiple voting” in the elections.
The report found that the quality and integrity of the 2017 elections compared to 2012 had deteriorated significantly, even in the locations that had historically delivered more credible elections.
Based on the information provided by 3770 people surveyed during the campaign period, the researchers had found that many people were not provided genuine opportunity to register on a non-discriminatory basis, nor were they provided reasonable opportunity to inspect the electoral roll prior to or during the election.