PM slams Opposition’s behaviour in parliament

National

PRIME Minister Peter O’Neill has described the actions of some Opposition MPs in parliament on Wednesday as “unacceptable and unparliamentary”.
The footage of the drama which unfolded during the first sitting of the House was shown around the world.
It showed some Opposition MPs screaming and yelling, and punching the table in a desperate attempt to interrupt parliamentary proceedings.
“Yesterday (Wednesday), we saw the most unacceptable and unparliamentarily behaviour from the members of the Opposition,” O’Neill said.
“They showed disdain for parliamentary procedure, and they displayed the utmost disrespect for the Chief Justice Sir Salamo Injia by screaming in his face.”
He singled out the “childish behaviour of Kerenga Kua, Sir Mekere Morauta and Sam Basil”.
O’Neill said they were not even sworn in as members of parliament at the time.
“They were not even sworn in as Members of Parliament at the time, but they continued to swear and call the Clerk of Parliament foul names,” O’Neill said.
He said Sir Mekere in particular, should have known better as a former prime minister.
“He should understand that his behaviour, in front of the chief justice and the nation, was unacceptable,” he said.
“These people, who claim to represent good governance, rubbed good governance in the dirt with their behaviour.”