Rooney attempts bid at GG post

ONE of Papua New Guinea’s first female politicians and government minister Nahau Rooney has put up her hand to contest the post of governor-general.
The former two-term Manus MP, who served between 1977 and 1987, held various cabinet portfolios during her term in Parliament. In 1977, Rooney was made minister of corrective institutions and liquor licencing until 1979 when she became minister for justice.
From 1980-82, she served as minister of decentralisation and in 1985, was made minister for culture, tourism and civil aviation and held that portfolio until she was unseated at the 1987 national elections.
She was one of the co-founders of the People’s Democratic Movement (PDM) which was launched in 1985.
In the last race for the governor-general’s post in 2004, Rooney did not muster the required number of votes to qualify for the race, and so was left behind by Sir Paulias Matane, Sir Joseph Nombri, Sir Pato Kakaraya and Sir Albert Kipalan.
Sir Paulias came out victorious in that race and his term had come to an end. So, the race is on again, and Rooney is back to try her luck.
She was in Parliament on Wednesday to gauge MPs’ support for her candidacy.
“Among those who signed up was Sumkar MP Ken Fairweather, who urged his colleague politicians to back Rooney.
“I was, initially, very disappointed that there was no woman candidate for the governor-general post.
“I think we should give a woman the chance to be in this office.
“The queen is a woman so I think it is a good gesture to have a woman governor-general,” Fairweather said.
“There are women out there who are equally good or better than some male candidates; and I think we should be supporting our women for once,” he added.
Nominations will close today.