On 27 June, at the Wednesday Lunch at Lowy, Dr Abby McLeod discussed how, on 30 June, Papua New Guinea goes to the polls after the Sir Michael Somare government became the first government in PNG history to serve its first term. Australia, as PNG's largest source of aid and its former colonial power, is a keen observer of PNG elections, and electoral reform has been a key focus of Australia's good governance program in PNG. However, elections work very differently in PNG than in Australia. Local values and practices mean that PNG's political system continues to produce results that surprise, and often worry, many in Australia and complicate Australia-PNG relations. This election is likely to be no different.

Event audio and podcasts from the Lowy Institute

<p>Event audio and podcasts from the Lowy Institute</p>

Lowy Institute Archive

On 27 June, at the Wednesday Lunch at Lowy, Dr Ab…

Advertisement