PM O'Neill accuses Opposition for playing 'dirty' Politics and leaking OC documents
The O'Neill-Abel government yesterday accused the opposition of leaking a confidential Ombudsman Commission report into the Aus$1.239 billion UBS loan fiasco.
A statement by the Prime Minister Peter O’Neill said the opposition did this intentionally in “a very dirty game in a desperate attempt to gain support for a change of government.”
“They have failed to obtain the support of the majority of Members of Parliament, so now this is their latest very low move, leaking documents from Ombudsman without checking facts and denying parties to tell their part of the story,” Mr O’Neill said.
“This matter is likely to be the subject of a judicial review as the parties named were not
properly afforded the right to natural justice when the report was in draft.
“Media organisations should also be aware that they are likely to be subject to potential
legal action by individuals named.
“This issue has been dealt with in the courts and on the floor of Parliament on several
occasions.
He said the Supreme Court dismissed the Ombudsman case some time ago, and ruled that the Government has the right to conduct the economic affairs of the State.
He said the court ruled that the Ombudsman Commission could not direct the Departments of Finance and Treasury to suspend the loan and not make repayments on interest.
“This attempted misuse of authority for political reasons was not thought through by the
Ombudsman Commission, and the Supreme Court declared the direction of the
Ombudsman Commission was unconstitutional and not in the national Interest,” he said.
“If the Ombudsman Commission’s unconstitutional direction had been followed, Papua
New Guinea would have defaulted on an international loan for the first time since
Independence.
“Our Government will not entertain such reckless attempted political interference.
“As was clearly stated over many years, in obtaining the loan, the Government acted to
ensure that Papua New Guinea continues to be a participant in resource resources
development in Papua New Guinea, and not a bystander.
“This was after the Somare Government had previously mortgaged State owned
enterprises to interests in the Middle East at great expense to the country.
“The basis on which this report has been obtained and leaked with malicious intent
needs to be investigated.
“The Government welcomes any investigation but it must fair and factual.
Any member of the Parliament also has the right to raise the issue in the House, and we will again provide the same responses in the past when it was discussed.”
A statement by the Prime Minister Peter O’Neill said the opposition did this intentionally in “a very dirty game in a desperate attempt to gain support for a change of government.”
“This matter is likely to be the subject of a judicial review as the parties named were not
properly afforded the right to natural justice when the report was in draft.
“Media organisations should also be aware that they are likely to be subject to potential
legal action by individuals named.
“This issue has been dealt with in the courts and on the floor of Parliament on several
occasions.
He said the Supreme Court dismissed the Ombudsman case some time ago, and ruled that the Government has the right to conduct the economic affairs of the State.
He said the court ruled that the Ombudsman Commission could not direct the Departments of Finance and Treasury to suspend the loan and not make repayments on interest.
“This attempted misuse of authority for political reasons was not thought through by the
Ombudsman Commission, and the Supreme Court declared the direction of the
Ombudsman Commission was unconstitutional and not in the national Interest,” he said.
“If the Ombudsman Commission’s unconstitutional direction had been followed, Papua
New Guinea would have defaulted on an international loan for the first time since
Independence.
“Our Government will not entertain such reckless attempted political interference.
“As was clearly stated over many years, in obtaining the loan, the Government acted to
ensure that Papua New Guinea continues to be a participant in resource resources
development in Papua New Guinea, and not a bystander.
“This was after the Somare Government had previously mortgaged State owned
enterprises to interests in the Middle East at great expense to the country.
“The basis on which this report has been obtained and leaked with malicious intent
needs to be investigated.
“The Government welcomes any investigation but it must fair and factual.
Any member of the Parliament also has the right to raise the issue in the House, and we will again provide the same responses in the past when it was discussed.”
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