2022 National General Elections best funded in PNG’s history
The Marape Government saved K127.6 million from the National General Elections 2022.
It only expanded K518.2 million of the funds allocated, according to the latest Treasury IFMIS report of August 18, 2022.
According to caretaker treasurer Ian Ling-Stuckey, this was 54 per cent more expenditure than the K336 million spent on the 2017 election.
“There remains K127.6 million in funds not spent that have been approved and fully warranted.
“This was by far the best funded election in PNG’s history. We will have to learn the lessons of what went right in many Provinces, but also what went wrong in many others,” he said.
“More is likely to be needed to support the calls for biometric identities and electronic voting.”
Deputy Primary Minister John Rosso and Mr Ling-Stuckey received an update on the funding situation for the 2022 election from the Electoral Commissioner Simon Sinai, Police Commissioner David Manning, and the Acting Secretary for Treasury.
The meeting covered the K645.8 million that has been fully warranted and funds provided for this election.
He said PNG had received strong support from Australia and other international partners – ranging from printing of ballot papers (unlike the 2017 ballots being printed in an unusual deal in Indonesia) as well as extensive police and defence support.
“But even after such record levels of funding and international support, the Electoral Commissioner and Commissioner for Police outlined a range of additional costs that would require additional funding.
“Many of these relate to the response to the electoral violence, the delays in the election, the lengthy counting periods and the extension of the writs. These requests will be sympathetically considered.
“As I indicated in my election update of 29 July, I expect that funding for electoral agencies in 2022 will be more than double the K336 million spent by the last Government on the 2017 election” said Mr Ling-Stuckey
“Clearly, the levels of funding are not the key issue that led to so many difficulties in this election.”
As stated by the Prime Minister in his address to the start of the 11th Parliament, there will be a need for a serious review on why so many people were not able to vote.
Statement
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