PNG rebuffs Australian election pressure

SYDNEY: Papua New Guinea's Prime Minister Peter O'Neill on Saturday rebuffed pressure from Australia to hold elections on time, saying the timing of polls was the Pacific nation's own business.

Canberra has repeatedly called on neighbouring PNG to adhere to the June deadline for elections as set out by its constitution, with Prime Minister Julia Gillard on Friday ratcheting up pressure by contacting O'Neill directly.

Her office issued a statement saying the pair "discussed the importance of holding national elections on time" and Gillard had "welcomed Prime Minister O'Neill's statements that he supports the election proceeding on time."

But O'Neill shrugged off the pressure on Saturday.

"We appreciate the support of the Australian government, but it is for us to determine where we go with the elections in the coming months," O'Neill told the Australian Broadcasting Corporation.

Australia is impoverished PNG's major aid donor and has pledged significant assistance to help the polls proceed, including electoral personnel and aerial capability to help transport ballots across the remote and rugged nation.

The election's timing was thrown into doubt earlier this month when PNG's parliament voted for a six month delay a decision O'Neill initially supported but later distanced himself from.

There was fresh speculation the June deadline was in doubt on Friday due to an investigation into the electoral commissioner, who is strongly committed to proceeding with the elections on their original date.

Canberra rankled its Pacific neighbour in March by suggesting Australia would "be in the position of having to consider sanctions" if PNG failed to hold elections in June.

In comments he later stepped back from, Foreign Minister Bob Carr said Australia would "have no alternative but to organise the world to condemn and isolate" PNG, leading Port Moresby to caution against threatening its independence.

Politics in PNG have been in turmoil since late 2011, when the Supreme Court ruled O'Neill's rise to power via a parliamentary vote.