11:47 AM |
Nauru's parliament back working after speaker's appointment
Updated
Nauru's long running political deadlock appears to be over.
The former President of Nauru, Ludwig Scotty, has accepted nomination as speaker in the country's parliament.
The country's MPs have not wasted time in re-electing President Marcus Stephen.
And they have also started debate on the island nation's budget - nearly six months after it was due to be passed.
Presenter: Pacific Correspondent Campbell Cooney
Speaker: Speaker of Nauru's parliament, Ludwig Scotty
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COONEY: Nauru's 18 member parliament has been in a nine a side standoff since the start of the year.
Since then two elections have been held to try and break the impasses, without success, and two speakers have been appointed, with neither lasting more than a fortnight.
For over six months the country has been in a state of emergency, enacted by then Caretaker President Marcus Stephen to allow the government to function, and since June parliament has not sat, with the house put in recess.
The election of former President Ludwig Scotty as speaker means parliament is back in session, Marcus Stephen has been officially re-elected as president, and the State of Emergency has been lifted.
Mr Scotty says he remains an opposition MP, but he says one of the reasons he decided to take up the speaker's position was the negative press coverage the island nation has received. with allegations opposition members are receiving financial support from an Australian company,
SCOTTY: We have been dragging the good name of Nauru in the dust, if I may use that word, because you see now we're up to foreign media's and all that and I think it's causing more damage to Nauru.
COONEY: What's been the order of government or of parliament?
SCOTTY: They are trying to introduce their budget, because you see we have been under State of Emergency for the last over six months and what they will do now is because we have the president, so all the SOE orders have dropped.
COONEY: Will that budget get the support of the majority of MPs including yourself?
SCOTTY: I don't know, but it is good for the people of Nauru. I don't think we should try to stop its approval.
COONEY: Now one of the things that we have certainly heard of the times is that there are some changes being put in, in Nauru in relation to parliament, an extra member of parliament and independent speaker I think is one of those and that would be legislated during the house. Now is that likely to be sooner rather than later and what is your view on that sort of change in legislation?
SCOTTY: Oh, I think it will come on sooner, because we're always having the problem of such as that happened to us for the last six months, because the problem ensued from not having a speaker. Because if we had the same numbers on the floor of the house, nine each side, then nobody will like to put up a speaker, because once they put up a speaker, then that side will lose government, because that is what happened to Nauru. So if we can get another person in there, maybe we can solve the problem, because we may have an odd number on the floor of the house.
COONEY: You made it very clear you've gone in for the good of Nauru, you're still part of the opposition bloc. I am curious what's been the response from your colleagues in that bloc to you taking up the speakership?
SCOTTY: I think I am a bit surprised, because they understand my side, so we're still friends and I am still the member of the Opposition. If they would accept this and I mean that I can help them and in a way, but I say now that I have taken up the neutral position of the speaker, then I have to look at both sides of the house. That's why I said Campbell, that enough is enough. What can the Opposition side achieve when we don't go into parliament and argue for what people need. So that is one of the aspects of my trying to neutralise the situation between the opposition and the government, so that we can get the house going and then peoples' wishes and desires and all of that can be debated in the house and the government can be taken up to task.
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pacific islands media association
pima.nius@gmail.com
aotearoa, new zealand
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