The revised bill on the Organic Law On Integrity of Political Parties and Candidates (OLLIPAC) has not yet been passed although it has been on notice since 2020.
Prime Minister James Marape said this in response to Northern Governor Garry Juffa’s question regarding the status of the Bill.
“These laws were revised in 2014 unfortunately not passed and later in 2020 and again not passed,” Mr Juffa said.
“The laws will definitely strengthen the functions of political parties and is an important legislative reform that is well overdue.”
The Prime Minister said it is an important Bill to strengthen the functionality of political parties as an institution of state, however the Bill has not been passed because they have not managed to get the required number of votes from parliamentary members.
“It is a constitutional amendment that requires over 73 members of parliament to pass this Bill,” Mr Marape said.
“In the last few sittings, we struggled to get past 73 so we get numbers in the next two sittings, we certainly can pass this Bill.”
“And so, I recommend to the House that if the number does go past 73, we could have a look at introducing this Bill and getting it passed.”