The National Parliament Clerk has highlighted the absence of a clear procedural framework for presenting the referendum results for the Autonomous Region of Bougainville (AROB) in Parliament. A two-day workshop held in Lae aimed to address the aftermath of the Bougainville referendum and its implications for Papua New Guinea’s National Parliament. This workshop was part of the Parliamentary Partnership Agreement between the two bodies. Mr Kala Aufa says, this collaborative effort seeks to bridge the gap between parliamentary bodies regarding the handling of the referendum outcome for AROB. “It marks the second workshop in a series of efforts, with the first focusing on laying groundwork before the referendum.” “Discussions between the National Executive Council (NEC), the Minister's Office, and the Bougainville Affairs Ministry are ongoing to draft a sessional order outlining the process.” The recent workshop proposed new orders and ideas to guide the Minister in tabling the referendum results for debate on the parliamentary floor, possibly in May. “The aim is to initiate parliamentary debate and potentially form a committee to examine the results.” He says the outcomes of the workshop are expected to facilitate progress towards Bougainville's path to independence and stimulate constructive debate within Parliament. Ultimately, the goal is to enable Members of Parliament to engage in substantive discussions on the referendum results, highlighting the need for resolution of existing disagreements to pave the way for parliamentary debate and decision-making. Meanwhile, continuing this collaborative dialogue aims to foster a constructive and inclusive approach to addressing the referendum results within the parliamentary framework.