Post Courier referred to Parliamentary Privileges Committee

The Speaker of Parliament Job Pomat has referred the editor and reporter responsible for today’s front-page headline on the Post Courier newspaper to the Parliamentary Privileges Committee for further deliberation and action.

He made this call in this morning’s Parliament sitting, before proceeding with other matters of the day.

The newspaper published the headline "PERPETRATORS IN THE HOUSE” with pictures of three Members of Parliament.

Speaker Pomat said the front page headline appeared to him that the three named MP's are perpetrators occupying the House.

He said many people do not read details in an article but only look at the headlines to draw their conclusion.

Speaker Pomat said the choice of words used in the newspaper headline is not proper and gives the wrong implication about the three MPs featured on the front page.

He also raised concerns about the "roll call update” the newspaper has been doing in every Parliament sitting.

The Speaker said he has not given his consent to Post Courier to do a roll call on Members of Parliament.

He said if a Member is not present for a Parliament sitting or if he is sick, it is not for the newspaper company to point out his absenteeism.

“A member was contacted directly and asked by Post Courier why he was not in Parliament and he sent his medical certificate to them.”

“Who told you to keep a roll call and check on Members attendance in Parliament?”

The Speaker of Parliament stated that while the media has the freedom to collect news, the house is under his command and leadership, therefore, the onus in allowing and/or not allowing the media into Parliament rests entirely with him.

As per the Standing Orders of Parliament, the Speaker says he's allowed to make this call in referring the newspaper company to the Parliamentary Privileges Committee.

The functions of the Committee are to inquire into and report on complaints of breach of privilege referred to it by the Speaker or by the Parliament.

Meanwhile, the Minister for Provincial and Local Level Government Affairs and Member for Kikori Soroi Eoe was very disappointed and aggrieved with Post Courier’s headline which had his picture together with other two members on the front page.

The Minister sought leave from the Chair to express his frustration not only about the front-page headline but also about the article related to the Member for Madang Bryan Krammer’s speech in relation to domestic violence.

“Today I came out from a hotel, and I lowered my head because I’m wondering what other people are thinking of me after this report came out on the paper and that’s the kind of implication it has on me.”

He said, the discussion in yesterday’s parliament sitting was for a noble cause and an important issue faced in this country was taken out of context by Post Courier.

Minister Eoe labelled the front-page headline and a few remarks in the articles as “gutter reporting” while calling on Post Courier to make a public apology to him and the Governor for Jiwaka Simon Kaiwi.

He recommended to the parliament that Post Courier must be barred from attending parliament or the reporter in question must be reprimanded.