Opposition says Defence ‘step aside’ not enough amid PNGDF recruitment probe

Deputy Opposition Leader Keith Iduhu says the Defence Minister should resign, not step aside (Image: Iduhu)

Deputy Leader of Opposition, Keith Iduhu acknowledged Prime Minister James Marape’s decision to assume interim control of the Ministry of Defence following Dr. Billy Joseph’s announcement to "step aside."

However, the Opposition maintains that these half-measures do not address the fundamental constitutional and ethical breaches at the heart of the PNGDF recruitment scandal.

The Prime Minister’s announced that he will personally oversee the Defence portfolio while an investigation, led by the State Solicitor and supported by senior Australian Defence Force officials, is conducted into the 2026 recruitment intake.

"While we welcome the involvement of independent and international oversight, the Prime Minister’s actions validate our concerns that the Ministry’s leadership has completely collapsed under the weight of nepotism and corruption.

"The Prime Minister’s acceptance of Dr. Joseph ‘stepping aside’ is a constitutional farce.

"The PNG Constitution requires a Minister to either serve or resign; there is no provision for a temporary "stepping aside" from duties while holding the commission. If the Prime Minister truly wants a clean investigation, he must formally dismiss Dr. Joseph from his Ministerial appointment today." Iduhu said.

The Prime Minister has taken interim control of Defence as investigations get underway (Image: PNGDF)

While the Prime Minister has warned of upcoming changes at Murray Barracks, the Opposition finds it unacceptable that the PNGDF Commander remains in his post while his administration is under fire for the recruitment debacle.

"You cannot investigate a house while the person in charge of it is still holding the keys.

"The Commander must be suspended immediately to ensure that recruitment officers and whistleblowers are not intimidated during the State Solicitor's probe.

"A failure to suspend the Commander suggests the government is more interested in managing the optics than finding the truth." Iduhu said.

The Opposition remains committed to ensuring that the Papua New Guinea Defence Force remains a merit-based national institution, with a force that is recruited evenly from all regions, that is free from political interference.