Matters big and small in PNG's poll
Pacific correspondent Campbell Cooney just spent the past couple of weeks in Papua New Guinea assisting the ABC's correspondent there, Steve Marshall, cover the voting in the PNG national elections.

Hello I'm Campbell Cooney, Radio Australia's Pacific correspondent.

I've just spent the past couple of weeks in Papua New Guinea assisting the ABC's correspondent there, Steve Marshall, cover the voting in the PNG national elections.

Compared to the last elections in 2002 voting this time was a relatively peaceful process, due in part to a massive security presences in the Highland Provinces, and to a change to "limited preferential voting" which asked people to choose three candidates in order of preference, and with that taking away some of the desperation driven by candidates having to be first past the post.

But you can't avoid the fact, elections in PNG are a drawn-out process.

Campaigning began in May, and the polls opened on June 30, with voting staggered across the provinces, with the original plan being that it finish on July 11.

Delays due to bad weather, and the failure of the organised transport logistics across the country mean't polling continued until the end of this week.

Counting's begun, but it's expected to be at least two weeks, maybe more, until it's known for sure which of the over 2,700 candidates will fill the 109 seats available in parliament.

Depending on which of those hopefuls get elected, it may then take a fortnight or more of horse trading and deal making before we know who has the numbers to take the leadership.

Current prime minister Sir Michael Somare's made no secret of the fact he wants to keep the job.

He's the first first PM since independance to hold the office for a full five year term, and he wants to do the same again.

One of those hoping to challenge Sir Michael is the man he took the leadership from in 2002, Sir Mekere Morauta.

Both men are senior statesmen in PNG politics.

But like all politicians around the world, they'll use whatever ammunition they have to win.

And already we've seen Sir Mekere try to use the Julian Moti Affair against the prime minister.

Now Mr Moti has just been sworn in as the attorney-general of Solomon Islands.

But in October last year, he was under arrest by Australian police in Port Moresby, on child sex charges.

He escaped custody by flying to Solomon Islands illegally onboard a PNG defence force aircraft.

Earlier this year a defence force board of inquiry looked into how this flight came about.

It's handed its report to the prime minister, but Sir Michael has refused to release it publicly, saying it contains lies about him, and he's begun legal action in PNG's Supreme Court to have the board of inquiry declared invalid.

If successful, its report will be null and void.

During polling Sir Mekere tried to make public some of the recommendations of the report, only to find an injunction has been put in place by the court barring publication of all, or part of it, in Papua New Guinea.

Traditionally voters in PNG decide who they want to elect based on local issues, what their hopeful candidate promises them, what their elected member has delivered, and in many cases, which candidate has paid them the highest price for their vote.

Vote buying is a reality, and when I asked one group of voters for their opinion on a candidate, they said while they didn't think very highly of him, they thought very highly of his money.

But while things like the Moti affair, and the report into it are unlikely to affect the grass roots vote, it may come into play once the candidates have been decided, and the negotiations begin behind closed doors.

And if the government does change, and at this stage, it's still an "if", that report may see the light of day.

Political foes everywhere aren't known for doing favours for each other, especially if it's something which make the other side look good.

At the moment the Moti report's not going to be a news story in PNG.

But that may yet change.

But one thing Sir Michael will continue to play up is the state of his country's economy.

High mineral prices, driven by demand from China means PNG's economy is healthy.

It's something Prime Minister Somare has been pushing as a positive under his rule.

But the man who many credit with that economic turnaround, former treasurer Bart Philemon, is now on the other side of PNG politics after he fell out with the prime minister.

And Mr Philemon has indicated he's looking at aligning his New Generation Party with Sir Mekere Morauta's Papua New Guinea Party to get the numbers to form government.

And economic performance may be something which has helped voters decide.

The ones I spoke to are aware their country's doing okay.

But many there live in poverty.

In some areas services like health and police are limited, even non existent, and violent crime is rampant.

The question they raised, was, if things are so good, why aren't the people at the bottom sharing in the benefits.

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