PNG: Sir Michael Somare has the numbers
Updated
In Papua New Guinea Sir Michael Somare has declared he has the numbers to form the next government. Our correspondent in Port Moresby Steve Marshall says the numbers are starting to fall in favour of the prime minister.
Presenter: Geraldine Coutts
Speakers: Steve Marshall, PNG correspondent; Sir Michael Somare
MARSHALL: It certainly looks like he's well on his way Geraldine, the National Alliance has won 18 seats, there's still just over 40 to be decided. So the Governor General won't be calling a party to form a new government just yet, but certainly National Alliance is well on its way. And Sir Michael's win in East Sepik, he hasn't lost that seat since 1968 can you believe it? It's the ninth time he's defended the seat, although this one was the closest decision and the toughest battle that he's had to face so far. And this is what Prime Minister Sir Michael Somare had to say to me when I interviewed him a short time ago?
MARSHALL: First of all Sir Michael thank you for joining ABC Radio Australia, you've just emerged from a very tough battle, nine-thousand votes was the winning margin in East Sepik. Would you say that this is your toughest challenge so far in that seat?
SOMARE: Yes this is a very, this is my last; this is my last time that I have been challenged. All the other times it was much easier for me to sail through maybe first past post system. I mean the help, help me, and of course the optional preference in 1968 to 1977. But this is the toughest because of the elimination process it takes a while and this country you have to count every paper that is pushed in front of you. So it takes us a while find out who's the clear winner. And with the second preferences and third preferences that's what has happened. Yes it took, I've been sitting here almost a week wanting to know whether I've been declared or I've been defeated, but the result will come out and I'll come out very well.
MARSHALL: Indeed Sir Michael, well the first victory is under your belt, the next victory you'll be looking for would be to emerge as Prime Minister once all the tooing and froing has happened between the smaller parties and the independent candidates?
SOMARE: Well opportunities are there, so far we've got the 18 seats declared and in terms of the ??? Parties Act in our laws in Papua New Guinea says that the majority party, the leader of the majority party is invited by head of state. So far most of the leaders, Bart Philemon, Mekere Morauta, Julius Chan have polled two or three members each, and nothing much you can do because the independents will have to stay as independent until the parliament meets and they come up with a declaration who they want to join. So I have the upper hand and then those four.
MARSHALL: Indeed Sir Michael and with 18 seats now to its credit in a much stronger position than in 2002 wouldn't you say?
SOMARE: Well in 2002 we were in the wilderness and they was in wilderness. We didn't realise that we would be in a government, but we romped home and we beat them Mekere Morauta with 47 members in parliament, and I had sufficient support of 88 to vote for me as the prime minister. So that's a … defeat, and I'm sure that we can perform the same miracle again.
COUTTS: That was Sir Michael Somare speaking with Steve Marshall, and Steve is there anything that could derail Sir Michael's plans to form the next government?
MARSHALL: Well it's hard to gauge in PNG politics, there have been certainties in the past and they've been anything but that what you'd expect to come out in the wash. And Sir Michael Somare whether he emerges as prime minister of Papua New Guinea, he's odds on at the moment but you'd never know what goes on behind these closed doors with the horse trading exercise that goes on there. There might well be another National Alliance candidate in there such as deputy Prime Minister Don Polye who might have the numbers within that coalition to vote him as prime minister. But you'd have to say it's hard to see Sir Michael's chances being derailed at this stage.
COUTTS: Well Steve just before we let you go today counting is still going on. Are there any other notable declarations in the last 24 hours?
MARSHALL: Sir Michael Somare's main opposition is the team of Bart Philemon, the former government treasurer and Sir Mekere Morauta. Now they haven't ruled out anything. Earlier this week the pair unveiled their early line-up of support and that consisted of about 25 seats in parliament, still well short of what's required to go in and form a new government. However they did say that all those seats that National Alliance have won so far have been out in the rural areas, and that was expected. They said they'd discussed the more populated areas where Sir Mekere and Bart Philemon's team, which numbers about 13 smaller parties at the moment, might well pick up a few seats. So look don't discount anything in PNG politics just yet.
