11 Mar 2004

PNG may set up joint jurisdiction with Australia over immunity issue

5:01 pm on 11 March 2004

Papua New Guinea says it may set up a joint jurisdiction with Australia to allow the deployment of Australian police and officials to PNG to go ahead.

PNG's foreign minister, Sir Rabbie Namaliu, remains confident that he can reach a solution with Australia's counterpart, Alexander Downer, who wants immunity for Australian personnel.

Sir Rabbie says granting immunity rests with two constitutional offices that are independent from government - the police commissioner and public prosecutor.

He says while the police commissioner is willing to delegate his powers to the Australians.

"The biggest problem is to do with the public prosecutor. He is prepared to consider joint jurisdictions but what they have to do is to sit down, at the official level, and go through step by step. If a person commits an offence who would ask for an investigation? Who lays the charges? Who prosecutes and who imposes the penalties? So, those are the sort of questions that need to be sorted out. at the official level."

Sir Rabbie says he will discuss the proposal when he goes to Sydney for talks with Mr Downer next week.