A prominent Papua New Guinea politician says he will take legal action to stop the Manus Island detention centre being reopened to house Australia's asylum seekers.
The National Capital District Governor, Powes Parkop, who is a member of the new coalition government, says a detention centre contradicts PNG's law and culture.
He says it is not part of the country's culture to lock people up without a charge.
Mr Parkop says he is a member of the government and the government must obey the law.
He says PNG cannot change its laws to suit Australia, and worries it would set a legal precedent for detaining people without charge.
The Australian Prime Minister Julia Gillard said on Tuesday that asylum seekers could begin arriving in Nauru and PNG within a month.
This comes after her government agreed to an expert panel's recommendation to reopen detention facilities in both nations.
