Nauru opposition wants Justice Minister to go
Nauru opposition MP, Roland Kun, says the Justice Minister should step down following controversial judicial reshuffle.
Transcript
A Nauru opposition MP is calling for the resignation of the country's Justice Minister, David Adeang, who he says has no respect for the rule of law.
Roland Kun says Mr Adeang has ridden roughshod over legal conventions and even the constitution.
Mr Kun's comments follow last week's resignation of Nauru's chief justice Geoffrey Eames, after the Nauru Government barred him from returning to the country.
Nauru also deported the resident magistrate and other expatriates, making allegations of cronyism.
He told Amelia Langford the Nauru Government has become a law unto its own and the blame lies with Mr Adeang.
ROLAND KUN: The Minister for Justice is the main party behind everything that has happened to date in terms of the Justice department. He hasn't been able to provide any proper reason for his actions but what is very clear is that it is all political and his removing individuals who may provide decisions in Justice that disagree with him.
AMELIA LANGFORD: So the Nauru Government has welcomed the resignation of Mr Eames and announced a series of reforms. What do you make of that?
RK: What they have said in regards to the resignation of Eames is insulting to Eames. The ongoing suggestion that Eames is guilty of cronyism is ridiculous. They have never tried to substantiate that claim, this is the Government of Nauru, and it is just ridiculous because there is no such thing. What this is all about is Government interfering with the judiciary of the island and removing the independence of the judiciary, so, it is just ridiculous.
AL: What about Australia and New Zealand - you want them to do more?
RK: Well, Australia and New Zealand really need to step up and stop pussyfooting around in regards to their standing on this matter. Rule of law is well, for Australia, they need to understand the standing of rule of law on the island especially given we are hosting the regional processing centre and lack of rule of law impacts on representation of the rights of all individuals on the island including those who are attached to the regional processing centre. New Zealand provides significant funding to the development of the judiciary of the island and New Zealand needs to understand whether that investment is actually doing what it is supposed to be doing and I believe it is not - given the Government's current standing with rule of law on the island and how they are operating.
AL: Okay. So would you be calling for David Adeang to resign here?
RK: David Adeang is way overdue for his resignation, he has absolutely no respect for the law of the island and he needs to be taken to task by everyone and that includes the Australian Government and the New Zealand Government [also] needs to take him to task.
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