The Papua New Guinea government hopes today to get the backing to re-establish a state of emergency in Southern Highlands province.
The state of emergency lapsed last Thursday after the government had failed on several occasions to get a parliamentary majority to extend an arrangement first put in place in August last year when the provincial government was suspended on grounds of mal-administration.
Cabinet issued an extension by order in council last Friday but the provincial governor, Hami Yawari, successfully challenged this in the National Court in Port Moresby yesterday, placing him back in control.
Our correspondent says the government may still struggle to get the numbers because there is a growing sense that the state of emergency hadn't so far achieved its intended purpose.
