13 Jun 2012

Constitutional reform in Nauru fails by single vote

5:16 pm on 13 June 2012

The Nauru Government has failed by one vote to get constitutional reform measures through.

It is now contemplating redrafting the legislation as a series of separate bills.

The changes include an additional MP to take numbers to 19 to avoid deadlocks; the Speaker selected from outside Parliament; a code of ethics for MPs; an Ombudsman and a stronger Audit Department.

President Sprent Dabwido, who this week dumped his Cabinet to try and ease the measure through its third and final reading, says the opposition could not tell him why they opposed the measures.

"They are self interest driven people, this other side, if you ask me. I am being honest with you. They know this bill is good for the people of Nauru, they know it is good for these islands but what do they do - they look at the mirror and look at themselves and put themselves forward, first, before the people of Nauru."