30 Jul 2012

Amet loses Madang seat in PNG election

1:50 pm on 30 July 2012

There's been another upset in Papua New Guinea's general election, with the former Attorney General Sir Arnold Amet losing the Madang provincial seat to Jim Kas of the PNG Party.

Mr Kas is a former one-term Governor of Madang and his win on preference votes brings the number of seats that the PNG Party has won to eight while Sir Arnold's party, the National Alliance, has won five.

Results have so far been declared in 93 of the 111 electorates.

In another regional result, United Resources Party's Joe Lera has won Bougainville Provincial.

He's the party's 6th seat.

The People's National Congress is still in front, with 20 seats.

Representatives of several other parties have assembled at the PNC's camp in Alotau where it has announced it has the numbers to govern in a coalition with PNC leader Peter O'Neill as Prime Minister.