23 Oct 2012

PNG Speaker reveals serious and prolonged fraud

6:37 pm on 23 October 2012

Papua New Guinea's Speaker says there has been massive fraud in the country's parliament.

Theo Zurenuoc has told the Post Courier newspaper that an audit into the operations of the parliament is underway and an initial report has already uncovered a number of serious issues involving fraud.

Mr Zurenuoc says a large number of senior parliamentary staff will face serious criminal charges for what he says is a gross misuse of parliamentary funds and privileges.

He says exorbitant contracts have been awarded without any scrutiny, and money for repairs has also been misspent.

The Speaker says the audit is expected to be completed soon.

He admits that in the past ten years Parliament has not delivered on people's expectations.