25 Apr 2014

Samoa's speaker calls for investigation into media

4:46 am on 25 April 2014

Samoa's speaker has called for the media to be investigated by Parliament's powerful Privileges and Ethics Committee.

Lau'auli Leuatea Polata'ivao says the media illegally published a report by the Chief Auditor into the former finance minister, Faumauina Tiatia Liuga, before it was tabled in Parliament.

Faumuina resigned from cabinet last week in response to allegations of mismanagement and abuse of power.

The Samoa Observer reports La'uli saying the report into the allegations should have been tabled and debated in parliament before it was discussed in the media, but instead it was leaked to the media first.

He says the committee investigation should be carried out to ensure it doesn't happen again.