John Simon named as PNG's new deputy speaker

12:42 pm on 27 January 2017

Papua New Guinea's parliament has elected the Maprik MP John Simon to be the new deputy speaker.

Members of parliament stand to the right of the speaker (R) to approve the vote of Peter O'Neill as prime minister in Port Moresby on August 3, 2012.

Photo: AFP/Ness Kerton

Mr Simon, a member of the National Alliance, was nominated by the fisheries minister and won in a contest against the People's Progress Party MP Johnson Tuke, an opposition nominee.

The newspaper, The National, reported that the nomination and election process was straightforward, and took less than 20 minutes.

Mr Simon filled a vacancy left by the death of Aide Ganasi in November.