25 Jan 2018

New Caledonia belatedly approves 2018 budget

7:38 am on 25 January 2018

New Caledonia's Congress has approved the budget for 2018 after last year's political crisis prevented the territory from approving it on time.

It was endorsed by the main anti-independence coalition and a pro-independence grouping.

The New Caledonia congress.

The New Caledonia congress. Photo: AFP

The anti-independence Caledonian Republicans voted against it while the pro-independence Caledonian Union abstained.

The president Philippe Germain noted the constraints as the tax take had shrunk over the previous year because of the crisis in the nickel sector.

The budget was boosted by $US40 million drawn from the publicly-owned OPT telecommunications company whose staff strongly opposed the move.

It marked the first time in 27 years that the budget was not approved before the start of the fiscal year.

A new government was elected in August but it failed to choose a president until December which meant the old administration stayed on in a caretaker role.

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