Peter O’Neill is out

By Samantha Magick

Papua New Guinea Prime Minister Peter O’Neill has stepped down.

Local media outlet EMTV reports that O’Neill held a media conference today to announce that he has handed over the leadership to former Prime Minister Sir Julius Chan.

The move follows weeks of disunity in cabinet, ministers’ defection to the opposition, a threatened no confidence motion and calls on O’Neill to prove that he does not hold Australian citizenship (a charge he has denied).

Today O’Neill said it was clear there was a need for a change.

The handover will be finalised once O’Neill delivers a letter to the Governor General, and the Speaker announces the change on the floor of Parliament.

Ends/

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