Directory of Parliaments and Legislatures:

Constitution: 1975. The constitution was amended on 2 October 1998, as a first step towards the autonomy of the island of Bougainville.

After a separatist struggle dating from the late 1980s, the island's autonomous status and a Bougainville Interim Provincial Government were established under the Loloate Understanding of 23 March 2000. Agreement was reached on 26 January 2001, that a referendum offering the option of independence should be held in 2009. A formal peace accord between the Papua New Guinea government and separatist forces was signed on 30 August 2001.

Bougainville voted in its government, electing a former leader of the Bougainville Revolutionary Army as its first President. Mr Joseph Kabui, Leader of the Bougainville People’s Congress, was elected as President in two weeks of polling. He defeated Mr John Momis, Leader of the New Bougainville Party, in a province-wide vote. Mr Kabui received 39,928 votes compared to 23,861 for Mr Momis. Three other candidates also ran. A total of 69,343 of the 122,282 eligible voters cast ballots. Voting ran from 20 May to 2 June because the island is mountainous with some voters reportedly travelling for days by canoe to vote. Commonwealth and other election observers reported the election had been conducted fairly.

Voting was also held for a House of Representatives of 33 constituency Members plus three women’s representatives and three representatives from former combatants. Although candidates ran as party representatives, it was reported that local and regional sympathies might be more influential than party discipline. The new democratic government was part of a peace agreement brokered from 1999 to 2001 principally by then New Zealand Foreign Minister Rt Hon. Don McKinnon, now Commonwealth Secretary-General. The agreement ended a violent separatist struggle that began in 1989 over revenue from, and environmental damage caused by, the island’s big copper mine. The Bougainville Revolutionary Army and the Papua New Guinea military waged a brutal secessionist war estimated to have cost up to 15,000 lives. Mr Kabui led the secessionists but now supports the peace agreement. Mr Momis is a former Governor of the island who acted as an intermediary between the Papua New Guinea government and the secessionists. The agreement provided for internal self-government leading to an independence referendum in 10 to 15 years. Legislature: The House of Representatives has 33 directly elected Members, three reserved seats for women and three for former combatants, and allows the four MPs from the National Parliament to participate in debate but not vote. The Speaker is appointed by the House from outside its membership and the President is a full member of the House – the Vice-President is appointed from amongst the elected MPs.

Report of the Commonwealth-Pacific Islands Forum Expert Team , May to June 2005.