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PhD Candidate Murray Thomas is presenting his pre-submission seminar on 10 February 2025. His thesis chronicles and analyses the political and legal turmoil that engulfed Papua New Guinea (PNG) in the period 1 July 2010 to 3 August 2012, particularly after the O’Neill-Namah government replaced the Somare-Abal government. The analysis considers PNG's circumstances as "fragile" state, the influence of custom, the day-to-day practice of politics, and the laws, principally the Constitution, which apply to the conduct of politics in PNG. The project has examined the long-term effects of the period on the operation of the 'rule of law' and democracy in PNG. A dramatic retreat from the 'rule of law' was the most egregious feature of the period. Notably, the allure of legitimacy eventually induced the O'Neill-Namah de-facto government to hold the 2012 general election on time. The subsequent return to "business as usual" does not preclude a recurrence of similar political adventurism given that the period revealed that political "big men" are allowed considerable freedom of action by the electorate and are rarely held to account. The thesis contributes to the literature on PNG’s political and legal systems by focussing on a period that has received little scholarly attention.

Speaker

Murray started his PhD candidacy with DPA in January 2020. His research concerns the political and legal contest for the control of the Papua New Guinea government in the period 2010 to 2012. Prior to becoming a PhD candidate, Murray worked as a prosecutor in the Office of the ACT Director of Public Prosecutions (2003-2018). From 1975 to 1998, he was employed by the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade. He was an Australian representative to the predecessor of the World Trade Organisation, Director of the United States Section and served at the Australian Embassy in Washington with duties that included reporting on US political developments. In 2015, Murray accompanied his wife on a posting to Port Moresby with the Australian Government. During the posting, he worked as a research officer for the Political Section at the Australian High Commission.