PNGEC undergoes first audit in a decade

By GEORGINA MICHAEL THE Papua New Guinea Electoral Commission (PNGEC) is undergoing its first audit in more than a decade as it moves to address serious financial management concerns ahead of the 2027 National General Election. Electoral Commissioner Dr Nicole Haley said the Commission had not been audited since 2014, with audit preparations now underway uncovering significant concerns about financial governance, including practices that could potentially constitute criminal conduct. Dr Haley, who assumed office in August 2026, said an independent firm had been engaged to begin the audit, while the Auditor-General’s Office had requested access to financial records covering the period from 2020 to 2025. “For the past decade, there hasn’t been a single audit of election funds. We have now brought in a firm that has started that work, and the Auditor records from 2020 through to 2025,” she said. Commissioner Haley said a private firm has been engaged to prepare the records, with one financial year to be completed each month starting in October with 2020, followed by 2021. She added,by the time writs are issued for the 2027 election, the Commissionis expected to be up to date. “That audit preparation work has uncovered a huge number of issues, both in terms of financial governance, and equally practices that most people would consider to be criminal. Those investigations are ongoing at the moment,” said commissioner Haley. The Commissioner concluded that the current state of preparedness has necessitated a crisis management approach, with the Inter Departmental Electoral Committee (IDEC) endorsing a dedicated delivery-oriented crisis management team to streamline coordination and drive accelerated decision-making.