PM Manele announces special adjournment of Parliament

By Alfred Pagepitu

Prime Minister Hon. Jeremiah Manele announced a special adjournment of Parliament yesterday, postponing meetings until Monday, 13 October 2025.

The adjournment will give the Bills and Legislation Committee more time to focus on the Public Services Bill and the Mineral Resources Bill, two crucial pieces of legislation currently being discussed in Parliament.

In his speech to Parliament, PM Manele explained the reason for the adjournment:

“As Members know, both of these Bills have been submitted to Parliament. This special adjournment ensures that the Bills and Legislation Committee has enough time to consider the timing, scope, and arrangements for the inquiries.”

He highlighted that the Public Services Bill aims to reform the governance, accountability, and operational framework of the public service.

“It will modernize how our public service is structured, managed, and held accountable, impacting how the Government provides services to our people.”

Similarly, PM Manele highlighted the significance of the Mineral Resources Bill:

“It will establish a modern legal framework to regulate exploration, extraction, and benefit-sharing from our mineral resources, ensuring our nation benefits fully and fairly from this sector while protecting our environment and communities.”

The Prime Minister stressed the need for careful, transparent, and inclusive scrutiny of both Bills, allowing input from government ministries, industry representatives, civil society, and the public.

“By adjourning now, Parliament will give the Committee the necessary space and time to conduct its crucial preparatory work.”

” This will ensure that Members are well-informed when the Bills are presented, leading to a thorough and thoughtful debate. This is the main reason for this special adjournment.”

Meanwhile, Manele also mentioned that aside from committee work, the upcoming weeks will be busy with preparations for the 2026 Budget, overseen by the Ministers of Finance, Public Service, and Planning.

“There are also important trips for Ministers, such as the Regional Infrastructure Conference in Brisbane next week, which the Minister of MID and others will attend on our behalf.”

He thanked the Chairman and Members of the Bills and Legislation Committee, Hon. John Maneniaru, for their continuous efforts and highlighted the successful passing of the National Building Standard Bill 2025 as an example of collaborative law making.

“The level of engagement and collaboration between the Bills and Legislation Committee and the sponsoring Ministry of the Government is commendable. This approach to lawmaking is healthy, and we hope to see it continue.”

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