Job Pomat has represented the electorate of Manus Open in the National Parliament of Papua New Guinea on two separate occasions since 2007 and has been Speaker of the National Parliament since 2017.
15 Facts About Job Pomat
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Job Pomat worked as a technician for various companies before contesting the 1993 provincial election.
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Job Pomat served as Speaker and Deputy Governor of the Manus provincial government for two terms.
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Job Pomat was first elected to the National Parliament at the 2007 general election in the seat of Manus Open, representing People's National Congress.
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Job Pomat was appointed Inter-Government Relations Minister in Prime Minister Michael Somare's Cabinet.
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Job Pomat then served as Fisheries Minister in Peter O'Neill's Cabinet.
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Job Pomat lost his seat at the 2012 general election after one term to then-New Generation Party member Ronny Knight.
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Job Pomat regained the seat at the 2017 general election and was elected as Speaker of the tenth National Parliament.
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Job Pomat denied any wrongdoing and that he would have indirectly benefited from the agreement.
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In May 2019, Job Pomat was criticised for refusing to allow the opposition to introduce a censure motion against Prime Minister Peter O'Neill, and then refusing to authorise a vote on his own removal as speaker.
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Job Pomat resigned from the People's National Congress on 22 June 2020 and became an independent to protect his neutrality as speaker and in response to allegations of fraud.
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In 2021, opposition leader Belden Namah filed an application to the Supreme Court against Job Pomat which alleged that he had breached the Constitution in his role as Speaker.
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The accusations relate to Job Pomat's forced adjournment of Parliament in December 2020 and passing of the 2021 national budget without debate.
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Job Pomat won his seat at the 2022 general election as a candidate for the Pangu Party and was re-elected as Speaker of the eleventh National Parliament.
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In November 2019, Job Pomat was awarded the Most Distinguished Order of St Michael and St George by the Governor-General Bob Dadae.