Our closest neighbour on the brink of being a 'failed state' after deeply flawed national elections

National leadership is singularly lacking. People just don't respect authority- at any level.

If the newly elected parliament convenes in six weeks or so with deep suspicion over the integrity of local elections, let alone the whole nationwide electoral process, then it will take more than luck for parliamentary democracy to survive.

The irony is - and I will elaborate on this is in a future article - is that maybe the real "winner" will be the People's Republic of China!

China has an obvious interest in political instability and a lack of confidence in leaders among the people of PNG.

As the debacle continues, and arguably worsens, China must be thinking about just how it can capitalise on the instability in the post-election period.

It's intrusion into the public and private sectors of the economy alike is already massive.

Unless PNG's leaders wake up and provide real national authority and direction, and public confidence, the very future stability of a young democracy will be in peril.