Amanda Masono eyes Atolls seat in Bougainville's election
Photo:
Facebook / Amanda Masono
The Bougainville elections, which happen once every five years, are underway.
The [https://www.rnz.co.nz/international/pacific-news/566255/bougainville-election-process-begins-as-writs-issued writs were issued last week, candidate nominations have now finished, and campaigning will be getting underway for voting over the first week of September.
It will be an interesting poll for Amanda Masono, who came into parliament in 2020, winning one of the three seats reserved for women, North Bougainville.
But this time around she is contesting the Atolls seat, campaigning alongside men, in a seat that her late father once held.
RNZ spoke to Masono and began by asking how the previous five years had gone for her.
(This transcript has been edited for brevity and clarity.)
AMANDA MASONO:
I think, yes, there's been some challenges, but more of them, which is, getting to know the people and trying to deliver to their expectations. Overall, generally try to support my government in ensuring that we prepare for independence for Bougainville.
So yes, I've decided to recontest this election to get in for a 2025 to 2030 government.
DON WISEMAN: When you say you've got your sights set on independence for Bougainville, what do you think you have achieved in the past five years, down that road?
AM:
Personally, I've been involved with negotiations between the national government and ABG (Autonomous Bougainville Government) in terms of the consultations after the referendum has been conducted. And now with the moderation talks with the PNG government, I've been personally involved with that team.
For me, it's being in the process and getting to contribute to ensuring that Bougainville gets its independence. On the ground, internally, as member for North Bougainville, we've worked really hard in terms of implementing the independent strategy motion that was passed by our House when we came into parliament. We, as North Bougainville women, I went on to support our community governments and North Bougainville women to develop a strategic plan, which we recently launched.
It's called North Bougainville Women and North Bougainville Community Government Strategic Plan 2025 to 2030, where it is a blueprint that guides all community governments to make sure that they are assisted in mobilising resources to continue developing their community governments as we prepare for independence.
DW: Let's say we're talking in five years. Where do you think Bougainville will be by 2030. where would you like Bougainville to be by 2030?
AM:
I believe I'd like to see Bougainville independent by then and exercising some of the sovereign powers and functions that are still with PNG, particularly in terms of the fisheries, because under the Bougainville Peace Agreement there is this arrangement for the benefits from the fisheries to be shared. But Bougainville has not really received what is supposed to be given to it.
Read more:
I'll say that this election is very critical to ensuring we have a government that is elected to make sure it realises the independence for Bougainville because how we're going, the leaders on the ground have already made a bold statement that by 1 September 2027, we should be independent.
So everyone is working towards that, and I believe by 2030 we should already be exercising some of those powers and functions to enable us to really contribute meaningfully and head to independence.
DW: Yes, but to a large extent, it's not Bougainville's decision, is it? These plans could be stymied by Port Moresby.
AM:
Yes, yes, that's That's right, but Bougainville gan really is also working on its independent constitution. It's already established the Bougainville Constituent Assembly to, you know, debate its constitution, and from what we've passed last house, our preparation should not be - what should I say?
When we established the Bougainville Constituent Assembly, there was this work done to ensure that, like while we are working, we also organised that, you know, ratification will come from PNG government.
But with that unnecessary delay from the other side, our leaders are pretty determined on ensuring that we prepare ourselves internally, and whether the results are ratified or not, it is not PNG's decision to make, as long as we are prepared for that internally.
For me, that's what I'd like to say about the ratification process.
DW: You have been holding one of the three seats reserved for women, but you're not going to be doing that in this coming election. You're throwing your hat in one of the open seats. It's a fairly fraught thing, isn't it? So how do you think you'll go?
AM:
For Bougainville, in the current House, there's two women who came from the single constituencies.
For us, I came into the reserve seat, so this time, I intend to contest the Atolls seat.
I know it will be a bit challenging for me because it's not as straightforward as a woman's reserve seat I will have.
I am going up against - most of them are male candidates - but I believe that at such a time as this, I am more than capable to be that voice, that adults' conscience, it needs right now.
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Amanda Masono Photo: Facebook / Amanda Masono The Bougainville elections, which happen once every five years, are underway. The [ writs were issued last week, candidate nominations have now finished, and campaigning will be getting underway for voting over the first week of September. It will be an interesting poll for Amanda Masono, who came into parliament in 2020, winning one of the three seats reserved for women, North Bougainville. But this time around she is contesting the Atolls seat, campaigning alongside men, in a seat that her late father once held. RNZ spoke to Masono and began by asking how the previous five years had gone for her. (This transcript has been edited for brevity and clarity.) AMANDA MASONO: I think, yes, there's been some challenges, but more of them, which is, getting to know the people and trying to deliver to their expectations. Overall, generally try to support my government in ensuring that we prepare for independence for Bougainville. So yes, I've decided to recontest this election to get in for a 2025 to 2030 government. DON WISEMAN: When you say you've got your sights set on independence for Bougainville, what do you think you have achieved in the past five years, down that road? AM: Personally, I've been involved with negotiations between the national government and ABG (Autonomous Bougainville Government) in terms of the consultations after the referendum has been conducted. And now with the moderation talks with the PNG government, I've been personally involved with that team. For me, it's being in the process and getting to contribute to ensuring that Bougainville gets its independence. On the ground, internally, as member for North Bougainville, we've worked really hard in terms of implementing the independent strategy motion that was passed by our House when we came into parliament. We, as North Bougainville women, I went on to support our community governments and North Bougainville women to develop a strategic plan, which we recently launched. It's called North Bougainville Women and North Bougainville Community Government Strategic Plan 2025 to 2030, where it is a blueprint that guides all community governments to make sure that they are assisted in mobilising resources to continue developing their community governments as we prepare for independence. DW: Let's say we're talking in five years. Where do you think Bougainville will be by 2030. where would you like Bougainville to be by 2030? AM: I believe I'd like to see Bougainville independent by then and exercising some of the sovereign powers and functions that are still with PNG, particularly in terms of the fisheries, because under the Bougainville Peace Agreement there is this arrangement for the benefits from the fisheries to be shared. But Bougainville has not really received what is supposed to be given to it. Read more: I'll say that this election is very critical to ensuring we have a government that is elected to make sure it realises the independence for Bougainville because how we're going, the leaders on the ground have already made a bold statement that by 1 September 2027, we should be independent. So everyone is working towards that, and I believe by 2030 we should already be exercising some of those powers and functions to enable us to really contribute meaningfully and head to independence. DW: Yes, but to a large extent, it's not Bougainville's decision, is it? These plans could be stymied by Port Moresby. AM: Yes, yes, that's That's right, but Bougainville gan really is also working on its independent constitution. It's already established the Bougainville Constituent Assembly to, you know, debate its constitution, and from what we've passed last house, our preparation should not be - what should I say? When we established the Bougainville Constituent Assembly, there was this work done to ensure that, like while we are working, we also organised that, you know, ratification will come from PNG government. But with that unnecessary delay from the other side, our leaders are pretty determined on ensuring that we prepare ourselves internally, and whether the results are ratified or not, it is not PNG's decision to make, as long as we are prepared for that internally. For me, that's what I'd like to say about the ratification process. DW: You have been holding one of the three seats reserved for women, but you're not going to be doing that in this coming election. You're throwing your hat in one of the open seats. It's a fairly fraught thing, isn't it? So how do you think you'll go? AM: For Bougainville, in the current House, there's two women who came from the single constituencies. For us, I came into the reserve seat, so this time, I intend to contest the Atolls seat. I know it will be a bit challenging for me because it's not as straightforward as a woman's reserve seat I will have. I am going up against - most of them are male candidates - but I believe that at such a time as this, I am more than capable to be that voice, that adults' conscience, it needs right now.
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