The Papua New Guinea parliament has passed transitional arrangements for the new Hela and Jiwaka provinces.
The assembly approved the Hela Transitional Authority Bill by 60-2 votes and the Jiwaka Transitional Authority Bill by 60-0 votes.
This came despite opposition from a minister, Philemon Embel, and backbencher from Southern Highlands.
The MP, James Lagea, claimed that Lake Kutubu should be in Southern Highlands and not Hela province.
Three months ago, parliament voted in favour of creating the two provinces by carving them out of the existing Southern Highlands Province and Western Highlands Province.