Papua New Guinea's opposition has accused the Treasurer, Charles Abel, of deceit in his 2019 national budget.
PNG Treasurer, Charles Abel Photo: RNZ Pacific / Koroi Hawkins
The budget, delivered last week, was finally debated in parliament yesterday.
Before the debate began, unrest exploded at parliament when members of police and other security forces damaged property and allegedly assaulted staff in frustration at unpaid allowances.
Later in the chamber, the government came under more pressure over its handling of an economy under serious strain.
The shadow treasurer Ian Ling-Stuckey says Mr Abel's recent promises of fiscal discipline were trashed in his latest budget.
"In the 2019 national budget, the Treasurer has gone from fiscal discipline to fiscal recklessness, with an explosion in expenditure - over a billion kina more than he indicated just two months ago. What a two-faced outcome," Mr Ling-Stuckey said.