Prosecutors Drop Domestic Violence Charges Against PNG Minister Jimmy Maladina

Australian prosecutors have dropped an assault charge against Papua New Guinea government minister Jimmy Maladina, who was accused of assaulting a woman in Sydney.

The Petroleum Minister was scheduled to face a hearing on Thursday over the allegation that he attacked a 31-year-old woman on July 6 last year at an address near Bondi Beach. 

Minister Maladina had pleaded not guilty to the charge of assault occasioning actual bodily harm, but prosecutors withdrew the charge in a Sydney court.

Maladina’s lawyer, Margaret Cunneen, told The Associated Press the result “speaks for itself”, following the dismissal of the case. 

Last year, days after the alleged incident, Papua New Guinea Prime Minister James Marape announced that Energy Minister Thoms Opa had taken over the Petroleum portfolio after Maladina stepped down from the position.

However, three months later, the PNG Prime Minister had confirmed the “full reinstatement” of Jimmy Maladina as Minister for Petroleum. 

Prime Minister Marape said Minister Maladina’s reinstatement to his portfolio was based on legal advice he had received.

“I want to inform the nation that Hon. Jimmy Maladina has been restored to the Petroleum ministry to continue the work in the petroleum sector. This is happening in consultation with legal advice we have received,” Marape said at the time. 

“I commend Hon. Thomas Opa for standing in as caretaker during this time and for doing his absolute best in the short period. I am now looking forward to seeing the progress in P’nyang gas, and Minister Maladina completing the work on Papua LNG, all outstanding issue relating to landowner matters in Papua New Guinea LNG, and completing the present concession to production-sharing regime that we envisage for our country,” PM Marape said in a statement. 

Foreign Ministers’ Immunity in Australia

In Australia, foreign government ministers can claim immunity from criminal prosecution if they are visiting the country for official business. 

However, this immunity does not apply if they are in Australia for a private visit.

Cunneen said the visit had been private to see his children and that Maladina had no immunity against prosecution at the time, as reported by the Associated Press. 

Jimmy Maladina: Corruption and Fraud Allegations 

Maladina’s past is marked by several legal issues, including allegations of corruption and fraud in Papua New Guinea. 

In the early 2000s, he spent three years in Brisbane after completing a Master of Laws at the University of Sydney. In 2002, the Federal Court confiscated his passport during a dispute over insolvency proceedings for PNG’s compulsory superannuation scheme, the National Provident Fund, which he chaired.

When the charges were first laid last year, Governor of East Sepik Province Allan Bird highlighted that violence against women in PNG had reached “pandemic proportions”, with women and girls continuing to live in fear. 

“The PM professes to be a strong Christian – I call on him to demonstrate to the women and girls and all decent citizens of PNG that he will not condone such actions by his ministers.”

“I also call on the Ombudsman Commission to look into this matter as too many ministers are bringing their positions into disrepute. The OC must act in this instance to prevent any further deterioration of leadership standards in PNG,” Governor Bird said at the time. 

If you are experiencing or at risk of domestic violence, family violence, or sexual assault, contact:

1800 RESPECT (1800 737 732)