A Liberal Interventionist Judiciary for Papua New Guinea

This chapter argues there are twelve textual indicators, as interpreted by the courts, that demonstrates the liberal and interventionist character of the Papua New Guinea judiciary is firmly entrenched within the country’s Constitution. It contends that these textual indicators provide the constitutional mandate for the judges to have a role beyond legal to social and political realms. The ensuing expectation is for judges to depart from legalistic approaches and attempts to undermine or doubt the judicial powers, and instead, embrace their new job description as active agents of social and political reform in Papua New Guinea.