Regional & Local Government

There are 19 provinces in Papua New Guinea, as well as a National Capital District. Provinces include Central Port, Eastern Highlands, East New Britain, East Sepik, Enga, Gulf, Madang, Manus, Milne Bay, Morobe, New Ireland, North Solomons (Bougainville), Oro (Northern), Sandaun (West Sepik), Simbu (Chimbu), Southern Highlands, Western, Western Highlands and West New Britain. The capital city is Port Moresby and other large towns and cities include Lae, Madang, Wewak and Goroka. The provincial governments have a similar constitutional arrangement to the national government and have concurrent power with the latter in areas such as agriculture, business development, town planning, forestry and natural resources. National laws, however, take precedence over provincial laws if there is a conflict. The minister responsible for provincial government and local-level government must deliver a report on the working of the system of provincial governments and local-level governments at least once a year. Local government bodies in Papua New Guinea include local government councils and local government authorities established under the pre-Independence law known as the Local Government Act of 1963.