Who runs local government in Papua New Guinea?
Papua New Guinea has three levels of government, set out in the Constitution and the Organic Law on Provincial Governments and Local-level Governments 1995. Around 374 local-level governments (LLGs) made up of almost 7,000 elected ward councillors sit below 22 provincial-level governments. In daily life, clans and big men or chiefs remain central, because most land is held under custom. Bougainville has its own autonomous government.
Independent State of Papua New Guinea · Unitary parliamentary constitutional monarchy with provincial governments · Oceania
The levels of government below the nation
| Level | How it is chosen | What it does |
|---|---|---|
| Provincial level (22: 20 provinces, the National Capital District and the Autonomous Region of Bougainville) | Provincial assembly made up of the province's national MPs, LLG heads and appointed members (including a woman and chiefs' representatives where relevant); the provincial MP is governor | Provincial services and planning. Bougainville has its own constitution, president and House of Representatives. |
| Districts (one for each open electorate) | District Development Authority chaired by the local MP | Controls much development funding at district level. |
| Local-level governments (about 374, urban and rural) | Ward councillors elected; LLG president elected directly by voters in some provinces and by ward members in others | Local services, by-laws, local taxes and fees. |
| Wards (6,916 in the 2025 elections) | One elected councillor per ward, who chairs a ward development committee | Village planning and the link between communities and the LLG. |
Three questions about local power in Papua New Guinea
Are local leaders elected?
MPs, ward councillors and some LLG presidents are elected; other LLG presidents are chosen by ward members. Provincial governors are the elected provincial MPs. Clan leaders gain status by custom.
Which laws set up local government?
Provinces and LLGs are in the Constitution and Organic Law. Village courts are formal but apply custom. Big men and clan leadership are informal, though clans are recognised as landowners.
Who are local leaders accountable to?
Voters choose councillors every five years. The minister for provincial and local government can dismiss members for misconduct, and provincial governments can be suspended. Village court decisions can be reviewed by district courts.
Traditional and customary authority
PNG has hundreds of language groups organised in clans and sub-clans. Leadership varies: many Highlands societies follow 'big man' leaders who gain status by organising exchange and helping others, while some coastal and island societies have hereditary chiefs. Most land is customary land held by clans, so clan leaders control land use and deals with companies. Village courts under the Village Courts Act apply custom to settle local disputes, and land mediators help resolve land conflicts. In Port Moresby, the Motu Koita Assembly represents the area's original landowners.
Community and neighbourhood power
Ward development committees (the ward councillor and up to five community members, two of them women) plan local projects. Churches provide much of the country's schooling and health care and are major community institutions.
Points to know
- In 2025 the LLG elections involved 6,916 separate ward contests and over 30,000 candidates.
- The 2025 LLG elections were delayed several times and held from late September 2025, finishing in some provinces only in November.
- About 90% of people lived in rural areas at the 2011 census, where the ward and clan are the most important level of authority.
- Bougainville voted 97.7% for independence in a 2019 non-binding referendum.
Local terms
- LLG
- Local-level government, the lowest elected government tier.
- Big man
- A leader who gains influence through generosity and organising, rather than birth.
- Village court
- A local court that settles disputes using custom.
Sources
- Constitution of Papua New Guinea 1975 (rev. 2016) (English text), Constitute Project, checked 14 October 2026
- The Local Government System in Papua New Guinea: Country Profile 2019, Commonwealth Local Government Forum (CLGF), checked 14 October 2026
- Shining a light on local level government in PNG: part 2 (Maholopa Laveil, 7 August 2025), Development Policy Centre, Australian National University (Devpolicy Blog), checked 14 October 2026
- Inter-Departmental Election Committee chair affirms decision to postpone polling for the 2025 Local-level Government elections, Department of Prime Minister and National Executive Council, PNG, checked 14 October 2026
See also: Papua New Guinea's official statistics and leaders · the 10 levels of power.