Papua New Guinea: Historic Women's Bill Latest Casualty of PNG Crisis

PNG's current political crisis, with the two rival camps each maintaining they are the government, saw Mr O'Neill fail to have the the necessary two thirds majority of 109 MPs required for constitutional changes.

Dame Carol Kidu, the country's only female MP who has fought courageously for this bill, cut a lonely figure as she sat in opposition benches, the only MP from the Somare camp who turned up today.

The vote was rescinded and rescheduled for debate next year.