As the Minister responsible for the National Justice Administration, the Minister for Justice is accorded both, the political and statutory responsibilities in accordance with specific legislation as determined under Section 148 of the Consitution. Generally, these powers and responsibilities span the range of institutions and instrumentalities that make up the law and justice system of Papua New Guinea.

The position of the Minister for Justice is not an ordinary ministerial position and is unlike others under our System of Government because the Minister is also the Principal Legal Adviser to the Executive Government. As Attortney General, the Minister is also responsible for all civil litigation matters by and against the State under the Attorney General’s Act in 1989.

The broad issues that will be of concern to the Minister for Justice relate to the State’s principal responsibilities for providing and facilitating a just and safe society in which all forms of social and economic development take place.

Agencies and instrumentalities for which the Minister is politically responsible are subsequently given the responsibility to protect and enforce the basic rights and freedoms under the Constitution and to give opinion on any question relating to the interpretation or application of any provision of a then laws of Papua New Guinea including the Constitution, Organic Laws, Acts of Parliament and all other sub ordinate legislation.

Institutions that come under the political responsibility of the Minister for Justice and Attorney General includes:

• The Department of Justice and Attorney General
• The Judicial and Legal Services Commission,
• The Magsiterial Services,
• The National Judicial Staff Services,
• The Land Titles Commission,
• The National Lands Commission,
• Constitutional and Law Reform Commission,
• National and Supreme Courts,
• Public Prosecutor’s Office,
• Public Solicitor’s Office,
• Legal Training Institute,
• The Parole Borad,
• The Advisory Committee on the Power of Mercy.