Photo: RNZ / Samuel Rillstone
A motion of no confidence against Papua New Guinea Prime Minister James Marape has been moved to next week.
The Supreme Court had ordered the national parliament to resume sitting on Tuesday to hear the motion after it ruled the parliament's Private Business Committee acted undemocratically in denying it.
The committee had denied the motion due to a standing order which disallows motions deemed identical in substance to those resolved within the previous 12 months.
Speaker Job Pomat told parliament on Tuesday he accepted full responsibility for the mistake, but also hit out at critics calling for his resignation.
He said Papua New Guineans must have short memories, claiming there had been worse mistakes in the House.
Last month, the Papua New Guinea government amended the country's constitution to make it more difficult to bring votes of no confidence in the government.
With other grace periods - times when such votes cannot be brought - it means a PNG government could face just a 12-month window for no confidence votes in a five-year term.
Critics say it undermines the nation's democracy, that the votes are a pressure valve that releases tension in the country.
The opposition has announced plans to challenge the change.
The no confidence vote in Marape has been adjourned till next Tuesday, 15 April.
With the majority of the MPs backing Marape, he has been able to pass several major constitutional amendments last month, including Papua New Guinea a Christian nation.
The Post-Courier reported that 82 MPs aligned with the government showed up at a caucus meeting on Monday, showing firm support for Marape.
