The Papua New Guinea Centre for Judicial Excellence (PNGCJE), in collaboration with the Commonwealth Lawyers Association and the Papua New Guinea Law Society, successfully hosted the PNG Continuing Legal Education (CLE) Seminar on 5 September 2025 in Port Moresby.

The event received significant support from the Bar Association of Queensland, the PNG-Australia Partnership, the Mineral Resources Authority, and the PNG Women Lawyers Association.

The seminar brought together a distinguished group of participants, including Her Excellency Winnie Kiap, Chair of the Commonwealth Foundation; Chief Justice Sir Gibbs Salika GCL KBE CSM OBE; Deputy Chief Justice Ambeng Kandakasi; members of the judiciary from Papua New Guinea and Australia; senior representatives of the PNG Law Society; legal practitioners; students from the Legal Training Institute (LTI); and barristers from the Queensland Bar.

The agenda featured a broad range of timely and critical topics, including:

• The new Mining Bill;
• Natural resources law and biodiversity protection;
• Courtroom advice for young lawyers;
• The role of artificial intelligence (AI) in the judiciary and legal practice;
• The Commonwealth Latimer House Principles and the separation of powers;
• The establishment of an independent referral bar in PNG;
• Readiness for an independent Bar Association;
• Updates from PacLII;
• Developments in Law Society member benefits and its new website; and
• The introduction of compulsory CLE in PNG.

A notable highlight of the event was the presentation by Mr. Hubert Namani, President of the PNG Law Society, titled “CLE in PNG – Has the Time Come?” Mr. Namani, together with Mr. Tauvasa Tanuvasa, Acting Secretary Papua New Guinea Law Society formally announced the phased implementation of compulsory Continuing Legal Education for all legal practitioners in Papua New Guinea.

Under this new initiative, lawyers will enter a transitional period from now through to the end of 2026. From 2027 onwards, all practising lawyers in PNG will be required to complete a minimum of 10 hours of CLE annually to maintain their practising certificates.

This announcement was made during a special session chaired by Chief Justice Sir Gibbs Salika and co-chaired by Mr. Andre Crowe CBE KC of the Queensland Bar. The session was also broadcast live online, further extending the reach of the seminar.