The Referendum Organic Law defines only ‘Interested Parties’ as able to appoint scrutineers to observe the conduct of the referendum: the Government of Papua New Guinea, the Autonomous Bougainville Government, and Recognised Interest Groups (RIG). Unlike observers, scrutineers could ask specific questions to voters through the presiding officer during polling, and raise queries and challenges during the scrutiny and counting, and follow the transport of polling materials. The questions and the process for asking questions are set out in the Referendum Organic Law.
In additional to the two governments, the BRC accredited ten Recognised Interest Groups. Combined, they provided more than 650 scrutineers. The National Government provided 30 scrutineers, and the ABG 61 scrutineers.
Please find below application information for interest groups who wished to become a RIG and nominate scrutineers with the Bougainville Referendum Commission (BRC).
The recognition process comprised five basic steps including application, processing, recognition of RIG and appointment of scrutineers, training of scrutineers, and issuing of badges.
Requests for applications opened on 1 September 2019 and closed on 6 October 2019.
Please note that the BRC only recognised organisations, not individuals, as Interest Groups. Once groups were recognised, they could appoint scrutineers.