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Leo Hannett

{{Use British English|date=December 2023}}

{{Use dmy|date=August 2024}}

{{Short description|Bougainville playwright, journalist and politician (1941 - 2018)}}

{{Infobox officeholder

| honorific_prefix =

| name = Leo Hannett

| honorific_suffix = CMG

| image =

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| order =

| office = Premier, North Solomons Province

| term_start = 1980

| term_end = 1984

| office2 = Member, National Parliament of Papua New Guinea

| term_start2 = 21 February 2006

| term_end2 = 2007

| office3 = Member, Bougainville House of Representatives

| term_start3 = 2010

| term_end3 = 2015

| birth_date = {{Birth date|1941|07|17|df=yes}}

| birth_place = Nissan Island, Territory of New Guinea

| death_date = {{Death date and age|2018|06|18|1941|07|17|df=yes}}

| citizenship =

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| spouse = Elizabeth Korinai Hannett

| children = 4

| education = {{ubl|University of Papua New Guinea|University of Hawaiʻi}}

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}}

Leo Hannett (17 July 1941 – 18 June 2018) was a Bougainvillean and Black Power activist, playwright, journalist and politician who played a significant role in Papua New Guinea's anti-colonial struggle and movements for the autonomy and independence of Bougainville. He was regarded as Bougainville's "most important secessionist leader of the 1970s."{{Sfn|Wesley-Smith|1992|p=414}}

Early life

Hannett was born on 17 July 1941 in Nissan Island within the Australian-administered Territory of New Guinea, shortly before the Japanese occupation of New Guinea.{{sfn|Post Courier|2018}} Evacuated to the Solomon Islands during World War Two, he returned with his father and two brothers, his mother having died while in the Solomons.{{Sfn|Pritchard|1969}}

Politics

Hannett was one of a group of Bougainvillean students living in the territorial capital of Port Moresby who in 1968 called for a referendum to be held on Bougainville's future. He served as the group's spokesman and issued a statement requesting a vote by 1970 "to decide whether Bougainville should be independent, should unite with the Solomon Islands to constitute a separate unit, or should remain with PNG".{{cite news|url=https://dpa.bellschool.anu.edu.au/sites/default/files/publications/attachments/2019-09/the_bougainville_referendum_low_res_1.pdf|title=The Bougainville Referendum: Law, Administration and Politics|first=Anthony J.|last=Regan|year=2019|publisher=Australian National University}}

In 1969, the Australia Party sponsored Hannett to undertake a four-state speaking tour in Australia, at the invitation of party leader Reg Turnbull.{{cite news|url=https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/136947653|title=P-NG officials fear more trouble|newspaper=The Canberra Times|date=4 August 1969}}{{cite news|url=https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/251518312|title=University student to tour Australia|newspaper=Papua New Guinea Post-Courier|date=4 August 1969}} Interviewed by The Sydney Morning Herald he declared himself committed to non-violence and cited his influences as James Baldwin, Tom Mboya, Dag Hammarskjöld and Mahatma Gandhi.{{Sfn|Pritchard|1969}}

In 1973, PNG chief minister Michael Somare asked Hannett to chair the Bougainville Special Political Committee. The committee comprised 36 local leaders and was tasked with gauging public opinion on Bougainville's political future, with a report to be delivered to the Constitutional Planning Committee chaired by John Momis.{{sfn|Devlin|2019|p=4}} Hannett made clandestine visits to Honiara around the same time, exploring the possibility of Bougainville's union with the Solomon Islands.{{sfn|Laracy|1991|p=54}}

In September 1975, following dissatisfaction with proposals for PNG's new constitution related to the distribution of profits from the Panguna mine, Hannett joined with others in Bougainville in proclaiming the unilateral declaration of independence of the Republic of the North Solomons.{{sfn|Hermkens|2013|p=196}}

In 2006, Hannett was elected to the national parliament in a by-election for the provincial seat of Bougainville.{{snf|RNZ|2006}} He served as Parliamentary Secretary to the Prime Minister and Chair of the Public Accounts Committee.{{sfn|Hansard|2018}} As the sitting member, he unsuccessfully sought re-election at the 2007 general election, coming second with 23.04% of the vote.{{Sfn|PNG Electoral Commission|2007}}

Between 2010 and 2015, Hannett served in two ministries in the Autonomous Bougainville Government: Minister of Police and Minister for Public Services.{{sfn|Kathoa|2010}}{{sfn|Laukai|2013}}

Following his death, the National Parliament observed a moment of silence in respect on 17 July 2018.{{sfn|Hansard|2018}}

References

= Footnotes =

{{reflist|30em}}

= Sources =

== News media ==

{{refbegin|40em|indent=yes}}

  • {{Cite news |last1=Balderstone |first1=David| title=Talk of treason on Bougainville | date=20 September 1975 |work=The Bulletin|pages=29–30 |issn=0007-4039 |volume=97 |issue=4975 |location=Sydney, N.S.W |publisher=John Haynes and J.F. Archibald |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.obj-1442890505 | access-date=14 December 2023| via=Trove}}
  • {{cite news |title='Hannett, a true son of Bougainville' |url=https://www.postcourier.com.pg/hannett-true-son-bougainville/ |access-date=14 December 2023 |newspaper=Papua New Guinea Post-Courier |date=10 July 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231214231246/https://www.postcourier.com.pg/hannett-true-son-bougainville/ |archive-date=2023-12-14|ref={{harvid|Post Courier|2018}}}}
  • {{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article250678786 |title=Hannett hits at leaders |newspaper=Papua New Guinea Post-Courier |date=31 March 1981 |accessdate=15 December 2023 |page=12 |via=National Library of Australia|ref={{harvid|Post Courier|1981}}}}
  • {{cite web |last1=Kathoa |first1=Tom |title=Hannett's No Gun Era |url=https://bougainville.typepad.com/newdawn/2010/09/090910-hannetts-no-gun-era-by-tom-kathoa-peace-is-what-all-the-people-of-bougainville-want-according-to-the-bougainville.html |website=New Dawn FM 89.9 |date=2010-09-12 |access-date=18 December 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100924194606/http://bougainville.typepad.com/newdawn/2010/09/090910-hannetts-no-gun-era-by-tom-kathoa-peace-is-what-all-the-people-of-bougainville-want-according-to-the-bougainville.html |archive-date=2010-09-24}}
  • {{cite web |last1=Laukai |first1=Aloysius |title=President Appoints New Minister |url=https://bougainville.typepad.com/newdawn/2013/05/210513abg-presidents-appoints-new-minister-by-aloysius-laukai-the-abg-president-dr-john-momis-today-announced-that-mr-joel.html |website=New Dawn FM 89.9 |access-date=2023-12-18 |date=2013-05-21}}
  • {{cite web |title=Leo Hannett becomes new regional MP for Bougainville |url=https://www.rnz.co.nz/international/pacific-news/159967/leo-hannett-becomes-new-regional-mp-for-bougainville |website=Radio New Zealand |access-date=18 December 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220521163418/https://www.rnz.co.nz/international/pacific-news/159967/leo-hannett-becomes-new-regional-mp-for-bougainville |archive-date=2022-05-21 |language=en-nz |date=30 January 2006|ref={{harvid|RNZ|2006}}}}
  • {{cite web |last1=Momis |first1=John L |author1-link=John Momis |title=Death of Leo Hannett - a Bougainville leader of the middle way |url=https://www.pngattitude.com/2018/06/death-of-leo-hannett-a-bougainville-leader-of-the-middle-way.html |website=PNG Attitude |access-date=14 December 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210514061514/https://www.pngattitude.com/2018/06/death-of-leo-hannett-a-bougainville-leader-of-the-middle-way.html |archive-date=2021-05-14}}
  • {{cite news |last1=Pritchard |first1=Chris |title=A poor guerilla but a good priest |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-sydney-morning-herald/21349467/ |work=Sydney Morning Herald |date=1969-08-10|via=newspapers.com}}

{{refend}}

== Academic materials ==

{{refbegin|40em|indent=yes}}

  • {{cite journal |last1=Hermkens |first1=Anna-Karina |title=Like Moses Who Led His People to the Promised Land: Nation- and State-Building in Bougainville |journal=Oceania |date=November 2013 |volume=83 |issue=3 |pages=192–207 |doi=10.1002/ocea.5020}}
  • {{cite report|last=Devlin |first=Matthew|date=2019|title=Decentralization Without Disintegration: Provincial Government in Papua New Guinea, 1972-1985|url=https://successfulsocieties.princeton.edu/sites/g/files/toruqf5601/files/Papua%20New%20Guinea%20ToU_1.pdf|publisher=Innovation for Successful Societies, Princeton University|pages=14|access-date=2024-08-24|archive-date=2024-08-25|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240825004504/https://successfulsocieties.princeton.edu/sites/g/files/toruqf5601/files/Papua%20New%20Guinea%20ToU_1.pdf}}
  • {{cite journal |last1=Laracy |first1=Hugh |title=Bougainville secessionism |journal=Journal de la Société des Océanistes |date=1991 |volume=92 |issue=1 |pages=53–59 |doi=10.3406/jso.1991.2896}}
  • {{cite book |last1=Swan |first1=Quito |title=Pasifika Black: Oceania, Anti-colonialism, and the African World |date=10 May 2022 |publisher=NYU Press |isbn=978-1-4798-8508-4 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=nL5HEAAAQBAJ |language=en}}
  • {{cite journal |last1=Wesley-Smith |first1=Terence |author1-link=Terence Wesley-Smith |title=Development and Crisis in Bougainville A Bibliographic Essay |journal=The Contemporary Pacific |date=1992 |volume=4 |issue=2 |pages=408–432 |jstor=23699910 |url=https://www.jstor.org/stable/23699910 |issn=1043-898X}}

{{refend}}

== Primary sources ==

{{refbegin|40em|indent=yes}}

  • {{cite web |title=Bougainville Provincial |url=http://www.pngec.gov.pg/resultsNat2007/BougainvilleProvincial |publisher=Papua New Guinea Electoral Commission |access-date=18 December 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070823132943/http://www.pngec.gov.pg/resultsNat2007/BougainvilleProvincial.htm |archive-date=2007-08-23 |date=2007-07-23|ref={{harvid|PNG Electoral Commission|2007}}}}
  • {{cite web |title=Hansard - Deaths of Former Members, Statement by the Acting Speaker |url=https://www.parliament.gov.pg/uploads/hansard/H-10-20180717-M07-D01.pdf |website=National Parliament of Papua New Guinea |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230602140148/https://www.parliament.gov.pg/uploads/hansard/H-10-20180717-M07-D01.pdf |archive-date=2023-06-02 |page=2 |date=2018-07-17|ref={{harvid|Hansard|2018}}}}

{{refend}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Hannett, Leo}}

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Category:1941 births

Category:2018 deaths

Category:Members of the National Parliament of Papua New Guinea

Category:People from the Autonomous Region of Bougainville

Category:Order of St Michael and St George