Australia appoints first special envoy for the Pacific
A new special envoy role will help Australia strengthen its already strong bond with the Pacific, the federal government says. Ewen McDonald, a senior foreign affairs department official, will take on the inaugural role
Latin America leads resistance to global shipping emission tax
At crunch talks in London, Latin American nations led by Brazil have fought against a tax on the emissions of the global shipping sector. The media is not allowed to watch the talks, hosted by the United Nation’s
Gulf oil states on a Pacific charm offensive
Gulf oil states are using their vast wealth to build influence across the far-flung South Pacific, experts have told AFP, tearing a page straight out of China’s Belt and Road playbook. Saudi Arabia and the United
IAEA chief to visit South Korea, Cook Islands, NZ over Japan’s treated nuclear plant water
The director general of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) plans to visit South Korea, the Cook Islands and New Zealand in July, regarding the ocean discharge of treated water from the Fukushima No. 1 nuclear
Masiu: Free media must always be the pinnacle of democracy
Papua New Guinea Minister for Communication & Information Technology, Timothy Masiu, has again assured that the anticipated PNG Media Development Policy is not meant to ban or regulate media. His latest comments
Fiji Budget 2023-2024: A wrap
Fiji’s Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Finance, Biman Prasad, today presented a deficit budget in Fiji’s parliament. With a projected revenue of $3.7 billion, and expenditure of $4.3 billion, the
Solomon Islands Maritime Association wants justice on tax levy for shipping industry
Solomon Islands Maritime Association (SIMTA) wants justice in the Solomon Islands Government’s (SIG) tax levy on fares and freights imposed on seafarers and the shipping industry. It was reported the tax levy is very
IAEA urged not to endorse Japan’s water dumping plan
China urged the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) on Wednesday not to endorse Japan’s plan to discharge polluted radioactive water from the destroyed Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant into the Pacific
CSOs raise concerns over proposed tax hikes, retirement funds
On the eve of the first budget of Fiji’s coalition government, civil society organisations say they are disappointed with World Bank recommendations to phase out support for the sugar sector and increase taxation.
Jetstar launches new route to Cook Islands
Australian travellers can now pay a stopover-free visit to the Cook Island’s famous turquoise shores with the launch of new direct flights. The new Jetstar service takes off as Pacific Island travel demand spikes in
Tonga Parliament passes deficit Budget for 2023-2024
Tonga’s parliament passed the national Annual Budget for FY2023-2024 of $784.2 million pa’anga (US$332 million) Wednesday with 14-0 votes. The biggest budget allocation in the Budget Estimates 2023-2024 is for the
Guam A-G on typhoon recovery: ‘We’ve been living like cave people’
Guam’s Office of the Attorney General is investigating aspects of the government’s typhoon recovery response, including problems with the public water supply after the storm. “This disaster recovery was
Australia to provide funding support for Solomon Islands election
Solomon Islands Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare had a bilateral meeting with the Australian Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defence, Richard Marles Wednesday. The Australian DPM used the official engagement to
Gradual devaluation of kina ‘better’: PNG Chamber of Commerce
A gradual devaluation of the kina will be easier to absorb rather than a sudden one, PNG business houses have told Government. The business houses acknowledged the analysis and recommendations by policy advisers that
Legal protection essential for people displaced by climate change: UN expert
An independent UN-appointed climate expert on Tuesday called for full legal protection to be given to those displaced by the impacts of climate change, to guarantee their human rights. “The effects of climate change
Illegal narcotics and meth use among youths a concern in Fiji
When Fiji’s Minister for Home Affairs Pio Tikoduadua pointed out last year that the use and distribution of hard drugs had spiraled out of control and was a far bigger disaster than climate change, he was not
Opinion: The Pacific – Securing the Future
Submarine cables are a vital element of infrastructure for Pacific Island countries. Over the last five years, a focus on the Pacific region submarine cable development has demonstrated enormous growth in the number of
$8M to support Kiribati’s drought relief efforts
An $8 million grant has been disbursed by the Asian Development Bank to the Government of Kiribati to help fund drought relief efforts. ADB says the support comes after a state of emergency was declared last month in
Solomon Islands leader takes High Court action over election delay
Solomon Islands leader of the Independent Group, John Kuku has filed a legal suit challenging the legality of the extension of Parliament to 2024. Parliament September last year passed the extension of Parliament by
Fukushima nuclear plant operator says equipment to release treated wastewater into sea is complete
All equipment needed for the release into the sea of treated radioactive wastewater from the wrecked Fukushima nuclear plant has been completed and will be ready for a safety inspection by Japanese regulators this week,
PNG Stock Exchange adopts corporate governance code
The National Stock Exchange of PNG (PNGX) has adopted a new Corporate Governance code developed with characteristics of the PNG market in mind. Chairman David Lawrence said this initiative aimed to provide to the boards
PNG logger fined K140million by Internal Revenue Commission
A major logging operator in Papua New Guinea has been charged a whopping K140 million (US$39 million) for tax evasion, Internal Revenue Commission (IRC) boss Sam Koim announced Monday. Koim said IRC has imposed a
Solomon Islands optimistic to reduce electricity costs through reforms: Vehe
Solomon Islands Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Mines, Energy and Rural Electrification Dr Chris Vehe has highlighted the energy challenges facing Solomon Islands and reforms the Government is undertaking to
