In this bulletin:
1. FIJI — Fiji UN envoy calls for Truth Commission link to Constitution review
2. PNG — 89 ‘yes’ votes needed in parliament, Final step in Bougainville’s political future
3. SOL — Solomon Islands PM Wale promises greater transparency in future security agreements
4. PACIFIC — Diplomat cautions gathering on region’s priorities
5. PACIFIC — UNODC and PINA sign partnership agreement to strengthen anti-corruption journalism in the Pacific
6. PACIFIC — Are New Zealand and the Pacific being pushed towards a more militarised future?
7. FIJI — Reduce Fiji Cabinet to 12 and cut travel costs, says Narube
8. AUST — Non-citizens held in indefinite detention in Australia could get millions of dollars in compensation after government’s high court loss
9. FIJI — ‘Corruption a personal act, not institutional problem’: Fiji Police
10. PACNEWS BIZ — Fijian Kava initiative seeks global link for farmers
11. PACNEWS BIZ — Fiji foreign Minister Ditoka defends Coalition’s record, rebuts debt criticism
12. PACNEWS BIZ — Bank of Papua New Guinea monitoring oil supply shock
13. PACNEWS BIZ — ‘Stop funding commissions, redirect money to people’: Former Fiji Economy Minister
14. PACNEWS IN FOCUS — Candidates prepare for New Caledonia elections
15. PACNEWS DIGEST — How climate change is pressuring Tonga’s health system
FIJI – CONSTITUTIONAL REVIEW: PACNEWS PACNEWS 1: Thu 11 Jun 2026
Fiji UN envoy calls for Truth Commission link to Constitution review
NEW YORK/SUVA, 11 JUNE 2026 (PACNEWS)— Fiji’s Permanent representative to the United Nations, Filipo Tarakinikini, has called for the country’s Constitution review process to be directly linked to the work of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC, arguing that constitutional reform alone will not end the cycle of political instability and coups.
Tarakinikini said Fiji must confront the underlying causes of its past constitutional crises, including communal fears, sectarian divisions and political grievances, if it hopes to build lasting stability.
“As Fiji embarks on its Constitution Review, there is understandable excitement and equally understandable impatience.
After decades of political instability, many Fijians want clean breaks, decisive reforms, and clear answers. That instinct is understandable. However, if we are serious about ending Fiji’s coup culture once and for all, we must resist the temptation of quick fixes,” he said in a statement posted on social media.
He argued that Fiji’s constitutional challenges cannot be solved through amendments alone.
“There is no single clause, amendment, or election that will, by itself, cure what ails us. Fiji’s recurring constitutional crises were not simply the work of ambitious men with guns.
“They were also the product of unresolved fears: communal anxieties that were real to those who felt them, sectarian grievances that were manipulated by those who stood to gain, and political fractures that no constitution has yet fully addressed.
Until we honestly reckon with those underlying conditions, we are merely repainting a cracked wall,” he emphasised.
Tarakinikini said one of the key issues facing the Constitution Review Commission will be the immunity clause, which protects individuals involved in actions against constitutional rule.
“One question the Review Commission must eventually confront is the immunity clause, the legal shield that has protected those who have acted against constitutional order,” he said.
While acknowledging calls for the clause’s removal, he cautioned against doing so without a broader framework.
“There are genuine voices calling for its removal, and I understand that call. Accountability matters. The rule of law demands it.”
“However, I hold an equally strong conviction: the immunity clause cannot be safely or legally removed in isolation. To do so without a proper framework would risk either impunity or vendetta, and neither serves Fiji. The only legitimate pathway is through a Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC),” he stressed.
Tarakinikini said the immunity clause and the TRC should be treated as connected processes.
“These two instruments, the removal of immunity and the TRC, are not alternatives. They are complementary. One cannot be undertaken responsibly without the other.”
The former military officer said individuals protected by the immunity clause should testify before a properly constituted TRC and explain not only their actions but also the circumstances and motivations behind them.
“Those who have relied upon the immunity clause must be given the opportunity, and must accept the responsibility, to come forward and testify before a properly constituted TRC.
That testimony must extend beyond the acts themselves and explore the reasons behind them: the communal fears that felt existential at the time, the sectarian pressures that were applied, and the political manipulations that became visible only in hindsight. This is not about excusing what was done. It is about understanding it deeply enough to ensure it is never repeated,” he said.
The top diplomat said truth-telling should form part of the constitutional foundation of the country.
“This kind of truth-telling is not merely therapeutic. It is constitutional. A document that reflects the genuine values, fears, aspirations, and hard-won unity of a people is fundamentally different from one imposed, amended, or adopted under the shadow of unresolved grievance. The constitution Fiji deserves must be shaped by the full and honest story of who we are, not a sanitised version that merely papers over old fractures,” he said.
Drawing on international examples, Tarakinikini said societies emerging from conflict have relied on truth-telling to rebuild trust.
“South Africa did not emerge from apartheid by pretending it had not happened. Rwanda did not begin rebuilding by burying what needed to be faced. Fiji’s path is its own, rooted in our vanua, our faith, and the unique complexity of our multi-ethnic society. Yet the principle remains universal: lasting peace requires truth before it can bear the weight of justice,” he explained.
He also called for changes to the mandates of both the TRC and the Constitution Review Commission to formally connect the two processes.
“This argument carries a practical implication that must be stated plainly. The Terms of Reference (TOR) of both the ongoing TRC and the Constitution Review Commission may need to be revisited. As currently constituted, neither body may have the explicit mandate to link these two processes in the way justice requires.”
“I am calling for that to change.”
“The TRC’s TOR should be broadened to encompass testimony from those sheltering under the immunity clause, including the full context of their actions. Likewise, the Constitution Review’s TOR should be amended to ensure that its findings are informed by, and responsive to, whatever truths emerge from that process
“These are not radical demands. They are the minimum conditions for a review process worthy of the name,” he said.
Tarakinikini said Fiji faces a rare opportunity to address long-standing divisions and create a constitutional framework grounded in truth and national unity.
“The Constitution Review is an opportunity of rare significance. Let us not squander it by treating it as a legal exercise alone. Let us have the courage to make it a national act of truth so that what emerges from it can genuinely hold us together,” he said…..PACNEWS
PNG – BOUGAINVILLE INDEPENDENCE: THE NATIONAL PACNEWS 1: Thu 11 Jun 2026
89 ‘yes’ votes needed in parliament, Final step in Bougainville’s political future
PORT MORESBY, 11 JUNE 2026 (THE NATIONAL)—An absolute three-quarter majority – or 89 MPs – of the 118-member Papua New Guinea Parliament is needed to ratify the 2019 Bougainville referendum result, according to Bougainville Affairs Minister Manasseh Makiba.
Makiba, who tabled a draft sessional order in Parliament Tuesday, said the vote on the matter would be taken by Aug 30.
“We have now embarked on the final steps of our journey in bringing the referendum result to Parliament,” he said.
“This was initiated on 02 June last week, with the tabling of the report of the Bipartisan Parliamentary Committee on Bougainville Matters.
“The committee is playing a critical role in preparing Members (of Parliament) for this debate, ensuring we are fully informed of the legal, political, and historical context.”
Makiba said the writ containing the referendum result, together with the joint consultation report and Melanesian Framework, would be tabled before MPs could start debate on the matter.
The final steps include:
*Adoption of the sessional order, and if the motion is supported, the procedural framework for consideration of the referendum results will be established;
*Referendum results to be tabled with the joint consultation report and Melanesian Framework to allow debate to start; and,
*After sufficient time has been given for debate, MPs will be required to take the final vote on the referendum result no later than 30 Aug 2026 – as proposed by Prime Minister James Marape
Makiba said: “The Government’s position is that, should Parliament vote in the affirmative to accept the referendum result, and support a pathway to independence, this should initiate a phased and carefully managed transition, rather than an immediate declaration.
“As part of the Government’s commitment to ensuring that this process proceeds in a lawful, orderly and constitutionally sound manner, legal advice has been sought from a range of senior legal authorities and law firms, including the state solicitor.”
Makiba said should Parliament accept the referendum result, further steps will be taken such as amending the Constitution to remove Bougainville from the defined area of PNG, and the implementation of transnational arrangements between the two governments.
If Parliament rejects the referendum result, it amounts to the rejection of the proposal for independence. And unless expressly qualified by Parliament, it concludes the constitutional process….PACNEWS
SOL – DIPLOMACY/SECURITY: INDEPTH SOLOMONS PACNEWS 1: Thu 11 Jun 2026
Solomon Islands PM Wale promises greater transparency in future security agreements
HONIARA, 11 JUNE 2026 (INDEPTH SOLOMONS)—Solomon Islands Prime Minister Mathew Wale says his government will pursue greater transparency in the negotiation and approval of international security agreements, including stronger parliamentary oversight of future treaties and foreign partnerships.
Speaking to local media upon his return from official visits to Australia and New Zealand Wednesday, Wale said future security agreements would be handled more openly than in the past.
“The way we will approach security agreement negotiations with Australia and New Zealand will be far more transparent, and that principle will apply to all future agreements,” he stated.
Wale acknowledged that the existing security agreement with China contains a legally binding non-disclosure clause, limiting the government’s ability to publicly release its contents.
“Unfortunately, the China Security Agreement includes a non-disclosure provision. It is legally binding and was entered into by the previous government. Because of that, we are unable to disclose its contents, although I have previously expressed my views on the matter,” he said.
The Prime Minister revealed that the government is pursuing reforms to strengthen parliamentary scrutiny of international agreements and treaties.
“We are working on amendments to ensure that all matters relating to agreements and treaties are brought before Parliament.
“We intend to amend the Parliamentary Standing Orders so that any agreement the government proposes to sign with another party must first be presented to Parliament for scrutiny,” he said.
According to Wale, the proposed reforms are intended to improve accountability and transparency in the conduct of foreign affairs.
“This will allow Parliament to play a more active oversight role and ensure that the government conducts these processes in a transparent manner,” he said.
The Prime Minister also said his government’s broader foreign policy agenda following diplomatic engagements in New Zealand and Australia, emphasising the importance of rebuilding relationships with traditional partners while safeguarding Solomon Islands’ sovereignty and national interests.
“We need to restore trust between us and our traditional partners like Australia and New Zealand.
“We have achieved that objective. Trust is very important. Over the past years, there has been a lot of mistrust between our traditional partners.”
He added, China is a development partner.
“China is our friend and development Partner too.”
Wale described the trip as productive, providing an opportunity for direct discussions on key regional issues including trade, labour mobility, climate resilience, security cooperation and economic development.
He reaffirmed that Solomon Islands would continue to pursue an independent foreign policy based on neutrality and mutual respect.
“Our foreign policy is still ‘Friendly to all and enemy to none’. But remember, we have no enemies,” the Prime Minister said.
He added that maintaining strong regional relationships remains essential to addressing shared challenges and advancing prosperity across the Pacific….PACNEWS
PAC – DIPLOMACY: FIJI TIMES PACNEWS 1: Thu 11 Jun 2026
Diplomat cautions gathering on region’s priorities
SUVA, 11 JUNE 2026 (FIJI TIMES)—Even when powerful countries say they are working in partnership with the Pacific, island nations must continue to ask whether those partnerships serve Pacific priorities or outside strategic interests.
Papua New Guinea senior diplomat Dame Meg Taylor issued the caution while speaking at the State of the Pacific Ocean convening, where she said growing great power competition, militarisation and externally driven regional initiatives were placing pressure on Pacific unity.
Dame Meg said the Pacific’s regional architecture was facing genuine tensions, including within the Pacific Islands Forum.
“The inclusion of Australia and New Zealand in the forum had at times made it more difficult for Pacific countries to maintain unified positions on issues such as climate change, where the interests of larger metropolitan states could differ from Pacific priorities,” she said.
However, she said the responsibility was shared, as Pacific states themselves had also found it difficult at times to hold collective positions under sustained external pressure.
“Some Pacific countries had pursued short-term bilateral advantage in ways that could weaken long-term regional coherence.
“These are conversations we need to continue to have openly, among ourselves.”
She said great power competition had added another layer of complexity, with the Pacific becoming strategically significant to the U.S, China and their allies in ways that were not true a generation ago.
Dame Meg said some initiatives had emerged with limited consultation with Pacific Island nations and had placed the region inside frameworks shaped more by external strategic priorities than Pacific needs.
“The language of partnership is often genuine, but the question of whose priorities shape the agenda is one we must always keep asking.”
She also raised concern over the increasing militarisation of the region, including the expansion of military infrastructure, proposals to host foreign submarines and strategic bombers within the South Pacific Nuclear Free Zone, and the framing of the Pacific mainly through a security lens.
Dame Meg said these developments sat uneasily alongside the vision of peace represented by the Treaty of Rarotonga.
“They are worth watching carefully and speaking about clearly,” she said….PACNEWS
PAC – ANTI CORRUPTION: UNODC/PINA PACNEWS 1: Thu 11 Jun 2026
UNODC and PINA sign partnership agreement to strengthen anti-corruption journalism in the Pacific
SUVA, 11 JUNE 2026(UNODC/PINA)—The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) and the Pacific Islands News Association (PINA) signed a partnership agreement on 10 June 2026, launching a new regional initiative to strengthen anti-corruption journalism and promote transparency across the Pacific, with support from the New Zealand Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade (MFAT).
Independent media plays an important role in informing public debate and promoting accountability.
Across the Pacific, reporting on corruption and public accountability issues often requires specialized expertise, technical capacity, and dedicated resources. Strengthening anti-corruption journalism is therefore key to empowering Pacific media as a leading voice for transparency and accountability.
To support these efforts, UNODC and PINA launched the Journalism for Pacific Anti-Corruption and Transparency project. The project will strengthen the institutional capacity of PINA and the Pacific Anti-Corruption Journalists Network (PACJN), while supporting journalists across the region through technical training, grants and regional learning opportunities.
“The media plays a vital role in fostering transparency, accountability and public trust.” said Marie Pegie Cauchois, Head of Office, UNODC Pacific.
“By working together, we are helping ensure that Pacific media can continue to fulfill its role as a watchdog, holding power accountable and fostering a culture of integrity across the Blue Pacific.”
The project builds on a long-standing partnership between UNODC and PINA to strengthen reporting on integrity, accountability and governance issues in the Pacific. Since 2016, the two organisations have worked together to support journalists and media institutions across the region, including through the establishment of the PACJN in 2019. Today, PACJN continues to serve as a regional platform for advancing transparency and accountability across the Pacific.
“As journalists, our role is not only to report events, but to help citizens understand how decisions are made, how public resources are used, and why accountability matters.” said Fred Wesley, PINA Board Member.
Building on years of collaboration, the partnership opens a new chapter in supporting Pacific journalists and media institutions working on issues of corruption, accountability and governance. It will also contribute to regional efforts to advance the implementation of the United Nations Convention against Corruption (UNCAC) and the Teieniwa Vision.
PINA Chief Executive Officer Makereta Komai welcomed the partnership and thanked UNODC and MFAT for their continued support of Pacific journalism.
“This investment demonstrates confidence in the role Pacific media plays in strengthening democratic governance and empowering citizens through access to credible and accurate information.”
The project will be implemented across the Pacific from June 2026 to March 2027…..PACNEWS
PAC – DIPLOMACY: PMN PACNEWS 1: Thu 11 Jun 2026
Are New Zealand and the Pacific being pushed towards a more militarised future?
AUCKLAND, 11 JUNE 2026 (PMN)—As Solomon Islands Prime Minister Matthew Wale heads back to Honiara after meetings in Australia and New Zealand, a wider debate is playing out across the Pacific about the region’s future direction.
At the centre of it is a simple question: is the Pacific being pulled towards a more militarised future as major powers compete for influence?
The discussion has been sharpened by growing security ties between Pacific Island nations and traditional partners including Australia and Aotearoa as well as increasing attention on China’s role in the region and competition with the United States.
Speaking on Pacific Mornings, Green Party foreign affairs spokesperson Teanau Tuiono said Pacific countries should be able to make their own choices without being forced into one camp or another.
“Ideally, we want all Pacific Island countries to be independent and to find those connections with each other across the Pacific, and that’s really important,” Tuiono said.
He said Pacific leaders were having to carefully manage pressure from larger powers.
“You have that geostrategic pull within the Pacific between the US and China, and you’ve actually got to be able to make sure that you navigate that in a good way but not going too far one way and not too far the other way.”
Tuiono pointed to shifting relationships in the region over time including Solomon Islands’ changing diplomatic partners.
“If they’re kind of trying to find another way to balance it out, that could be a good thing.”
But alongside questions of balance and independence, another argument is emerging in Aotearoa about the direction of its defence policy.
Think tank Te Kuaka has called for a rethink of New Zealand’s foreign policy ahead of the November election and warns the country is becoming too closely aligned with a more US-style security and defence approach.
Speaking from Fiji, Dr Marco de Jong a Te Kuaka spokesperson, told PMN most New Zealanders support a defence force focused on the Pacific but may be uneasy about a shift towards global military engagement.
“I think most New Zealanders are in support of a appropriate purpose military capability that operates in the Pacific,” he said.
“But I think they’re a bit wary of the kind of high-tech highly interoperable even interchangeable military that’s designed for expeditionary deployment all over the world including to say the Middle East or you know global conflict zones.”
Instead, de Jong said New Zealand’s priorities should remain closer to home and focused on regional needs.
“I think that the idea that we need to be present in our maritime domain, have greater awareness, support humanitarian assistance and disaster response, support access to Antarctica, be there broadly in the region, is broadly supported.”
He also warned of a wider shift in foreign policy settings.
“What we’re seeing now is a drift under the foreign policy kind of traditional partners foreign policy reset much more towards the kind of securitised approach where aid is tied to security arrangements.”
The debate comes as Australia and Aotearoa deepen engagement across the Pacific including through defence partnerships and regional security initiatives while Pacific leaders continue to stress development, climate action, and economic priorities.
Wale’s recent visit to Australia, where he highlighted long-standing ties between the two countries and his meetings in New Zealand, have added to the sense of a region reassessing its relationships.
Tuiono says the focus should remain on peace and Pacific-led decision-making.
Pacific foreign ministers meet at a regional forum: debate continues over how Pacific nations can maintain independence and shape their own approach to security, development and foreign policy amid growing global competition. Photo/Pacific Islands Forum/file
“The people that actually live here, us, would prefer if our area wasn’t militarised, that there was demilitarisation, that we were aiming for peace as well.”
As Wale returns home, the conversation he leaves behind points to a wider regional tension: how the Pacific can strengthen security and partnerships without being drawn too deeply into the military strategies of larger powers….PACNEWS
FIJI – POLITICS: FIJI SUN PACNEWS 1: Thu 11 Jun 2026
Reduce Fiji Cabinet to 12 and cut travel costs, says Narube
SUVA, 11 JUNE 2026 (FIJI SUN)—Former Reserve Bank Governor (RBF) and Unity Fiji leader Savenaca Narube has called for Cabinet to be reduced from 30+ members to 12 as part of sweeping measures to cut government spending and create fiscal space.
Speaking during Dialogue Fiji’s State of the Economy dialogue in Suva Wednesday, Narube said the Government needed to focus on reducing expenditure rather than increasing revenue.
“I want Cabinet reduced to 12. Twelve, rather than thirty-five,” he said.
Narube also proposed reducing parliamentarians’ salaries to 2022 levels, halving overseas and local travel, cutting travel allowances, stopping the Constitution Review Commission and Electoral Commission processes, and imposing a 15 percent reduction in non-essential government spending.
“Parliamentarians’ salaries to go back to way it was, in 2022,” he said.
He said the measures were necessary to create fiscal space, which he described as the Government’s ability to maintain spending while keeping debt at sustainable levels.
“We have heard that that position is going up. To now close to 85 per cent of GDP,” he said.
Narube identified fighting corruption as another immediate priority, arguing that it diverted resources away from ordinary citizens and contributed to wider social problems.
“I’m using the word corruption, not good governance,” he said.
“Government must lead against corruption, explicitly, visibly, lead it.”
He called for overseas experts to assist with corruption investigations and urged stronger community involvement in anti-corruption efforts.
Looking beyond the immediate challenges, Narube said Fiji needed to focus on economic diversification through better use of its natural resources.
“Our diversification opportunities lies in what we already have. And what’s that? Our natural resources,” he said.
He said low incomes were at the heart of many social issues affecting communities, including drugs, school dropouts, family breakdowns and crime.
“To me, the major issue faced by families across communities, we don’t have enough money,” he said.
Narube said Fiji must avoid repeating past mistakes and pursue a more transformative approach to economic development.
“Stop repeating the mistakes of the past and this is really not a business as usual kind of thing. This is transformative, transformative,” he said.
He concluded by urging policymakers to prioritise fiscal discipline, tackle corruption and develop industries linked to Fiji’s natural resources to raise incomes and strengthen the economy…PACNEWS
AUST – COURTS: THE GUARDIAN PACNEWS 1: Thu 11 Jun 2026
Non-citizens held in indefinite detention in Australia could get millions of dollars in compensation after government’s high court loss
CANBERRA, 11 JUNE 2026 (THE GUARDIAN)—Millions of dollars in compensation could be paid out to more than 350 unlawful non-citizens held in indefinite detention after the high court ruled against the Australian government.
The ruling marks another blow for the Albanese government after its requirement that released members of the NZYQ cohort must wear ankle monitoring bracelets and abide by curfews was struck down as unconstitutional earlier this year.
Human rights lawyers and refugee advocacy groups have lauded the “foreseeable” decision as a “significant outcome”.
On Wednesday, the full bench of the high court ruled unanimously against the federal government’s attempt to mount a defence against a damages claim brought by an Austrian citizen, Safwat Abdel-Hady, paving the way for potentially hundreds more cases.
Abdel-Hady was unlawfully held in immigration detention for an 18-month period between 28 July 2022 and 13 February 2024 because there was “no real prospect” of his removal due to his health conditions, the federal circuit court found in June 2024.
Lawyers for the businessman had argued he should not have been detained by authorities using the precedent established in the 2004 high court case of Al-Kateb, which authorised indefinite detention of non-citizens without a valid visa even in circumstances where it is impossible to deport them.
The ruling was overturned in a landmark decision in November 2023, brought by a stateless Rohingya man, known as NZYQ, triggering the release of hundreds of non-citizens who couldn’t be removed from Australia because they were refugees or stateless.
The commonwealth had attempted to defend against Abdel-Hady’s damages claims using a common law defence – that it was following the precedent set out by the high court in the 2004 Al-Kateb ruling.
All seven high court justices ruled against the commonwealth, with Justice Michelle Gordon saying it would “significantly undermine the ability of a person to obtain redress where the executive exceeds its authority”.
“That door should remain closed,” Gordon said.
A government spokesperson said: “The Commonwealth notes the decision of the high court and is carefully considering the judgment and its implications.”
Greg Barns SC, a spokesperson for the Australian Lawyers Alliance, said he estimated the bill for the case could “run into the tens of millions of dollars”.
“Previously, in 2017, the Commonwealth government agreed to pay $70m (US$49 million) (plus costs) to settle a class action involving detainees on Manus Island. There have also, post the Tampa incident in 2001, been numerous claims brought by individual asylum seekers for mental and physical harm – with the Commonwealth having to pay compensation,” he said.
“This is another reason why mandatory detention must cease immediately.”
The Asylum Seeker Resource Centre’s deputy chief executive, Jana Favero, said advocates had always insisted indefinite detention was “harmful” and “comes at the cost of people’s health, their mental health, and their wellbeing”.
“This is a significant outcome, because it paves the way for people to finally access justice for the cruelty inflicted on them,” she said.
“Families have been separated, children have been robbed of their childhoods and there are thousands of people who are still living with the consequences of having years of their lives stolen from them.”
The human rights lawyer Alison Battisson welcomed the court’s judgment, saying she already had clients waiting in the wings.
“The government must now face up to the fact that they have participated in a system, and fought to keep it going, that will now cost the Australian taxpayer millions in compensation. This result was foreseeable,” she said.
The Albanese government last year signed a $2.5bn (US$1.75 billion) deal with Nauru to remove members of the NZYQ-affected cohort to the tiny Pacific Island.
Twelve men have been sent to the island with 30-year visas while more than 30 others have been returned to immigration detention pending their removal to Nauru, according to the home affairs department…..PACNEWS
FIJI – ANTI CORRUPTION: FIJI SUN PACNEWS 1: Thu 11 Jun 2026
‘Corruption a personal act, not institutional problem’: Fiji Police
SUVA, 11 JUNE 2026 (FIJI SUN)—Fiji’s Assistant Commissioner of Police Administration Meli Sateki has defended the integrity of the force amid parliamentary concerns over internal affairs cases and misconduct allegations.
“Corruption is not part of the Fiji Police Force.”
Sateki made the declaration in response to parliamentary concerns over rising internal affairs cases and allegations of public misconduct.
Appearing before the Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs and Defence, Sateki faced sharp questioning from committee member Penioni Ravunawa, who asked whether corruption was becoming systemic within the ranks and sought clarification on measures being taken to address the issue.
Sateki firmly rejected the notion that corruption is an organisational problem, saying it is the result of individual actions rather than an institutional crisis.
“We respect every report that (comes) comes in terms of corruption, but it is not part of the Fiji Police Force. We are looking at it as a personal act,” he said.
To address allegations of corruption, Mr Sateki outlined the standard legal procedures for handling implicated personnel.
Once a preliminary investigation yields credible evidence, the file is forwarded to the independent Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (ODPP).
Under this protocol, accused officers are stood down from active duty to ensure an independent investigation can proceed without interference.
Sateki emphasised that the force is fully committed to seeing these cases through to their conclusion, stating that it remains the organisation’s commitment to pursue successful prosecutions, even when investigations involve senior police officers…..PACNEWS
PACNEWS BIZ
FIJI – KAVA INDUSTRY: ISLANDS BUSINESS PACNEWS BIZ: Thu 11 Jun 2026
Fijian Kava initiative seeks global link for farmers
SUVA, 11 JUNE 2026 (ISLANDS BUSINESS)—A new digital platform launched for public testing this week aims to connect Fijian kava farmers directly with buyers around the world, cutting out middlemen and giving growers their own verifiable identity.
Eliki Dakuitoga is driving a revolution around how Yaqona is being sold. He and his team at yaqona.net had started a unique project that connects Fiji’s yaqona farmers to the world.
It’s a simple idea, harnessing currently available technology.
It is a significant development because according to Dakuitoga said yaqona earned around FJD$270 million(US$135 million) per annum.
A substantial amount of capital that goes back into the economy so the idea is to streamline the process by directly connecting farmers to markets.
There are plans on the way to have an interactive map. This map would inform users where the yaqona was grown and information about the product.
Yaqona.net was developed over several months by a coalition of local businesses, allowing farmers, traders and industry supporters to create verified profiles with unique QR codes. When scanned, the code opens a member’s profile showing where their kava originates and how to contact them directly.
“Scan the QR, meet the source,” Dakuitoga said in an announcement video.
The platform offers three membership types: producers (farmers and growers), traders (wholesalers, retailers, exporters and importers), and ecosystem partners including NGOs, researchers, financiers and media.
During the public testing phase, membership is free. An earlier version tested on Facebook required fees of $20 (US$10) for local members and $50(US$25) for overseas members.
Dakuitoga said the platform addresses a long-standing problem: while Fiji now has hundreds of kava brands, many farmers remain difficult for buyers to find. The network gives each member an official ID, profile page and QR code.
“We understand today that yaqona is not only just a drink anymore,” he said.
“It’s culture, it’s income, it’s business, and it’s one of Fiji’s major commodities.”
The project is one of five initiatives being developed by a partnership. Future plans include an interactive map of registered members.
Dakuitoga encouraged kava growers, traders and industry supporters to apply at yaqona.net and provide feedback.
“We will learn and develop along the way, as we usually do,” he said….PACNEWS
FIJI – DEBT/POLITICS: FIJI TIMES PACNEWS BIZ: Thu 11 Jun 2026
Fiji foreign Minister Ditoka defends Coalition’s record, rebuts debt criticism
SUVA, 11 JUNE 2026 (FIJI TIMES) —Fiji Foreign Minister Sakiasi Ditoka, has defended the Coalition Government’s economic record, arguing that critics fail to acknowledge the challenges inherited when the administration took office in December 2022.
Responding to comments made by businessman and political commentator regarding Fiji’s debt levels, Ditoka said public debate should reflect the full economic picture.
“Fiji is a better country when people are free to question government policy,” Ditoka said.
However, he questioned criticism surrounding the country’s debt, saying the Coalition Government inherited a struggling public service, ageing infrastructure, staffing shortages, neglected public services and a debt burden that was already approaching crisis levels.
“We inherited a public service that had been battered, demoralised and stripped of much of its institutional memory,” he said.
Ditoka argued that rebuilding government institutions, restoring public services and addressing years of deferred maintenance required significant investment.
“Repairing roads, bridges, schools, health centres and water systems costs money. Restoring dignity to teachers, nurses, police officers, soldiers and civil servants costs money,” he said.
Addressing concerns over Fiji’s debt, Ditoka said critics were focusing solely on the headline debt figure while ignoring the more important measure of debt relative to economic output.
He said although nominal debt had increased, Fiji’s debt-to-GDP ratio had declined as the economy recovered and expanded following the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic.
“So when critics scream ‘$11 billion(US$5.5 billion) debt’ without explaining the debt-to-GDP trend, they are not educating the public. They are frightening the public with half the story,” he said.
Ditoka also pointed to what he described as improvements in Fiji’s international standing, stronger relationships with development partners, increased investor confidence and the restoration of democratic institutions.
He said Parliament had returned to being a place of genuine debate and that independent institutions were functioning without political interference.
“The Coalition Government does not claim perfection. What it does claim is that it inherited a difficult situation, has stabilised the country, has restored confidence at home and abroad, and is now focused on the harder work of building sustainable growth,” he said.
Ditoka maintained that any assessment of Fiji’s economic performance should consider the conditions the government inherited, the challenges that remain and the progress made since taking office…..PACNEWS
PNG – FUEL CRISIS: THE NATIONAL PACNEWS BIZ: Thu 11 Jun 2026
Bank of Papua New Guinea monitoring oil supply shock
PORT MORESBY, 11 JUNE 2026 (THE NATIONAL)—The Bank of Papua New Guinea is monitoring the global and regional oil supply shock as a result of the Middle East conflict and plans to take “necessary policy actions” to contain domestic inflation, Bank of PNG deputy governor says.
Jeffery Yobom told a recent monetary policy committee meeting that the oil supply shock had impacted many of PNG’s trading partners’ economies resulting in increased fuel prices and global inflation.
The Government, in response, implemented a fuel price subsidy programme to maintain fuel prices at pre-crisis levels.
But Yobom warned that the price pressures were starting to build up as imported inflation fed through to the domestic economy.
“Domestic inflation outcome for the March quarter was 2.2 per cent and is expected to moderate in 2026,” he said.
“At some point, if inflationary pressures start to increase significantly, the bank will take necessary policy actions to contain domestic inflation.
“With inflation expected to moderate in 2026, it is prudent to support the decision to maintain the policy rate, the KFR, at five per cent, and to continue the depreciation of the Kina exchange rate to achieve Kina convertibility.”
Meanwhile, Kumul Consolidate Holdings managing director Professor David Kavanamur, a member of the committee, preferred to maintain the KFR and slowing down the crawl-rate given the uncertainty around inflationary pressures.
“A more gradual pace of exchange rate adjustment is warranted and would provide an opportunity to better assess underlying inflation while continuing with progress toward Kina convertibility,” he said.
“Further exchange rate depreciation at this stage could risk adding to inflationary pressures without materially advancing the objectives of convertibility or price stability.”
Committee member Scott Roger also mentioned that the outlook for economic activity remained uncertain.
Roger said that the disruption of global energy supplies was likely to hamper growth in PNG’s major export markets.
“At the same time, PNG is benefiting from higher energy export revenues,” he said….PACNEWS
FIJI – ECONOMY: FIJI SUN PACNEWS BIZ: Thu 11 Jun 2026
‘Stop funding commissions, redirect money to people’: Former Fiji Economy Minister
SUVA, 11 JUNE 2026 (FIJI SUN)–Former Fiji Minister for Economy Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum says Government should redirect funding from the Reconciliation Commission and other ongoing bodies towards targeted assistance for struggling Fijians and economic priorities.
Speaking during a panel discussion at the Dialogue Fiji State of the Economy Dialogue, Sayed-Khaiyum said Government resources were being spent on initiatives that should no longer be a priority given current economic challenges.
“We have been spending so much money, time, and energy on things like Reconciliation Commission, the Constitutional Review Commission, elections are supposed to be held by February,” he said.
“Why are we still funding these people?”
Sayed-Khaiyum questioned whether public funds could be better used elsewhere.
“Why can’t we use that money for something a lot more appropriate, a lot more decisive, a lot more targeted?”
He said Government should focus on targeted assistance programmes for vulnerable households and marginalised communities.
“At the moment, I think government needs to, from a social equity perspective, because we need equity, amongst in particular, the marginalized in our country, that will provide some level of stimulus.”
Sayed-Khaiyum also revisited the idea of a national identification card system, arguing it would allow Government to better target social assistance.
“If we had a national ID card in place by now, government could have targeted, provided targeted assistance.”
He said Fiji’s economic challenges required policymakers to focus on practical measures that directly benefited households and businesses.
Sayed-Khaiyum said Government must dramatically cut operating expenditure as rising wage costs and a growing civil service are limiting its ability to stimulate economic growth.
Sayed-Khaiyum said Fiji’s limited fiscal space was partly the result of insufficient investment in productive sectors.
“There is limited fiscal space now. Because the lack of expenditure on the capital sector has meant it’s not even stimulus,” he said.
“We are developing country. We need to spend money on development that will provide or increase productive capacity. And that has not happened.”
Sayed-Khaiyum said the size of the civil service had increased from about 34,000 employees in 2022 to around 38,000 today.
“Our budget spent on paying civil service wages was about $1 billion (US$500 million). Today, it sits at $1.3 billion (US$650 million).”
He said when staff numbers from the Fiji Roads Authority, Water Authority (FRA) of Fiji and Fiji Revenue and Customs Service (FRCS) were included, the total reached about 42,000 people on Government payrolls.
“So, you see, all of this actually creates a situation where there’s very little room for the government to maneuver itself. And that is a problem that we need to address.”
Sayed-Khaiyum said difficult decisions were now required.
“I think what we need to do is, as we sit, cut back expenditure dramatically, operating expenditure, dramatically.”
“It may burn a few people. We need to do that.”
He said assistance should first be directed to vulnerable households.
“But prior to that, we need to provide targeted assistance to ordinary, marginalized Fijians,” he said…. PACNEWS
PACNEWS In Focus
The views expressed in PACNEWS are those of agencies contributing articles and do not necessarily those of PINA and/or PACNEWS
Candidates prepare for New Caledonia elections
By Nic Maclellan
NOUMEA, 11 JUNE 2026 (ISLANDS BUSINESS)—Voters in New Caledonia go to the polls on 28 June, to elect representatives for the islands’ three provincial assemblies – in the South, North and Loyalty Islands – and the national Congress of New Caledonia.
For most voters, a key concern is the drastic state of the economy, after six months of conflict in 2024 left 14 dead, hundreds arrested and a shattered economy. With reduced revenue from key sectors like tourism and the mining and smelting of nickel, the Government of New Caledonia and the three provincial administrations face a fiscal crisis. Many voters will seek candidates who can address job losses in the private sector and cutbacks to public services like health and public transport.
Beyond these immediate economic and social concerns, there is also uncertainty over proposals for a new political statute to replace the 1998 Noumea Accord, the framework agreement that has governed the islands for more than a quarter of a century. In April, the French National Assembly rejected the French government’s proposal for a new statute, known as the Bougival Accord. The collapse of the Bougival process has complicated these elections – even though the outcome will determine which parties can influence ongoing talks with the French State about a new political status for the Pacific dependency.
Lots of candidates
By 08 June, political parties and coalitions had lodged their final lists of candidates with the French High Commission in Noumea. This year, 12 electoral lists will compete for seats in the Southern Province, five in the Northern Province and seven in the Loyalty islands.
To gain a seat, an electoral list must win enough votes to reach a threshold of five per cent of registered voters in the province. It’s a system designed to encourages parties to form coalitions, but ensures that many smaller groups will not gain representation in the Congress. The multiplicity of candidates in the Southern Province means many people voting for smaller lists may be wasting their vote, as the list will not reach the 5 per cent required to win a seat.
Voters must choose 76 members for three provincial assemblies, which have different sizes: 40 seats for the Southern Province, 22 for the North and 14 in the Loyalty Islands. Each assembly elects its own president and executive, but a proportion of the assembly members also make up the 54-member Congress of New Caledonia in Noumea: 32 (out of 40) members from the Southern assembly, 15 (out of 22) from the Northern assembly and 7 (out of 14) from the Loyalty Islands assembly.
Under French legislation known as the parity law, women must make up 50 per cent of any electoral list, alternating male and female candidates. This ensures that nearly half the elected members will be women – a unique outcome amongst independent nations in Melanesia, where there are few women in the national legislature.
New Generation
Both Northern and Loyalty Islands provinces have majority Kanak populations, ensuring that most seats will be won by candidates from two pro-independence parliamentary groups: the Front de Libération Nationale Kanak et Socialiste (FLNKS) and the Union Nationale pour l’Indépendance (UNI).
UNI incudes the Parti de Libération Kanak (Palika) and Union Progréssiste en Mélanésie (UPM), two parties that were founding members of the FLNKS in 1984. However both have now left the coalition, critical of the dominance of the Union Calédonienne (UC) party and angered by the creation of the Cellule de coordination des actions de terrain (CCAT) network and its role in the May 2024 uprising in New Caledonia. Their subsequent decision to endorse a new political statute for New Caledonia, dubbed the Bougival Accord, led to internal debate: longstanding Palika leader Paul Néaoutyine denounced the agreement, even though his lieutenant Jean-Pierre Djaïwé was a key negotiator.
Néaoutyine, a veteran of the independence movement, has been president of the Northern Province assembly since 1999, and has served as mayor of the east coast town of Poindimié for 36 years. This week, as the UNI list for the Northern Province was published, Néaoutyine leads the charge, but Djaïwé is not included. Another Palika veteran, former President of New Caledonia Louis Mapou will head the UNI electoral list Unis pour le pays (United for the country) in the Southern Province, while Wali Wahetra heads the list “PALIKA Îles” in the Loyalty Islands.
In contrast to the choice of historic leaders by UNI, the FLNKS lists across the provinces are headed by a new generation of Union Calédonienne leadership.
UC’s Johanito Wamytan (age 46) leads the Kanaky pour tous (Kanaky for all) list in the South, supported by Oriane Trolue and UC Secretary General Dominique Fochi – many FLNKS veterans are placed near the bottom of the list (RDO’s Aloisio Sako at no.45, FLNKS President Christian Tein at no.47 and former Congress Speaker Roch Wamytan at no.49).
In the Loyalty Islands, Mickaël Forrest (age 46) will lead the FLNKS list (the current provincial president Matthias Waneux is not included in the list). In the North, Mayor of Houailou Pascal Sawa (age 44) heads the UC-FLNKS list. For Sawa, “you can really sense a desire to bring in younger candidates – though not without conditions. They need to be young people who are capable of doing the job, supported by those with more experience.”
Unity on the Right?
The Southern Province, including the capital Noumea and surrounding towns like Mont Dore, Dumbea and Païta, has long been a bastion of anti-independence parties. The outgoing provincial president Sonia Backès will now head a joint conservative list that unites the Right, despite suggestions earlier this year that she should stand aside for another figure.
Last April, a media release from the Rassemblement-Les Républicains party, signed by New Caledonia’s President Alcide Ponga, called for a coalition of parties opposed to independence but led by someone apart from Sonia Backès. Backlash from the Loyalists and within his own party has now seen Ponga reverse course. On 16 May, a communique pledging unity was signed by three leaders of the Loyalists bloc – Sonia Backès (Les Républicains Calédoniennes), Nicolas Metzdorf (Générations NC) and Gil Brial (Mouvement Populaire Calédonienne) – as well as Rassemblement’s Alcide Ponga.
Describing the list as “the last line of defence against independence”, their unity pledge states: “We come from different backgrounds, and we each have our own identity and sensibilities. But what unites us is far stronger than what divides us”, including “an unwavering commitment to France”, “economic recovery” and “a sustainable institutional solution.”
However, prospects for post-election unity remain uncertain, given historic and ongoing tensions between Rassemblement and the Loyalists. There are still scars from bitter fights during March’s municipal elections, as the Loyalists stormed into longtime Rassemblement fiefdoms. Beyond this, Rassemblement’s historic ties to the Les Républicains party in France will complicate relations with the Loyalists in the lead up to France’s May 2027 presidential poll, as New Caledonian leaders position themselves to benefit from the post-Macron era in Paris.
Within the South, several other politicians opposed to independence – but also opposed to Sonia Backès and her conservative policies – are running lists to try and create a middle ground.
Despite a poor showing in March’s municipal elections, the Wallisian and Tahitian party Eveil océanien (Pacific Awakening) will again run its own ticket under EO president Milakulo Tukumuli.
At the time of the 2009 elections, the Calédonie ensemble (CE) party under Philippe Gomès was running high, holding the presidency of the Government of New Caledonia and New Caledonia’s two seats in the French National Assembly. Today, the party is a shadow of past glories, with Gomès and party secretary Philippe Michel banned from running after convictions for abuse of public office, and Philippe Dunoyer leaving the party to run under his own banner, ironically named “Nous, Réunis!” (We united).
Instead, the remnants of CE have combined with dissident Rassemblement member Georges Naturel (one of two New Caledonian representatives in the French Senate), on the list “Une province pour tous, un pays solidaire, un avenir partagé” (A province for everyone, a united country, a shared future). The list is led by Wallis Kotra, a veteran journalist and former head of France TV, which hopes to win over voters disillusioned with the two major blocs.
Legal decision stuns Noumea
Just three weeks before the poll, conservative New Caledonians have been rocked by a judicial decision in Paris, exonerating a group of independence activists accused of fomenting the May 2024 riots and protests.
From late 2023, the Cellule de coordination des actions de terrain (CCAT) organised a series of peaceful rallies against the French government’s planned changes to voting rights in New Caledonia. But when riots and protests erupted across the capital Noumea on 13 May 2024, French authorities moved to arrest 14 key CCAT leaders.
Seven of the activists were then flown to France in a military aircraft, and held in pre-trial detention for months, often in solitary confinement. Christian Tein, Frédérique Muliava, Brenda Wanabo, Dimitri Tein-Qenegei, Guillaume Vama, Erwan Waetheane and Steeve Unë were charged with serious offences, including complicity in the attempted murder of a public official, armed robbery as part of an organised gang, or participation in a criminal conspiracy. They were held in in prisons scattered across France, complicating access for their lawyers and families.
But in a stunning decision on 5 June, a French court dropped all charges against Tein and the 13 other CCAT members, with three investigating judges now ruling that there was not “sufficient evidence” against the suspects.
Despite two years of denunciation and demonisation of Tein and other CCAT members, the judges in Paris determined that “there was no evidence linking Christian Tein to the offenses; the only incriminating evidence in the case file consisted of speeches, and the investigations had not identified any secret or clandestine conversations or meetings, nor any text messages or wiretaps that would support such a claim […] On the contrary, the case file contained a vast amount of evidence attesting to the clear intent of Christian Tein or the CCAT to call for calm and work toward de-escalation.”
In the 250-page decision, the judges concluded there were not enough grounds to prosecute any of the indicted activists, although the public prosecutor’s office has announced it will appeal the ruling.
The news from Paris was met with anger from anti-independence leaders in Noumea, who criticised the partiality of the French judges. In contrast, Tein’s lawyers welcomed the decision: “After being transferred 17,000 kilometres under appalling conditions, spending nearly a year in pretrial detention far from his family, facing political attacks and false accusations and fighting tooth and nail to prove his innocence, Christian Tein has been fully exonerated.”
This is not the latest legal setback for the French government. In May 2025, the French State was fined 28 million euros as insurer Allianz sought compensation for clients whose businesses at a shopping complex were looted and torched without sufficient police protection during the 2024 riots. Then in January this year, France’s national human rights body detailed significant violations of human rights and “violent, often disproportionate repression” by French security forces during the 2024 crisis. Other cases are currently before the courts, including Kanak activists accused of killing a French gendarme.
For many voters going to the polls on 28 June, this crisis remains a traumatic period that will influence their choice of candidate – although voting is not compulsory so the level of abstention will affect the outcome.
After the election, any incoming government will face a difficult challenge in forging a pathway forward. With French Presidential elections scheduled for May 2027 and current President Emmanuel Macron unable to stand again, it will be hard to agree on a new political statute for New Caledonia without knowing who will lead France into the future….PACNEWS
This month, Islands Business correspondent Nic Maclellan is in New Caledonia to report on the provincial election campaign – with stories posted to www.islandsbusiness.com
PACNEWS DIGEST
The views expressed in PACNEWS are those of agencies contributing articles and do not necessarily those of PINA and/or PACNEWS
How climate change is pressuring Tonga’s health system
NUKU’ALOFA, 11 JUNE 2026 (SPC)–New assessments show climate change is emerging as a significant challenge for Tonga’s health system, affecting water security, disease risks and service delivery.
In parts of Tonga’s outer islands, rural health centres are already being forced to close temporarily when water supplies become unavailable. For health officials, it is one of the clearest signs, yet that climate change is beginning to disrupt more than coastlines and ecosystems. It is affecting the systems communities rely on to stay healthy.
Recent climate and health consultations in Tonga found that water shortages, dengue outbreaks, heat stress and growing pressure on environmental health systems are already affecting service delivery and community wellbeing across the country.
The consultations, conducted from 20–24 April 2026 with Tonga’s Ministry of Health, the Pacific Community (SPC), civil society organisations and development partners, examined how climate risks are intersecting with public health challenges across the island nation.
The findings will help shape Tonga’s proposed Health Adaptation Plan and broader climate-health planning for 2026–2027, while supporting implementation of priorities under Tonga’s Third Nationally Determined Contributions.
Dr Ofa Tukia, Director of Public Health at Tonga’s Ministry of Health, said the consultations had helped strengthen the pathway toward developing a dedicated national Health Adaptation Plan.
“We are committed to advancing the development of Tonga’s Health Adaptation Plan and securing its endorsement through the Ministry of Health. The roadmap developed through this process provides an important foundation for ensuring our health system is prepared for the impacts of climate change. A healthy island requires a healthy climate.”
The assessment found that Tonga is facing multiple climate-sensitive health pressures. Dengue outbreaks in Ha’apai and Tongatapu have reinforced the need for stronger disease surveillance and vector control systems, while rising temperatures and water insecurity are placing additional strain on vulnerable communities and frontline services.
Community observations also showed that disasters and heat stress are worsening non-communicable disease outcomes in some areas. The assessment identified contamination risks in rainwater tanks, reliance on electricity and diesel-powered water pumps, and gaps in waste management and environmental monitoring systems.
At the same time, fragmented and outdated health and environmental data systems are limiting planning, surveillance and climate-health reporting, with water quality, waste management, air quality and vector surveillance data not yet fully integrated or digitised.
Kelera Oli, Climate Change and Health Programme Coordinator at SPC’s Public Health Division, said Pacific countries are increasingly seeing how climate impacts can affect health systems in practical and interconnected ways.
“Climate change is increasingly affecting water security, disease risks, infrastructure and service delivery across Pacific health systems. When health facilities are affected by water shortages, outbreaks or extreme heat, it highlights how closely climate resilience and health system resilience are linked”.
The consultations also highlighted how climate risks are stretching beyond emergency response into longer-term development and health planning.
Anne-Claire Goarant, Coordinator of SPC’s Climate Change Flagship, said Pacific countries are increasingly having to prepare for climate impacts across multiple systems at once.
“For Pacific island countries, climate change is increasingly affecting health, water security, infrastructure and community resilience simultaneously. Strengthening climate adaptation within health systems is becoming increasingly important as countries work to implement national climate commitments and prepare for more frequent and complex climate-related risks”.
The consultations engaged Tonga’s Environmental Health and Climate Change, Non-Communicable Diseases and Health Promotion divisions, alongside the Department of Climate Change, civil society organisations, church groups and youth representatives.
Key recommendations include accelerating development of the Health Adaptation Plan, strengthening climate-health surveillance and data systems, and improving coordination across environmental health, disease surveillance and community health programmes.
A national climate and health workshop is planned to help align priorities across government agencies, communities and development partners, with support from SPC, the World Health Organisation, Australia’s Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, the United Nations Children’s Fund and the Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environment Programme.
For Tonga, the findings reinforce a growing reality across the Pacific: building resilience to climate change is also about protecting the health systems and services communities rely on every day….PACNEWS
For more information: Kelera Oli, Climate Change and Health Programme Coordinator, Public Health Division, Pacific Community (SPC) kelerao@spc.int
Anne-Claire Goarant, Climate Change Flagship Coordinator, Climate Change and Sustainability Division, Pacific Community (SPC) anneclaireg@spc.int
