In this bulletin:
1. FIJI — Fiji’s Commercial Use of Marine Areas Bill fails to restore Qoliqoli ownership: Rewa Chief
2. PACIFIC — China ‘likely’ ran targeted campaign to align Pacific with its latest five-year plan
3. SOL— Solomon Islands launches US$3 million peacebuilding fund programme to support constitutional reform and decentralisation
4. PNG — PNG’S Kagua-Erave distric launches gun amnesty, calls for illegal firearms to be surrendered
5. FIJI — $11m in assets seized as Fiji faces money-laundering test
6. HAWAII — Hawaii braces for possible cyclone week after Hurricane Lala
7. FIJI — Fiji faces heart crisis
8. NZ — Pacific elders ‘just managing’ as poverty monitor reveals widespread hardship
9. PACNEWS BIZ — Palau tourism rebounds in 2026 as major markets post strong gains
10. PACNEWS BIZ — Shares in Solomon Islands Mineral Holding Limited now held in Trust for the People
11. PACNEWS BIZ — Palau’s renewable energy push moves toward larger battery storage
12. PACNEWS BIZ — PNG Cocoa Board to extend support to WNB growers
13. PACNEWS DIGEST — Helping Pacific fishers adapt to a changing ocean
14. PACNEWS DIGEST — NZ’s seasonal worker program: simplified processes and stronger worker protections
FIJI – MARINE AREAS BILL: PACNEWS PACNEWS 3: Fri 21 Aug 2026
Fiji’s Commercial Use of Marine Areas Bill fails to restore Qoliqoli ownership: Rewa Chief
SUVA, 21 AUGUST 2026 (PACNEWS)— Rewa chief Ro Naulu Mataitini has criticised Fiji Parliament’s passage of the Commercial Use of Marine Areas (CUMA) Bill 2025, saying the legislation fails to restore the proprietary ownership of qoliqoli areas promised to iTaukei customary owners.
Parliament passed the Bill this week, with the Government describing it as a landmark reform and an important step towards strengthening the governance, protection and sustainable utilisation of Fiji’s marine resources.
But Ro Naulu said the legislation does not deliver on the long-standing aspirations of the Great Council of Chiefs (Bose Levu Vakaturaga) and instead continues what he described as historical injustice.
He said the Bill does not restore what was taken from customary owners or fulfil the commitment made more than 140 years ago.
In 1881, Governor Sir William Des Vœux conveyed Queen Victoria’s wishes to the Bose Levu Vakaturaga, including that measures would be taken to secure each mataqali the reefs that properly belonged to it.
Ro Naulu said that commitment was never implemented despite several attempts over the years to address qoliqoli ownership.
He highlighted the 1975 Qoriniasi Bale Cabinet Sub-Committee, the 2006 Qoliqoli Bill and the Bose Levu Vakaturaga’s submission to the Constitutional Review Commission as evidence of repeated efforts to recognise customary ownership.
“Each generation has identified the problem. Each generation has proposed the same solution. Each generation has seen it denied.”
Ro Naulu said the key difference between the 2006 Qoliqoli Bill and the CUMA Bill was ownership.
The 2006 legislation sought to transfer proprietary rights from the State to qoliqoli owners, while CUMA focuses on regulation, sustainable use, commercial management and benefit-sharing.
He said the CUMA Bill leaves ownership with the State and only allows iTaukei customary owners to apply for ownership of limited commercial tourism areas.
“This is not ownership. This is conditional access dressed in the language of empowerment.”
Deputy Prime Minister Viliame Gavoka has acknowledged that ownership will not automatically transfer under the legislation.
“This is a process, not an automatic transfer. There is no automatic vesting,” he said.
Ro Naulu said this falls short of the position taken by the Bose Levu Vakaturaga, which called for proprietary ownership of all qoliqoli areas to be returned to customary owners, alongside recognition of customary laws and stronger iTaukei protections.
He said qoliqoli areas cannot be treated simply as commercial resources because they are closely connected to the Vanua, identity, culture, stewardship and inheritance.
Ro Naulu also rejected the argument that compensation and benefit-sharing under CUMA amount to recognition of ownership.
“Compensation for use is not recognition of ownership.”
Ro Naulu said the legislation also fails to address the concerns surrounding the 2010 Surfing Decree.
“CUMA does not repeal the 2010 Surfing Decree; it replaces it while preserving the moratorium on surfing areas, withholding proprietary ownership to the State, and denying customary holders the full rights promised in 1881,” he said.
Ro Naulu said the solution was to return proprietary ownership to customary owners while retaining regulatory authority and developing a joint-vesting commercial model.
“The only real solution is clear: Return proprietary ownership. Keep regulatory authority. Build a joint-vesting commercial model. Anything less is just another version of the Surfing Decree—with a nicer name.”
He said the Coalition Government was elected with support from iTaukei voters who expected the 2010 Surfing Decree to be repealed and qoliqoli ownership restored.
Instead, he said, CUMA continues the same injustice under a different framework.
“The question is not whether CUMA improves on the Surfing Decree. The question is whether Fiji will finally honour the promise made in 1881—or continue to deny the iTaukei what is rightfully theirs.”
“The ITaukei and the Bose Levu Vakaturaga watches,” Ro Naulu said….PACNEWS
PAC – DIPLOMACY: RADIO FREE ASIA PACNEWS 3: Fri 21 Aug 2026
China ‘likely’ ran targeted campaign to align Pacific with its latest five-year plan
WASHINGTON, 21 AUGUST 2026 (RADIO FREE ASIA)—China “very likely” coordinated a targeted campaign across the Pacific to demonstrate that local development strategies should align with Beijing’s latest five-year-plan, a recent report by The Alliance Futures Initiative says.
In the report, titled “China’s Model on the Offensive: Why China’s Five-Year Plan Promotion in the Pacific Matters,” the Washington-based think tank documented how in eight of the nine Pacific island countries where Beijing has an embassy, the heads of mission published op-eds in the local media touting the merits of China’s latest sweeping national policy framework proposed late last year and formally adopted in March.
“To international audiences, the PRC deliberately reframes the FYP from a domestic planning document into a predictable, scientific blueprint for global growth and cooperation,” the report said.
The campaign was not limited to media placement. Chinese diplomats also engaged in direct bilateral governance outreach, hosted diplomatic briefings – either open to the media or closed – with influential figures in business and government. The ultimate goal was to make the case that local development strategies were in line with the five-year plan, or that China was a more stable and reliable partner than its main rival with interests in the region, the United States.
The Alliance Futures Initiative, or TAFI, tracked the activities of Chinese Embassies since October 2025, finding more than 30 cases where ambassadors promoted the five-year plan.
“The frequency, similarity, and timing of output strongly imply MFA guidance,” the report said, referring to China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs. “Variance in message intensity, ideological depth, and host-country alignment claims tracks local conditions and individual ambassador style.”
A key aspect of the campaign is how China is using persuasion rather than coercion to influence the Pacific countries to fall in line, Jonah Bock, TAFI’s assistant director for research, who authored the report, told Radio Free Asia.
Bock highlighted key examples where China attempted to directly persuade key government officials. In Vanuatu, Ambassador Li Minggang extolled the virtues of China’s civil service oversight in a meeting with Ombudsman Hamilson Bulu and in Naoero, formerly Nauru, Ambassador Lyu Jin discussed judicial cooperation with Chief Justice Jay Udit.
“An ombudsman audits the government and a judiciary constrains it,” he said. “So these are really helping shape how Pacific governments actually function in China’s own model. And the importance of this is really normalization.”
Successfully persuading these countries to peacefully adopt a Chinese model is the goal of the campaign, he said.
“Coercion is expensive and it generates resistance. But persuasion does not. It’s relatively cheap for China to do,” Bock said. “If they can get these countries already using China’s development strategies, its models, then these officials will start to think like China and be more willing of their own ideas to cooperate with China.”
The TAFI report said that throughout the campaign, ambassadors focused on three topics when explaining why aligning with the five-year plan would benefit their host countries: green development, economic openness, and shared prosperity.
In Fiji, the Federated States of Micronesia, or FSM, and Tonga, the embassies pushed out messaging that touted China’s concern for the environment, saying Beijing had “contributed one-quarter of the world’s new green area” and built the “world’s largest clean power generation system.”
“Beijing tailored this message for climate-conscious Pacific audiences, with the FSM embassy noting that ‘green development has become a defining feature of contemporary China, where skies are bluer, waters are clearer, and lands are cleaner,’” the report said.
In Fiji and Papua New Guinea, or PNG, messaging also “championed” anti-protectionism, the report said.
“The Fiji embassy noted that China has ‘lifted all foreign investment restrictions in the manufacturing sector,’ and the PNG embassy opined that ‘while unilateralism and protectionism are on the rise… China remains firmly committed to opening up.’”
Messaging also focused on poverty alleviation and personal income increasing as a result of rapid economic growth, according to the report. In FSM, Ambassador Wu Wei’s op-ed said that due to China’s robust education and security systems, the “people’s sense of gain, happiness, and security have been significantly enhanced.”
“The themes Chinese ambassadors chose to emphasise … are not incidental,” the report said. “Each topic serves one or more of Beijing’s broader strategic objectives in the region, functioning simultaneously as a pitch for deeper cooperation, a contrast with Western alternatives, and a legitimization of the CCP’s political model.”
If China were to achieve all its objectives in the Pacific, the region would be hostile to the United States and the interests of Washington and its allies, especially Taiwan, Bock told RFA.
“We would have no more countries that recognise Taiwan. At the end of the day, that really is China’s first objective,” he said. “We would also start to see more economic dependencies, countries whose economic lifelines rely on China, which helps China again deepen their own influence.”
He said adoption of China’s governance models would sow the seeds of authoritarianism in the region. But the report outlined recommendations for the United States to counter the campaign.
It identified FSM, the Marshall Islands, Palau and PNG as a “strategic core” due to their “defence access and second-island-chain positioning” and suggested that efforts to shore up relationships with this core should take priority over symmetrical levels of engagement with the whole region.
It also suggested that Washington contest the same institutional grounds through judicial exchanges, legal-sector training, and civil service partnerships, noting that they “cost a fraction of infrastructure competition and defend exactly the ground now under cultivation.”
TAFI also recommended helping Pacific governments in areas that they are already requesting, and to use private capital in circumstances where government aid moves too slowly.
“These are things that are … already happening,” Bock told RFA. “For instance, for the Solomon Islands … five staff in their parliament just went to D.C. for a programme, with the U.S Congress on legislative processes.”
He said this was the type of exchange that the report recommends and that he would like to see more of these.
Additionally the report said that Washington could simply highlight Chinese actions in the Pacific to discredit Beijing’s claims of non-interference in the internal matters of other countries, a key part of China’s foreign policy that it often often invokes when deflecting criticism of its domestic policies.
“Beijing’s non-interference claim is falsifiable, and PRC embassies have falsified it in their own published material,” the report said.
“The United States does not need to argue this case. It needs to document it and let Pacific audiences draw conclusions.”…..PACNEWS
SOL – PEACEBUILDING FUND: SOL GOVT PACNEWS 3: Fri 21 Aug 2026
Solomon Islands launches US$3 million peacebuilding fund programme to support constitutional reform and decentralisation
HONIARA, 21 AUGUST 2026 (SOL GOVT)— The Solomon Islands Government has officially launched the Peacebuilding Fund Programme, a 24-month initiative aimed at strengthening peace, social cohesion, inclusive governance and decentralisation across all nine provinces.
Speaking at the launch in Honiara, George Temahua, Minister for Traditional Governance, Peace and Ecclesiastical Affairs, said the programme comes at a “significant time” in the country’s peacebuilding and constitutional reform journey.
“The Townsville Peace Agreement, signed in November 2000, was an important milestone. More than two decades later, we continue to draw important lessons from that experience,” Minister Temahua said.
“One of those lessons is that lasting peace requires more than resolving immediate conflict. It requires us to address the underlying political, social and economic issues that can create tensions within our society,” he said.
The US$3 million programme, approved in 2025, will run from April 2026 to April 2028. It is jointly delivered by UNDP, UNICEF and UN Women, with UNDP as lead convenor, in close partnership with the Government of Solomon Islands.
Minister Temahua said the purpose of the investment is to support Solomon Islands to “seize the renewed momentum around constitutional reform and decentralisation” and to ensure the process is “transparent, accountable, inclusive and evidence-based.”
The programme will provide technical assistance to the Constitutional Reform Unit, the Constituent Assembly, and other institutions. It will also generate evidence on decentralisation options appropriate for Solomon Islands, and examine issues relating to rights, resources and gender-responsive governance.
“Effective decentralisation is also about rebuilding and strengthening the social contract between the people and the state,” the Minister said. “Our people want improved services. They want development that reaches their communities. They want their voices to be heard.”
The programme will support initiatives at provincial, constituency and ward levels and will assist in the implementation of the Constituency Development Fund Act 2023, with a focus on inclusive and gender-responsive planning through Constituency Development Committees.
Minister Temahua emphasised that women and youth must be central to the process.
“Women are not simply beneficiaries. They are leaders, community organisers, peacebuilders and decision-makers. Our youth have an important role to play in shaping the future of Solomon Islands,” he said.
The programme will also promote public awareness and country-wide dialogues through radio, TV, SMS and social media to ensure people across all provinces can participate in shaping reform decisions.
Minister Temahua acknowledged the support of the United Nations Secretary-General’s Peacebuilding Fund and the partnership of UNDP, UNICEF and UN Women. He also thanked the New Zealand Government for its complementary contribution toward a national peacebuilding and governance perception survey.
“The United Nations and our development partners can provide technical expertise and resources. But the reform choices must be informed by the people of Solomon Islands and led through our national institutions,” he said.
“The success of this programme should be measured by whether it helps us build stronger institutions, improve public trust, and create governance arrangements that better respond to the needs of our people,” Minister Temahua added.
He concluded by calling for continued partnership in the spirit of “transparency, accountability, inclusion and national ownership” and urged all Solomon Islanders to use this opportunity to build a more peaceful, inclusive and united nation…PACNEWS
PNG – GUN AMNESTY: THE PNG BULLETIN PACNEWS 3: Fri 21 Aug 2026
PNG’S Kagua-Erave distric launches gun amnesty, calls for illegal firearms to be surrendered
PORT MORESBY, 21 AUGUST 2026 (THE PNG BULLETIN)—Papua New Guinea’s Kagua -Erave District Administrator Ludwig Orapawa has called on people throughout the district to surrender illegal firearms and ammunition under the 2026 National Gun Amnesty, warning that enforcement operations will follow once the amnesty ends on 16 September.
Orapawa said the amnesty in Kagua Erave begins Friday, and is aimed at removing illegal weapons from communities and restoring lasting peace, security and normalcy across the district.
His appeal follows the Southern Highlands Provincial Government’s decision at its fourth Provincial Assembly sitting on August 19 to support the nationwide gun amnesty initiative.
Orapawa said Kagua Erave would fully participate in the programme as part of the wider provincial and national effort to address illegal firearms and gun-related violence.
“For too long, the proliferation of illegal firearms has fuelled tribal violence, destroyed families, threatened our communities and held back the development of our district,” he said.
“Today, we choose a different path.”
He called on people possessing illegal firearms, homemade guns, unlicensed weapons and ammunition to voluntarily surrender them during the amnesty period.
Weapons can be surrendered at police stations, the district office or designated surrender points established by the Joint Security Task Force.
Orapawa said people in remote communities could also work through their ward councillors and LLG presidents to have weapons handed over to police at Kagua or Erave.
He said the purpose of the amnesty was to encourage voluntary surrender rather than punishment during the designated period.
Under the announced arrangements, Orapawa said people voluntarily surrendering illegal firearms during the amnesty would not be charged in relation to possession of the surrendered weapon, while questions would not be asked about how the weapon was obtained and identities would be protected.
He described surrendering firearms as an act of courage and responsibility towards families and communities.
“Surrender your gun for the common good and peace,” Orapawa said.
“To surrender your gun is to protect your children and your community.”
He said surrendered weapons would be registered before being destroyed by the State through a transparent process.
The amnesty is expected to culminate with the National Peace and Security Summit on September 16, on the eve of Papua New Guinea’s 51st Independence anniversary.
Orapawa said the summit would bring together national leaders, churches, traditional leaders, women, youth and security forces to discuss measures aimed at bringing an end to gun violence and establishing lasting peace.
He warned that the voluntary amnesty period would end on September 16 and urged gun holders not to waste the opportunity.
According to Orapawa, after the amnesty expires, Kumul 23 and other security personnel are expected to participate in coordinated enforcement operations targeting illegal weapons.
Those subsequently found unlawfully possessing firearms would be dealt with according to law, he said.
Orapawa particularly appealed to fathers, mothers, young men and tribal leaders throughout Kagua-Erave to take responsibility and support the peace initiative.
“Bring forward the guns. Choose peace. Choose your family. Choose Papua New Guinea,” he said.
“Let us enter our 51st year of Independence as one people, united and gun-free.”
Orapawa said removing illegal firearms from communities was essential if Kagua Erave was to put tribal violence behind it, restore government services and create an environment where families could live safely and development could progress.
“The message for Kagua-Erave is simple: surrender the guns for the common good and choose peace,” he said….PACNEWS
FIJI – MONEY LAUNDERING: FIJI SUN PACNEWS 3: Fri 21 Aug 2026
$11m in assets seized as Fiji faces money-laundering test
SUVA, 21 AUGUST 2026 (FIJI SUN)—The Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions’ civil forfeiture unit seized roughly $11 million(US$5.5 million) in assets linked primarily to drug syndicates, including a massive $9 million property bust.
Minister for Justice Siromi Turaga revealed the figures in Parliament yesterday, warning that Fiji’s money-laundering risk remains high and the country must act decisively to protect its financial integrity.
Turaga said illicit narcotics, organised crime, tax evasion and illegal fishing were the primary drivers of illicit funds entering the country.
In 2025, the Fiji Police Force seized almost $10 million (US$5 million) worth of proceeds of crime and unexplained wealth as authorities targeted assets linked to criminal networks involved in the illicit drug trade.
This masthead reported in May that Police had seized $435,206.43 in cash, properties valued at $9.27 million(US$4,6 million) and vehicles worth $110,000(US$55,000) last year.
With a critical mutual evaluation by the Asia-Pacific Group on Money Laundering (APG) due next month, Turaga said the pressure was on Fiji to prove that its legal frameworks were not just on paper but effective in practice.
“The burden is on Fiji to demonstrate that it has complied with international standards. It is important that Fiji does well in the mutual evaluation. A non-favourable finding from this assessment process may result in serious negative consequences for Fiji,” he said.
He cautioned that a poor evaluation could have severe consequences.
“Serious negative consequences for Fiji include grey listing by international partners and financial institutions, crippling trade and financing opportunities.”
Turaga said the result of the mutual evaluation would be relied upon by a wide range of domestic and international stakeholders, including the International Monetary Fund (IMF), World Bank and foreign investors.
Responding to Turaga’s statement, Opposition MP Premila Kumar pointed to operational gaps between agencies responsible for dealing with financial crimes, including the Fiji Financial Intelligence Unit (FFIU), Fiji Police Force and Fiji Revenue and Customs Service (FRCS).
Kumar said domestic oversight had revealed a system struggling to connect the dots, highlighting a disconnect between intelligence gathered by the FFIU and action taken by Police and FRCS.
She referred to a recent consultation with the FFIU, where she said reports from 2024 were still at the preliminary stage.
“That means people who are involved, they’ve gone. What are we looking for? How long will it take?
“There is a major gap in the reports generated and the action taken on the ground.”
Kumar also raised concerns over tax crimes, saying 86 percent of the value of suspicious transactions stemmed from tax evasion. She said FRCS reports failed to reference FFIU intelligence or outline concrete action taken against offenders.
“FRCS report does not make any reference to the suspicious transactions or the intelligence products sent by FFIU to them.
“At the end of the day, the story is that we have a body that produces intelligence report from its database, and the database is running in millions, like they have got 32 million or 37 million data stored.”
Kumar called for urgent attention to be paid to the institutions, arguing that gaps in reporting and follow-up were allowing suspects in drug cases and serious financial crimes to slip through the cracks……PACNEWS
HAWAII – CYCLONE: AP PACNEWS 3: Fri 21 Aug 2026
Hawaii braces for possible cyclone week after Hurricane Lala
HONOLULU, 21 AUGUST 2026 (AP)—Communities still recovering from last weekend’s hurricane in Hawaii could get pounded again in coming days from another tropical system gaining strength over warm Pacific waters.
Hurricane Lala tore roofs off houses, uprooted trees, covered roads in mud and rock and left many households without electricity. With thousands of homes and businesses still in the dark Thursday, forecasters warned another tropical cyclone is likely to form southeast of the islands soon.
A depression moving west and northwest could become a tropical storm later Thursday and pass near or south of Hawaii’s Big Island over the weekend or early next week, according to the U.S Central Pacific Hurricane Centre. That system could dump up to 15 inches (38 centimetres) of rain across the Big Island and trigger life-threatening flooding, mudslides and rip currents, the hurricane centre added.
Forecasters said the disturbance had top sustained winds of 35 mph (55 kph) and was located about 900 miles (1,445 kilometers) east-southeast of Hilo, Hawaii.
Hawaii Governor Josh Green and other state officials planned a news conference Thursday afternoon to discuss preparations for the approaching system as well as ongoing recovery efforts from Lala, which has been blamed for two deaths.
Residents found the body of a man in his 60s in a pasture Tuesday, a day after authorities recovered the body of May Doi, 93, whom neighbors said was trying to escape from floodwaters in her home. Doi was a beloved former kindergarten teacher who taught generations of residents in a small town on Hawaii’s Big Island.
“She taught grandkids of her students,” said ʻĀina Akamu, a former student of Doi who is now a vice principal at a local school. “She was a fixture in this community.’’
Lala’s heaviest recorded rainfall, 43.54 inches (1.1 metres), occurred on the northeast coast of the Big Island, the National Weather Service said. Dozens of homes were washed from foundations, bridges were damaged and about 13,200 customers on the Big Island remained without power Thursday.
Efforts to restore power in the hard-hit areas of the Big Island could take at least two weeks, the Hawaiian Electric utility said.
Lala is the first major hurricane of 2026 in the Central Pacific Ocean. Now well west of Hawaii’s main islands, Lala had top sustained winds of 90 mph (150 kph) on Thursday and was spreading hurricane conditions across parts of the Papahanaumokuakea Marine National Monument — a remote area at the northwestern edge of the Hawaiian Archipelago. The impacts were being felt between Lisianski Island and Maro Reef, authorities said.
Forecasters said Lala would cross the waters of the marine national monument for a few days and remain at hurricane strength despite some gradual weakening.
Even in that vast and remote area, people were seeking safety. A charter boat carrying a 16-member crew dedicated to removing marine plastics and abandoned fishing nets from the shores of the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands got out of Lala’s projected path this week.
Kevin O’Brien, president of the nonprofit Papahanaumokuakea Marine Debris Project, said the vessel left Lisianski Island on Monday and headed hundreds of miles (kilometres) out to sea.
“We were ready for it,” O’Brien said. “We keep on our toes out here during hurricane season,” he said….PACNEWS
FIJI – HEALTH: FIJI TIMES PACNEWS 3: Fri 21 Aug 2026
Fiji faces heart crisis
SUVA, 21 AUGUST 2026 (FIJI TIMES)—Cardiovascular diseases are Fiji’s main killer, says Pacific Specialist Healthcare cardiologist Dr Sanjeev Kumar Khubey.
He said while there were increasing solutions to addressing the disease through specialised health and medical care in Fiji, locals should strive to adopt a more health conscious lifestyle.
“NCDs is a major issue in Fiji,” said Dr Khubey.
“Currently cardiovascular deaths are the major cause of NCD-related mortality in Fiji.
“The investigative part is not yet advanced to identify these things much earlier. And the lifestyle is definitely a major contributor.”
He said Fijians have adopted a lifestyle that has a high chance of contracting a non communicable disease.
“The olden days diet was good, but their current lifestyle is bad.
“People are adapting to the new lifestyle which is actually affecting them.
“We have the sea around us, and we could have fresh fish, but we prefer to eat canned tuna and canned salmon.
“We don’t want what is there in the sea that is fresh.
“We are consuming almost everything that is preserved, frozen or fried in oil.”
Dr Khubey said the hospital received and conducted surgery an average of 15 cardiac cases each month.
“On average we are operating on 15 cardiac cases in a month.
“The thing is we are also getting cases from surrounding nations as well. There are nearly 30 patients that we are getting from Samoa, Tonga, Kiribati, Tuvalu, Vanuatu and Nauru.
“People are finding out that there are facilities available to them they could access and they are opting for it because of the position of the hospital and PSH has all of those capabilities.”
According to the Ministry of Health, nearly 3000 annual deaths are explicitly tied to cardiovascular conditions
Meanwhile, more than 470 free life-saving heart surgeries have been performed at the Sri Sathya Sai Sanjeevani Heart Hospital since it opened in 2022, as the facility expands its services to adults amid the growing burden of heart disease across Fiji and the Pacific.
Joining the hospital’s mission is Australian philanthropy and partnerships specialist Stephanie Lenert, who has moved from Sydney to Suva to strengthen partnerships and expand access to specialist cardiac care.
“I believe in the power of community.”
Lenert brings more than 18 years’ experience across the private, community services and not-for-profit sectors, including Lifeline Australia, Act for Peace and CatholicCare.
At Act for Peace, she secured the organisation’s largest major gift in its 75-year history, supporting people affected by conflict and displacement.
Her work has focused on philanthropy, partnerships and major donor engagement, bringing together schools, businesses, trusts, foundations and institutions.
An estimated 200 children in Fiji and 2500 across the Pacific are born with congenital heart disease each year, while overseas treatment can cost more than $100,000(US$50,000).
The hospital has expanded services to provide free heart care for adults, responding to cardiovascular disease, which remains Fiji’s leading cause of death.
“Cardiovascular disease remains Fiji’s leading cause of death,” Minister for Health Dr Ratu Atonio Lalabalavu said…..PACNEWS
NZ – POVERTY: PMN PACNEWS 3: Fri 21 Aug 2026
Pacific elders ‘just managing’ as poverty monitor reveals widespread hardship
AUCKLAND, 21 AUGUST 2026 (PMN)—Auckand Council is being asked to do more for Pacific elders after a damning new report.
The inaugural Older Persons Poverty Monitor has revealed Pacific people aged 65 and over experienced disproportionately high levels of hardship.
Auckland-based 360 Tautua Trust, which supports Pacific mātua in Auckland and Christchurch, says many of the elders it works with are clearly feeling the pressure.
Romana Fetu, chief executive, said some were stretching groceries, using less heating and putting on more clothes to keep warm, relying on family for transport or walking when they were not physically capable of doing so. Others were putting off dental appointments because of the additional cost.
“I think what we see is that many of our elders are just managing.”
The report backs that picture up with hard facts revealing that about 57 percent lived in accommodation they did not own, 19 percent were living without essentials, and almost a third had put off going to a doctor or dentist because of cost.
Pacific people recorded the highest rates of poverty across seven of the nine measures where ethnic comparisons were available.
The Monitor provides New Zealand’s first consistent baseline for measuring poverty among older people and is intended to be updated annually.
Fetu said people needed to stop thinking that reaching retirement automatically means financial security, because it isn’t the case for everyone.
She said high rents and insecure housing left less money for food, electricity, transport, medical assistance, dental care and participation in community life. Some Pacific elders were also reluctant to seek support.
Fetu said local government have the tools to support mātua.
“I think Auckland Council and local boards could fund what already works.”
She called for more sustainable investment in trusted Pacific-led organisations already serving mātua, rather than recreating services or relying on small, one-off grants.
Alicia Sudden, chief executive of the New Zealand Council of Christian Social Services, said the ethnic breakdown showed a significant disparity.
“We saw some really worrying data on Pacific people. They recorded the highest rates of poverty across seven of the nine measures that we looked at, which was really concerning.”
Housing was particularly important because older renters could face changing costs, instability if required to move and difficulties modifying their homes as their health needs changed.
“I don’t think it’s acceptable that we’ve got Pacific people who are heading over the age of 65 and they don’t have enough to meet their basic needs.”
She said local government could contribute through housing and community connection, including libraries, green spaces and public transport.
Kenneth Aiolupotea, Auckland Council general manager community wellbeing, said the report highlighted challenges facing older Aucklanders in the current economic climate.
He said the council continued to support central government agencies and community organisations working directly with elderly people, including older Pacific people, to reduce the effects of poverty.
“The insights from this report may help inform our approach to continue to do this effectively and in a targeted way to reach those most vulnerable,” he said……PACNEWS
PACNEWS BIZ
PALAU – TOURISM INDUSTRY: ISLAND TIMES PACNEWS BIZ: Fri 21 Aug 2026
Palau tourism rebounds in 2026 as major markets post strong gains
KOROR, 21 AUGUST 2026 (ISLAND TIMES) — Palau’s tourism sector is showing a stronger and more resilient recovery in 2026, with visitor arrivals through July up 27 percent from the same period last year and several key markets recording double-digit growth.
Palau welcomed 51,040 visitors from January through July 2026, compared with 40,339 during the first seven months of 2025, according to the Palau Visitors Authority’s July 2026 visitor arrival report.
The improvement contrasts with 2025, when arrivals weakened after a strong June and remained softer through much of the second half of the year. In 2026, arrivals also dipped in June to 5,925 but rebounded to 6,963 in July, indicating stronger mid-year resilience.
China remains Palau’s largest source market, accounting for 36 percent of January-July arrivals. Taiwan followed with 17 percent, while Japan and USA/Canada each represented 14 percent. Europe accounted for 7 percent, Australia 5 percent, South Korea 2 percent and other markets 6 percent.
Japan has been the standout growth market, with arrivals up 80 percent year over year through July. Australia rose 68 percent, South Korea 57 percent and China 46 percent. Europe increased 11 percent, while Taiwan and USA/Canada posted more modest gains of 4 percent and 2 percent, respectively.
The growth reflects both stronger demand and improved air connectivity. United Airlines now operates 10 scheduled flights a week to Koror, including two direct Tokyo-Narita flights introduced in October 2025. China Airlines increased Taiwan service to four flights a week, while Philippine Airlines began twice-weekly Manila-Koror service in March. Qantas continues weekly Brisbane service, while charter links from Hong Kong and Macau support Asian arrivals.
The new Japan service appears particularly important as Palau works to rebuild one of its traditional tourism markets. PVA has supported the Narita route through Japanese marketing and a media familiarization campaign designed to increase awareness and seat occupancy.
China’s growth is also significant because it remains Palau’s largest market. July arrivals included 2,776 Chinese visitors, followed by 1,451 from Taiwan, 1,174 from USA/Canada and 771 from Japan.
Connectivity, however, remains a factor to watch. The Brisbane-Nauru-Tarawa-Majuro-Pohnpei-Palau Island Hopper service ceased in June, while several other scheduled and charter services remain suspended.
Still, the current trajectory points to a stronger year-end performance than 2025. If the January-July average of about 7,300 arrivals per month were sustained, Palau would approach 87,500 visitors for 2026. That is a simple pace-based projection, not an official forecast, and actual arrivals will depend on seasonal demand, flight capacity and market conditions.
A major boost is expected in late August and early September when Palau hosts the 55th Pacific Islands Forum Leaders Meeting from 30 August to 04 September.
The regional gathering is expected to bring leaders, officials, media and other participants to Koror, adding a significant temporary lift to visitor traffic.
With broad-based growth, expanded air links and the Forum meeting ahead, Palau enters the final months of 2026 with a more favorable tourism outlook than it had at the same point last year….PACNEWS
SOL – MINERAL HOLDING SHARES: SOL GOVT PACNEWS BIZ: Fri 21 Aug 2026
Shares in Solomon Islands Mineral Holding Limited now held in Trust for the People
HONIARA, 21 AUGUST 2026 (SOL GOVT)—Solomon Islands Minister of Finance and Treasury has confirmed that the ownership arrangements for Solomon Islands Mineral Holding Limited (SIMHL) have now been corrected to ensure full compliance with the law and to protect the public interest.
SIMHL was legally incorporated. However, errors were made in the initial recording of share ownership. These have now been regularised so that the company meets all requirements under the State-Owned Enterprises Act and the Companies Act.
The Government emphasises that State-owned enterprises belong to the people of the Solomon Islands.
Under the State-Owned Enterprises Act, shares held on behalf of the State must be held by the relevant Accountable Ministers.
For SIMHL, these are the Minister for Finance and Treasury, and the Minister for Mines, Energy and Rural Electrification.
“The Government wishes to make it clear that these shares are not the personal assets of the Ministers. Ministers hold the shares in trust on behalf of the State and the people of Solomon Islands,” Finance Minister Gordon Darcy Lilo said in a statement
“The office of a Minister is a separate legal entity from the person holding that office. This is a fundamental feature of public trust,” Lilo added.
As a result, Lilo said Accountable Ministers must exercise shareholder rights in accordance with the law, Cabinet policy, and the national interest — not for personal, political, or private benefit.
To strengthen oversight, the Government will update the company rules and governance arrangements for SIMHL to ensure it is fully subject to the State-Owned Enterprises Act and to Cabinet direction.
Lilo said the Government will also review the company rules and governance arrangements of Solomon Islands Airport Corporation Limited and Solomon Islands Tower Limited, which were registered by the previous Government.
“This review is not intended to interfere with commercial operations. Its purpose is to ensure these State-owned enterprises are properly aligned with the State-Owned Enterprises Act and that they operate in a way that protects the national interest and benefits the people,” Lilo added.
The correction of the ownership arrangements for Solomon Islands Mineral Holding Limited reflects the Government’s commitment to transparency, accountability, and the proper stewardship of public assets.
The Government will continue to ensure that all State-owned enterprises are properly established, properly governed, and operated for the benefit of the people of Solomon Islands…PACNEWS
PALAU – RENEWABLE ENERGY: ISLAND TIMES PACNEWS BIZ: Fri 21 Aug 2026
Palau’s renewable energy push moves toward larger battery storage
KOROR, 21 AUGUST 2026 (ISLAND TIMES)— Palau’s transition toward renewable electricity is entering another phase as the country moves to expand battery storage capacity connected to its existing solar power system.
A 19.8-megawatt-hour battery energy storage system is planned as an addition to Palau’s existing solar-plus-storage facility. The expansion is backed by Australian development financing and is intended to strengthen the country’s ability to integrate renewable electricity into its power grid.
The project builds on Palau’s existing large-scale solar facility, which was completed in 2023.
The solar installation has a capacity of about 15 megawatts and is located in Ngatpang State on Babeldaob. The facility includes battery storage and was developed to supply electricity to Palau’s central grid.
Battery storage is important because solar panels do not produce electricity at night and their output changes with weather conditions.
A battery system allows electricity generated when solar production is high to be stored and used later. That can help a power system make greater use of renewable energy while reducing the need to immediately rely on conventional generation when solar production declines.
Australia has committed about 16.38 million Australian dollars through the Australian Infrastructure Financing Facility for the Pacific to support Palau’s renewable energy integration efforts. The Australian government says the project will upgrade Palau’s electricity grid and help maximize the use of renewable energy generated by the Palau Solar facility.
The Australian-backed program is expected to enable renewable sources to provide up to 25 percent of Palau’s total electricity demand.
The development is part of a broader effort to reduce Palau’s dependence on imported fossil fuels and increase the share of renewable energy in the country’s electricity supply.
For an island nation, energy security has implications beyond environmental policy.
Palau imports fuel for conventional electricity generation, meaning changes in international fuel prices and supply conditions can affect the cost and reliability of energy. Increasing domestic renewable generation can reduce some of that exposure while also lowering emissions associated with electricity production.
The existing solar facility was described by its developer as one of the largest solar and battery projects in the Western Pacific when it was launched. Its 15.3-megawatt solar photovoltaic system and 12.9-megawatt-hour battery system were designed to supply more than 20 percent of Palau’s electricity needs.
The planned battery expansion would increase the storage capacity available to the grid.
However, battery storage alone does not eliminate the need for conventional generation. Solar output varies, electricity demand changes throughout the day, and the grid still requires systems capable of maintaining reliability when renewable generation is unavailable.
The project therefore represents more than simply adding batteries to Palau’s energy infrastructure. It is part of an effort to redesign how renewable electricity is integrated into the national grid.
As Palau continues developing its renewable energy system, the effectiveness of the expanded storage capacity will ultimately depend on how well solar generation, batteries and the existing electricity network work together.
For consumers, the significance may be less visible than the solar panels themselves.
The long-term goal is a power system that can use more locally generated renewable electricity while maintaining a stable supply of power to homes, businesses and public services….PACNEWS
PNG – COCOA INDUSTRY: THE NATIONAL PACNEWS BIZ: Fri 21 Aug 2026
PNG Cocoa Board to extend support to WNB growers
PORT MORESBY, 21 AUGUST 2026 (THE NATIONAL) —Coca farmers in Talasea, West New Britain, will get technical and resource support from the PNG Cocoa Board following the signing of a memorandum of understanding (MoU) between them on Monday this week
The deal between the Cocoa Board, provincial administration and the district development authority is to formalise a working relationship that will see the cocoa board assisting growers in the rural areas with seedlings, technical skills and support to boost production.
Talasea MP Freddie Kumai said it would address the support needed from the Department of Agriculture and Livestock (DAL) through the Cocoa Board.
“We were advised that we should enter into a MoU with the Cocoa Board to get resource or technical support from the department, so that the industry can assist our growers in the rural areas,” he said.
Kumai said the district had already distributed 250,000 seedlings to growers since its programme began in 2022, and the new arrangement would help address ongoing challenges in getting seedlings to farmers.
Cocoa Board chief executive officer Jesse Tukup Anjen said the partnership would open the door to better technology and more support for growers.
“All we need to do is drive these partnerships, get the technology, get the seedling, and we will have more come out,” he said.
WNB Governor Sasindran Muthuvel said the province was committed to working with the Cocoa Board to grow the industry.
“We will continue to assist cocoa, copra and coffee,” he said.
“We are keen to work closely with all these commodities, which are very friendly to our soil, friendly to our people, and put more money in the pockets of our people,” Muthuvel said……PACNEWS
PACNEWS DIGEST
The views expressed in PACNEWS are those of agencies contributing articles and do not necessarily those of PINA and/or PACNEWS
Helping Pacific fishers adapt to a changing ocean
SYDNEY, 21 AUGUST 2026 (UNSW)—A UNSW-led partnership is using ocean temperature sensors to help Pacific fishers navigate changing tuna behaviour, while providing vital data for fisheries management and climate forecasting.
Across the Pacific, millions of people depend on tuna, opens in a new window for food, jobs and national income. As climate change alters ocean temperatures, however, the fish are shifting, creating growing uncertainty for the communities and economies that rely on them.
Now, a UNSW Sydney-led research program is helping Pacific nations adapt by turning commercial fishing vessels into ocean observing platforms.
The Integrated Marine Observing System, opens in a new window and Fishing Vessels as Ships of Opportunity Observing Program (FishSOOP), opens in a new window, led by UNSW, works with the commercial fishing industry to gather invaluable ocean observations.
Following the program’s success in Australian waters, FishSOOP is expanding its reach to work with fishing vessels in the Pacific through a partnership with SPC, opens in a new window (the Pacific Community), recognising the critical importance of tuna fisheries to Pacific Island nations.
Commercial tuna fishing vessels are equipped with Moana temperature sensors, opens in a new window attached directly to nets and lines which automatically measure subsurface ocean temperatures, as the gear is used during normal fishing operations.
“Tuna fisheries are critical to the region’s economy, food security and livelihoods. However, tuna stocks are increasingly under threat from climate change, which is expected to alter their distribution and abundance, creating uncertainty for communities that depend on them,” said Professor Moninya Roughan, an oceanographer from UNSW.
“Because tuna is such a priority across the Pacific, SPC immediately recognised the potential for this program to make a real difference.
“By partnering with the Pacific tuna fleet to collect ocean observations, including temperature data, the program will improve understanding of changing ocean conditions, support better fisheries management, strengthen climate forecasting such as El Niño and extreme weather events, and ultimately help protect the livelihoods of people across the Pacific.”
Looking beneath the surface
Although oceans cover more than 70% of the Earth’s surface, it remains remarkably under-observed.
Professor Roughan said that while satellites provide invaluable information, they only measure temperatures in the ocean’s top centimetre, while commercially important fish such as tuna live hundreds of metres below the surface.
“Satellites tell us what’s happening at the surface, but that’s not necessarily what’s happening where the fish actually are.
“Commercial fishing vessels, however, travel these waters every day and, if appropriately instrumented, can fill these gaps. Unlike traditional research vessels, which are expensive and can only survey limited areas for short periods, fishing vessels can routinely collect observations across vast areas while carrying out their normal operations,” Professor Roughan explained.
The sensors record temperature, pressure, location and time as fishing gear moves through the water. Within minutes, the information is transmitted via satellite, processed automatically and returned to participating fishers. This can inform the operations of the fishing vessel while also making information available to improve fisheries management and understanding of changing ocean conditions.
Each time fishing gear is deployed, Moana sensors collect temperature data that helps Pacific fishers understand conditions hundreds of metres below the surface. Temperatures at depths of 200–400 metres can differ from surface temperatures by 3-5°C, and fishers are using this information to identify cooler water and temperature gradients associated with better fishing conditions.
“It is giving fishers visibility into conditions they previously couldn’t see, effectively helping them to stop ‘fishing in the dark’,” Professor Roughan said.
“Some Pacific fishing companies have found the data valuable enough to request sensors for additional vessels or purchase their own equipment. This industry co-investment is an encouraging indication that fishers see practical value in the observations.”
Better forecasts, safer communities
The benefits extend well beyond fisheries.
Ocean observations collected by FishSOOP are shared in real time through the World Meteorological Organisation’s Global Telecommunication System, making them immediately available to forecasting agencies around the world.
Those observations improve estimates of subsurface ocean heat, a critical factor in predicting tropical cyclones, marine heatwaves, ocean circulation and climate variability.
“Getting better information about ocean heat content improves our ocean and atmospheric models,” Prof. Roughan said.
“That ultimately improves forecasts of tropical cyclones, storms and drought, helping communities prepare for extreme weather.”
The data also help researchers better understand marine heatwaves and coastal ocean processes, while fisheries managers can combine ocean observations with catch information, where fishers choose to share it, to better understand how changing ocean conditions affect fish stocks.
Built on trust
One of the project’s greatest successes has been the relationship between scientists and fishers.
Rather than simply collecting data from industry, the program was designed so participating fishers receive the information first, allowing them to better understand the ocean conditions influencing their catches.
Professor Roughan said the approach has created genuine trust.
During a visit to Papua New Guinea, she found herself aboard a fishing vessel with a Filipino captain, a Korean fishing master, Papua New Guinean fisheries staff and observers, and colleagues from SPC based in the Solomon Islands and New Caledonia.
“I couldn’t understand what they were saying,” Professor Roughan said. “But when they’d finished talking, the other captain gratefully took the equipment and installed it on his own vessel.
“It was a powerful reminder that the program’s greatest advocates had become the fishers themselves. They’re using the data. They expect the data. If they don’t receive it, they contact us.
“They really care about the ocean because their livelihoods depend on it. They also have an extraordinary depth of knowledge about the relationship between ocean conditions and their catch. Bringing that knowledge together with science makes both stronger.”
From curiosity to global impact
Professor Roughan admits the project began with a simple research problem.
“I actually started it because I needed more observations for my own coastal ocean research.”
Today, the program supports commercial fishers, fisheries managers, weather agencies and scientists, while contributing to improved climate and ocean forecasting across the Pacific.
Since launching in 2017, the international network has grown from a handful of vessels in Australia and New Zealand to around 500–600 commercial fishing vessels operating across the Western and Central Pacific, the Indian and Southern Oceans, Brazil and Canada. The network also has collaborators in Europe, the USA, Caribbean and Africa doing similar work as part of the Fishing Vessel Observation Network.
Professor Roughan believes this is only the beginning.
“The vision is a truly global network of 10,000 commercial fishing vessels helping us better understand the ocean, and ultimately, helping communities everywhere that depend on it,” he said…. PACNEWS
PACNEWS DIGEST
The views expressed in PACNEWS are those of agencies contributing articles and do not necessarily those of PINA and/or PACNEWS
NZ’s seasonal worker program: simplified processes and stronger worker protections
By Charlotte Bedford
WELLINGTON, 21 AUGUST 2026 (DEVPOLICY.ORG) —At the end of July, New Zealand’s Immigration Minister Erica Stanford took the stage at the annual Recognised Seasonal Employer (RSE) conference to announce a series of scheme changes.
The RSE scheme, launched in 2007, lets New Zealand horticulture and viticulture employers recruit workers from nine Pacific Island and seven Asian countries for seasonal jobs (planting, maintaining, harvesting and packing) when there are not enough New Zealanders available. The reforms — which are the result of a sporadic, multi-year policy review — were framed as practical housekeeping. The RSE scheme “has been a standout success for nearly 20 years”, stated the Minister, but over time the rules have become “complicated and burdensome”.
The reforms are focused largely on streamlining processes for RSE employers and providing better worker protections, and will be implemented from early 2027 to 2029. On the employer side, accreditation will become graduated: new employers will receive a one-year term, extending to three- or six-year terms with a good compliance record. The Agreement to Recruit (ATR) process will be quicker and easier for employers who have Ministry of Social Development endorsement for ensuring New Zealanders remain prioritised for seasonal jobs, and compliance will be more targeted, with proportionate responses to non-compliance. The tasks permissible under RSE work will also be broadened (for example, machinery operation) where this supports the worker’s primary roles of planting, maintaining, harvesting and packing.
Worker protections are strengthened in several ways. There will be greater transparency around worker costs (for example, for accommodation, transport and medical insurance), including a clear list of costs recoverable by employers, and a standard cost recovery agreement will be signed prior to workers travelling to New Zealand. Workers will find it easier to move between accredited employers in certain circumstances outside of approved joint ATR arrangements, such as unforeseen weather events or business disruptions that unexpectedly limit available work, and those who leave because of reported mistreatment will be able to access the migrant exploitation protection visa. Complaints and support processes are also to be improved, with better-defined roles for Country Liaison Officers, Immigration New Zealand (INZ) and the Labour Inspectorate when concerns arise, and pastoral care will be enhanced, including provision of internet access at workers’ accommodation as a prescribed requirement.
RSE worker accommodation was also part of the policy review, but a decision on accommodation standards has yet to be finalised. A tiered rent-cap model — ranging from $150 (US$89) to $211(US$125) per person per week depending on accommodation quality, with employers only able to recover actual costs incurred (not charge more) — has applied since April 2026. Consultation with industry and Pacific partners is ongoing, with the minister foreshadowing a final decision on accommodation by late September.
Cost recovery and accommodation are central to the reforms following a landmark decision by the Employment Court in September 2025. In Soapi v Pick Hawke’s Bay [2025] NZEmpC 208, three Solomon Islands RSE workers challenged the scale and range of wage deductions relating to accommodation, food, fuel, clothing, bedding, protective gear, recovery of airfares, visa costs and wage advances which left workers with only $100 (US$59) per week to live on. The Court found the deductions breached the Wages Protection Act 1983 and the Minimum Wage Act 1983.
The decision ruled that accommodation deductions must be capped at 5 percent of wages, unless a “cash value” has been lawfully fixed. The employer in this case had not specified a fixed cash value in the individual employment agreement. Instead, the amount to be deducted for weekly rent was listed solely in the deductions consent form (which had been approved by INZ under the ATR process). The Court declared this was not compliant. Accommodation costs must be quantified in dollars at a cash value that reflects market rates and is agreed by the worker in advance of the contract commencing.
Employers bear many of the upfront costs (such as international airfares and RSE visa costs) for workers to take part in the scheme each season. In the past, these costs were recovered from workers via wage deductions. The Court ruled that workers must be paid at least the minimum wage and deductions that could push pay below this — as occurred in the Pick Hawke’s Bay case — are unlawful. Non-accommodation costs, such as workers’ 50 percent of the international airfare, can still be recovered by employers but not by wage deductions. Employers must use other cost recovery methods, such as internet banking, EFTPOS transactions and automatic payments.
The judgment upended eighteen years of settled practice. RSE employers had operated on the understanding that deductions approved by INZ through the ATR process were, by definition, compliant. The Court said otherwise; employment law overrides immigration instructions. Critically, the decision found that section 6 of the Minimum Wage Act applies notwithstanding anything agreed in the individual employment agreement. Neither the worker’s consent, nor INZ’s approval of deductions, could make unlawful deductions lawful.
This created what industry described as a regulatory paradox — the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment (MBIE) had approved practices that breached legislation MBIE itself enforces — and left employers legally exposed for doing what officials had permitted.
Pick Hawke’s Bay, ordered to repay the three workers almost $35,000(US$20,847) plus interest, has appealed the decision. The Court of Appeal heard the case in late April, and its decision, and any penalties, are still to come.
Against this backdrop, the latest RSE reforms appear partly designed to respond to what the Court decision brought to light. In particular, the defined list of recoverable costs, and the standardised cost recovery agreement to be signed before departure, deal with the uncertainty about what can lawfully come out of a worker’s pay packet — notwithstanding the confusion workers now face when trying to understand the range of cost recovery mechanisms.
Accommodation remains the most contentious issue, hence the minister’s decision to consult further before announcing any reforms to the current accommodation framework. Rent costs incurred by RSE workers are variable (as evidenced by the tiered model which ranges from $150 to $211(US$89- US$125) per week), and Pacific partners continue to voice concerns about differing quality standards.
For employers, providing accommodation is the largest RSE-related cost, with many having made major capital investments in purpose-built worker accommodation, especially in regions where restrictions on the use of low-cost residential housing exist. Costs, however, can only be recovered from seasonal workers during their actual period of use — not over 12 months.
Aside from the ongoing challenges with accommodation, RSE employers and industry groups have responded positively to the policy changes. The next step is implementation which is scheduled over a three-year period. While the reforms look logical and appropriate on paper, the devil will be in the details, especially as RSE employers are still dealing with an entirely paper-based INZ system, making the feasibility of simplifying processes, and reducing administrative burden, questionable. For now, however, all eyes are on the minister and September’s accommodation decision…..PACNEWS
Charlotte Bedford is a research fellow with the Development Policy Centre and is based in New Zealand.
