In this bulletin:
1. PACIFIC — Pacific leaders warn the Government’s ‘cold Budget’ risks putting numbers before people
2. PACIFIC — Solomons leader to visit Australia in first official trip
3. FIJI — 47,000 marijuana plants seized
4. SAMOA — 20 raids, 55 charged in Samoa
5. AUST — ‘Huge four years’: ABC’s top new director steps down
6. SAMOA — Samoa’s Opposition figures Face Parliamentary Investigation
7. SOL — Stronger together: Solomon Islands PM Wale and Western leaders align on recovery
8. FIJI — Former Finance Minister to face four-day trial
9. PACNEWS BIZ — New Caledonia’s kava bars fear price surge could hurt industry
10. PACNEWS BIZ — Fiji Government moves pre-emptively on looming global fuel price pressures
11. PACNEWS BIZ — Marape: Government focused on practical policies
12. PACNEWS IN FOCUS — Another stab at land reform in PNG
13. PACNEWS DIGEST — COSPPac3 Annual Session ends in Palau, setting direction for next steps
14. PACNEWS DIGEST — U.S prepares to auction leases for seabed mining blocks in federal waters
PAC – POLITICS: PMN PACNEWS 3: Thu 28 May 2026
Pacific leaders warn the Government’s ‘cold Budget’ risks putting numbers before people
WELLINGTON, 28 MAY 2026 (PMN) — Two former Pacific MPs warn the coalition Government’s focus on fiscal restraint could come at the expense of families already under pressure.
Finance Minister Nicola Willis will this afternoon unveil her third Budget, with the coalition Government promising a tight package focused on fiscal discipline and core public services
Speaking with William Terite on Pacific Mornings ahead of the Budget announcement, former National MP Anae Arthur Anae had a bleak outlook.
“It’s a very cold morning and it’s going to be a cold Budget for the Pacific people,” Anae says.
He says the Government is being driven by economic concerns while failing to take people with it.
“Politics is a balance and a marriage between economics and the social needs of the people, and the social needs of the people come first.”
Former Labour MP and former Minister for Pacific Peoples Aupito William Sio agree it’s difficult to have “high hopes” for Pacific communities from this Budget.
He says the Government appears to be sending different messages to ordinary families compared with big polluters and powerful interests.
“If you read the Budget Policy Statement, it clearly says that this Budget is about getting the books back to order and that tells you everything. It’s numbers before people.”
Aupito says running a country is not the same as running a business and says the coalition Government is prioritising the balance sheet over the needs of communities.
“The country is not a business. It’s a democratic institution,” he says.
Anae is also not expecting much from the Budget for Pacific communities and warned that the Government could face consequences if working-class families are ignored.
“If they leave people behind, they’re going to pay the penalty in the future,” he says.
Aupito rejects the argument that global pressures alone justify the Government’s approach, saying ministers needed to show a clear blueprint for responding to the needs of people on the ground.
“What I’m seeing is this Government will readily blame past governments, even though they’ve been in Government for the past three years but have no plan or strategy whatsoever other than trying to get the books right,” he says.
Anae says while the Government has fiscal challenges to manage, any response needs to be built around people’s lives.
“Yes, they have got a problem. They’re trying to find a solution. But that solution has to be worked out based on the lives of the people in this country.”
The comments come as the Government has signalled a tight Budget, with Finance Minister Nicola Willis warning New Zealanders not to expect a “sugar hit”.
Anae and Aupito both agree the Budget could become a defining political test for the coalition.
Anae says the Government could still win another term, but only if it changed direction and brought people with it.
“They have to change their thinking pretty quickly. The people of this nation and any nation are the most important asset we have and we have to take them on the journey.”
Aupito says history generally favours governments winning a second term, but under MMP, the result would depend on voters.
He says people will make their judgement if they see the Budget as being about “rescuing the balance sheet and not rescuing their families…. PACNEWS
PAC – DIPLOMACY: AAP PACNEWS 3: Thu 28 May 2026
Solomons leader to visit Australia in first official trip
CANBERRA, 28 MAY 2026 (AAP) — The newly elected Solomon Islands prime minister will visit Australia for talks with Anthony Albanese, with hopes the former China critic will prioritise ties with Canberra ahead of those with Beijing.
Albanese will host Matthew Wale for a leaders’ meeting at Parliament House on 3 June.
Wale, who was elected as prime minister earlier this month after his predecessor was punted in a no-confidence vote, will visit alongside a delegation of cabinet ministers.
Economic development and security are expected to be high on the agenda.
“Prime Minister Wale’s decision to make Australia his first official international visit emphasises the importance of the relationship between our nations,” Albanese said.
“Despite the global challenges we confront, we recognise we are stronger facing these together as partners.”
Wale has been critical of a deal signed between the Solomon Islands and China, which was agreed upon in 2022 and sparked concerns from Australia.
The policing and military deal would impact security in the region and put relationships with other allies at risk, he warned at the time.
He has since softened his stance, leading a delegation to Beijing and offering support to the nation’s ‘One China’ foreign policy position.
Australia has signalled it is willing to upgrade security ties with the Solomon Islands, if Wale is prepared to do so…. PACNEWS
FIJI – DRUG FIGHT: FIJI TIMES PACNEWS 3: Thu 28 May 2026
47,000 marijuana plants seized
SUVA, 28 MAY 2026 (FIJI TIMES) — A joint operation by Fiji Police Force and the Republic of Fiji Military Forces has resulted in the seizure of more than 47,000 marijuana plants and the arrest of 22 people in the Northern Division.
Minister for Policing Ioane Naivalurua told the Parliament on Tuesday that the Fiji Police Force and RFMF were continuing intelligence-led operations targeting illicit drug networks and organised crime activities across the country.
He stressed that the discoveries should not tarnish the reputation of people living in the North.
“Sixty-eight others were arrested at roadblocks and other searches in the Central and Eastern divisions for being in possession of methamphetamine, other illicit drugs and proceeds of crime,” Naivalurua said.
He assured the public that police remained in control of operations aimed at dismantling drug syndicates and transnational criminal networks.
“The Fiji Police Force remains fully in control of ongoing intelligence-led operations aimed at dismantling, disrupting and destroying illicit drug networks and transnational organised criminal activities operating within our borders and maritime domain,” he said…. PACNEWS
SAMOA – DRUG FIGHT: SAMOA OBSERVER PACNEWS 3: Thu 28 May 2026
20 raids, 55 charged in Samoa
APIA, 28 MAY 2026 (SAMOA OBSERVER) — Samoa’s acting Police Commissioner Leiataua Samuelu Afamasaga said police have carried out 20 drug raids between 29 January and 26 May this year, resulting in the seizure of 100.98 grams of methamphetamine.
Leiataua made the comments during a press conference on Tuesday, where local reporters were shown items seized during the raids. These included firearms, marijuana plants, methamphetamine, drug utensils and prescribed bottles containing drugs confiscated at the border.
Deputy Police Commissioner Leausalilo Norman Meni revealed that there was marijuana bottles prescribed overseas and were confiscated at the border. He said Samoa’s laws do not allow drugs into the country.
A total of 55 people has been charged in relation to the raids. They include 12 women aged between 18 and 47, and 43 men aged between 16 and 53. Those charged are from villages including Fasitoo Uta, Leone, Salelologa, Leauvaa, Afega, Moamoa, Nu’u Fou and Vaitele-Uta. Police first started publishing the photos and names of people allegedly involved in drug matters in December 2025.
The Acting Commissioner said the identities of all those charged had already been made public on the official Samoa Police Facebook page.
Leiataua appealed to the public to provide police with any information that could assist with drug-related investigations. “The police cannot do this alone; we need help from the public,” he said.
The Acting Commissioner also highlighted the ongoing “Say No to Drugs” campaign, which police have been promoting nationwide…. PACNEWS
AUST – MEDIA: AAP PACNEWS 3: Thu 28 May 2026
‘Huge four years’: ABC’s top new director steps down
CANBERRA, 28 MAY 2026 (AAP) — The national broadcaster’s director of news has resigned after four years in the job, citing personal and professional reasons.
Justin Stevens said it had been an “incredibly tough but immensely rewarding” tenure in the role, as he announced his immediate departure on Wednesday.
“For reasons both professional and personal, now is the right time for me to move on and for someone else to take over the helm of the best news team in the country,” he said on his LinkedIn page
Stevens, who worked at the broadcaster for 19 years, said the ABC was the nation’s most complex and scrutinised news organisation.
“I have sought to strengthen and defend our journalism without being blind to our stumbles,” he said.
“It has been a huge four years, (and) our investigations have had major impacts for the public good.”
ABC managing director, Hugh Marks, said Stevens has been incredibly committed to the broadcaster and achieved outstanding results while new director.
“I am grateful to have seen the strength of Justin’s editorial instincts and to have observed his commitment to the ABC and audiences,” he said.
“I wish him every success in the future.”
Stevens said ABC News Loop and News Verify, the federal election coverage, and bolstered Indigenous affairs and climate reporting were among the broadcaster’s achievements while he was in the news director role.
“The work of our teams is resonating with the public (and) we are number one in digital,” he said.
“Our 7pm audience has grown, (and) the news channel is stronger than ever.
“We remain the most trusted news organisation in the country.”
Stevens’ resignation follows industrial action at the ABC earlier in the year amid pay negotiations with staff.
There were also several controversies within the ABC during Stevens’ time as news director, including the 2022 Line of Fire reports. He apologised on behalf of the broadcaster for the inaccurate use of gunshots and the potentially misleading use of a quote as part of the Four Corners programme.
He was also in charge when high-profile presenter Stan Grant resigned after criticism for his comments on colonialism during King Charles’ coronation…. PACNEWS
SAMOA – POLITICS: SAMOA GLOBAL NEWS PACNEWS 3: Thu 28 May 2026
Samoa’s Opposition Figures Face Parliamentary Investigation
APIA, 28 MAY 2026 (SAMOA GLOBAL NEWS) — A Parliamentary Privileges and Ethics Committee has been appointed to investigate allegations of defamatory and “treasonous” conduct against senior Human Rights Protection Party (HRPP) leaders.
Those named are Opposition Leader Tuilaepa Sailele Malielegaoi, Deputy Opposition Leader Fonotoe Lauofo Pierre Meredith and HRPP Secretary Lealailepule Rimoni Aiafi.
Speaker of the House Auapaau Mulipola Aloitafua announced this week that, after reviewing submissions and supporting documents, he was satisfied there were sufficient grounds for the matter to proceed to committee investigation.
The inquiry stems from a motion moved by Prime Minister La’aulialemalietoa Leuatea Polataivao Fosi Schmidt during Parliament’s April sitting.
The Prime Minister alleged the three opposition leaders had repeatedly made defamatory statements against the Government and engaged in conduct described as treasonous following the 2021 constitutional and political crisis.
According to statements made in Parliament, the allegations relate to public accusations against the FAST Government and continued attacks against the Prime Minister and Cabinet through media interviews, parliamentary exchanges and social media commentary.
Prime Minister La’aulialemalietoa told Parliament there were more than 200 pieces of evidence, including media reports and public statements, to support the allegations.
The Prime Minister also referenced previous contempt findings against Tuilaepa and Lealailepule arising from attacks on the judiciary during the 2021 political impasse.
During debate earlier this year, Tuilaepa again accused the Prime Minister of lying, while Lealailepule had allegedly warned that La’auli’s term as Prime Minister would be “short-lived.”
The matter was first raised during the 17 March sitting but was deferred to allow the Speaker time to review the material and ensure compliance with Standing Orders and due process.
The Parliamentary Committee has until 20 October 2026 to report its findings back to Parliament.
Deputy Speaker Afamasaga Leone Mati Masame will chair the committee, with HRPP MP Faumuina Opapo Oeti serving as deputy chair.
Other members are Lenata’i Victor Tamapua, Tilafono David Hunter, Fiu Ponifasio Vasa, Vui Sione Iiga, Motuopua’a Henney Papalii, Mau’u Siaosi Pu’epu’emai and Fa’alogo Kapeliele Fa’alogo.
The committee will examine whether parliamentary privileges, Standing Orders or any laws were breached, including Standing Order 15, and recommend what action Parliament should take if violations are established.
Standing Order 15 of the Parliament of Samoa relates to the conduct and behaviour expected of Members of Parliament during parliamentary proceedings.
In general terms, it deals with matters considered disorderly, improper, offensive or disrespectful within Parliament, including language or conduct that may undermine the dignity, integrity or authority of Parliament and its members.
In the current case involving the HRPP leadership, the reference to Standing Order 15 suggests the committee will examine whether statements made by the opposition leaders, both inside and outside Parliament, breached parliamentary standards.
Behaviours include being defamatory, insulting, misleading, disruptive or damaging to the integrity of Parliament…. PACNEWS
SOL – DISASTER RECOVERY: SBM ONLINE PACNEWS 3: Thu 28 May 2026
Stronger together: Solomon Islands PM Wale and Western leaders align on recovery
HONIARA, 28 MAY 2026 (SBM ONLINE) — Prime Minister Matthew Wale and his Cabinet Ministers today held high-level talks with Western Province Premier Billy Veo and his Executive, strengthening ties and reinforcing the government’s commitment to both reform and disaster recovery.
Welcoming the Prime Minister and his delegation, Premier Veo acknowledged the significance of the visit describing it as timely and important for the province.
He assured the Prime Minister that his government and the people of Western Province stand firmly behind the GREAT Coalition.
“We are encouraged by your maiden speech outside Parliament and it gives us confidence that real change is coming,” Premier Veo said.
The Premier reiterated his Executive’s full support for the government’s reform agenda and expressed optimism about the direction of national leadership.
He also raised concerns over the widespread damage caused by Cyclone Maila, noting that several parts of the province have been severely affected.
Premier Veo thanked the Prime Minister for visiting the province to witness first-hand the scale of destruction.
In response, Prime Minister Wale stressed that the recovery phase is critical and must be handled with urgency, integrity, and accountability.
Reaffirming a message he delivered in Choiseul, the Prime Minister assured the province that the government will stand with them.
“The government will not forget you,” Prime Minister Wale said.
He acknowledged past shortcomings in disaster response and made it clear that his government will take a different approach.
“We must eliminate the kind of response where people exploit disaster funds at the expense of victims. There must be a clean, transparent approach,” he stated.
The meeting also covered key priorities of the GREAT Coalition, with both leaders’ discussing development concerns a pathway to ensure better service delivery and governance in Western Province…. PACNEWS
FIJI – COURT: FIJI TIMES PACNEWS 3: Thu 28 May 2026
Former Finance Minister to face four-day trial
SUVA, 28 MAY 2026 (FIJI TIMES) — The Suva Magistrate’s Court has fixed former finance minister Biman Prasad’s trial for four days in August. The trial dates were set by Magistrate Yogesh Prasad this morning with trial to begin on 10 August.
Senior Fiji Independent Commission Against Corruption lawyer Joseph Work informed the court that the state intends to call four witnesses.
He faces one count of failure to comply with statutory disclosure requirements, which allegedly occurred in 2015.
FICAC alleges that on or about 30 December 2015, in Suva, Prof Prasad, as an office holder of the National Federation Party registered under the Political Parties (Registration, Conduct, Funding and Disclosures) Act 2013, failed to comply with Section 24(1)(b)(iv) by omitting his directorship in Platinum Hotels & Resorts Pte Ltd from his annual declaration of assets, liabilities and income submitted to the Registrar of Political Parties.
He is also charged with providing false information in a statutory declaration, by allegedly submitting a declaration that omitted his directorship.
Work updated the court during the pretrial conference, stating that both parties had agreed on some facts.
He also said that because Prasad was not cautioned and interviewed, there are no admissions for the state to rely on during the trial.
Defence lawyer Richard Naidu said he was satisfied with all disclosures provided to prepare the defence for trial.
Magistrate Prasad has fixed a final pretrial conference for 17 July…. PACNEWS
PACNEWS BIZ
NEW|CALE – KAVA INDUSTRY: RNZ PACIFIC PACNEWS BIZ: Thu 28 May 2026
New Caledonia’s kava bars fear price surge could hurt industry
NOUMEA. 28 MAY 2026 (RNZ PACIFIC) — New Caledonia’s kava industry stakeholders are concerned at the increase of the price of the precious imported root, mainly from neighbouring Vanuatu.
Since the beginning of 2026, they claim the price of one kilo of dried kava chips has risen from 4500 French Pacific Francs (CFP, around US$44) at the beginning of the year to currently about 7000 CFP (around US$68), an estimated 40 percent increase.
New Caledonia Kava artisans’ federation president José Bourgine told local media several factors could explain the steep increase.
This includes the recent rise in the price of fuel – and its repercussions on the cost of maritime freight from Vanuatu – and a decrease in kava production volumes from Vanuatu.
He said some external factors on the kava regional and world market have also compounded the situation, due to the emergence of new markets increasing demand, including in the United States, Australia, Thailand and even China.
Bourgine said if things do not improve, they will be forced to lay off some of their staff.
He said the kava bar industry in New Caledonia, which has boomed over the past thirty years, is also important in terms of social interaction between New Caledonia’s diverse communities (European, Melanesian -including from Vanuatu-, Javanese, Polynesian and even people of Arab ascent).
In New Caledonia, mainly in the capital Nouméa and its surroundings, people go to the kava bars (typically in the evening or late afternoon) and drink the root cold concoction in coconut shells, just like in Vanuatu and other Pacific islands.
“They come to the nakamals (kava bars, mostly open in the evening) to drink, but also to talk and exchange views. This is one of the rare places where people from diverse communities can interact. This is a factor of appeasement for the population”, Bourgine told Caledonia television.
Some of the bar owners point out they have fixed costs and salaries to pay each month, the commodity price increase certainly does not help.
Some bar owners have already started to adapt to the new situation.
“Some will serve smaller doses in a shell, others will increase the proportion of water in the mix”, a Nouméa kava bar owner told local media.
But some regular customers say it is quite obvious that the “shells have shrunk”.
The federation has recently held a meeting to try and identify ways to improve the situation.
One of the pre-identified solutions currently mooted would be to form into a cooperative to better negotiate the price of the precious root. Other options mentioned could be to start growing kava in New Caledonia.
“It’s in our interest to find ways of maintaining our industry here, because it is also a significant contributor to our economy”, federation spokesman Thomas Guarese said.
He said current estimates show that New Caledonia’s kava imports amount each year to 560 million CFP (US$5.4 million).
Kava is not grown in New Caledonia and most of the material (as a dried product) is imported from Vanuatu, which is the base of a thriving growing and processing industry, both for domestic and export markets…. PACNEWS
FIJI – FUEL CRISIS: FIJI GOVT PACNEWS BIZ: Thu 28 May 2026
Fiji Government moves pre-emptively on looming global fuel price pressures
SUVA, 28 MAY 2026 (FIJI GOVT) — The National Security Council met Wednesday at the Cabinet Chambers in Suva to review mounting indicators that global fuel prices are likely to rise further in the coming weeks, and to begin work on a pre-emptive package of measures to protect Fijian households, businesses and essential services.
The meeting was chaired by the Prime Minister, Sitiveni Rabuka, and attended by the following members of Cabinet:
• Pio Tikoduadua, Minister for Defence and Veteran Affairs
• Ioane Naivalurua, Minister for Policing and Communications
• Viliame Naupoto, Minister for Immigration
• Siromi Turaga, Attorney-General and Minister for Justice
• Sakiasi Ditoka, Minister for Foreign Affairs and External Trade
• Ro Filipe Tuisawau, Minister for Public Works and Meteorological Services
• The Permanent Secretary, Office of the Prime Minister
The Council reviewed the latest signals from international markets. Global oil benchmarks have moved sharply higher through April and May. The World Bank and the International Energy Agency have advised that energy markets remain volatile, and that further upward pressure on prices is likely while the conflict in the Middle East continues to disrupt shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, a route through which close to one fifth of the world’s seaborne oil passes.
The Council took the view that the Government cannot afford to wait until those pressures reach Fijian households at the pump before responding. As a fuel importing nation that purchases all refined petroleum in United States dollars, Fiji is directly exposed to international movements. The responsible course, the Council agreed, is to begin work now on protective measures that can be put in place ahead of those movements rather than after them.
The Council accordingly discussed a pre-emptive package of further financial mitigation measures targeted at households, transport operators, small businesses and essential services. The package will build on the $56 million (US$28 million) already redeployed within the 2025 to 2026 Budget under Cabinet’s decision of 21 April 2026. The Ministry of Finance is finalising the details of the additional measures, which will be brought to Cabinet for consideration in the days ahead. The package will be announced to the public once Cabinet has approved it.
The Council noted that the Fijian Competition and Consumer Commission, the independent regulator responsible for setting domestic fuel prices, is expected to issue its next monthly determination on Monday. The Commission is required by law to base its determination on verifiable international market data, freight rates and exchange rate movements. The Government does not set the price. What the Government can do, and what it has begun work on today, is to prepare in advance. The Council also confirmed that national fuel stocks remain stable and that supply is secure.
The Minister for Information Lynda Tabuya stated: “This Government is not in the habit of waiting until our people are hurting before we act. We have been watching the global oil market closely, we have been listening to what the World Bank and the International Energy Agency are telling us, and yesterday the National Security Council met to begin the work of protecting Fijian households from the next wave of price pressure.”
“The FCCC will make its determination on Monday, as it does every month, on the basis of international data. I want every Fijian to understand that the Government and the FCCC operate separately. We do not set the price. What we are preparing is the protection. And we are preparing it now, not later. The Ministry of Finance is finalising the detail and the package will be put before Cabinet shortly.”
“To every family, every market vendor, every taxi driver and every small business owner: your government is working on this. The measures will be there when you need them. Plan carefully, look after one another, and trust that we are ahead of this, not behind it.”
The National Security Council will continue to meet on this matter. Further announcements regarding the financial mitigation measures will follow once Cabinet has considered the package…. PACNEWS
PNG – FUEL CRISIS: THE NATIONAL PACNEWS BIZ: Thu 28 May 2026
Marape: Government focused on practical policies
PORT MORESBY, 28 MAY 2026 (THE NATIONAL) — PNG Prime Minister James Marape says the Government remains focused on practical policies that are directly helping Papua New Guineans during one of the most difficult global economic periods in recent history.
Marape said PNG, like many countries, was facing the effects of global instability, including ongoing conflict and uncertainty in the Middle East, which had caused major increases in international fuel prices.
“The world is going through a very difficult economic period,” he said.
“Global fuel prices increased sharply because of international conflict that no country, including PNG anticipated.
“As a responsible Government, we made the decision to absorb the shock through direct fuel subsidies to protect our households, small and medium enterprises, transport operators, businesses and ordinary citizens.”
Marape said the Opposition’s proposal to remove taxes and Goods and Service Tax (GST) from fuel would not deliver the same level of relief currently being provided by Government.
“If Government only removed GST, excise and import duties from fuel, the total reduction would amount to roughly only K1.30 (US$0.29) to K1.50 (US$0.34) per litre, or less than 15 percent relief against current market prices,” he said.
“Government is currently subsidising fuel prices by several Kina per litre to maintain March fuel levels.
“This was far beyond what tax removal alone could achieve.”
Marape said Government would continue discussions in Parliament regarding long-term economic strategies, including energy security measures and supplementary budget considerations.
“The Government is progressing policies to make more land available for first-home owners and has restrained forced evictions while broader housing and settlement programmes are being developed,” he said.
Marape also defended his international engagements, saying strong bilateral relationships are critical for PNG’s economic future.
“We need strong global partnerships to create markets, attract investment, expand trade and create opportunities for our people,” he said.
“PNG cannot survive in isolation.”
Marape said significant progress had also been made in healthcare, particularly in specialist medical services and the ConnectPNG Programme.
He said PNG was now witnessing major advancements in heart treatment, kidney care and cancer treatment facilities.
“For the first time in our country’s history, we are carrying out kidney transplant procedures and increasingly advanced heart surgery treatments locally.”
He dismissed claims that sport was being used as a distraction.
Marape described the PNG National Rugby League (PNGNRL) franchise as a major nation-building and economic platform that would stimulate tourism, small and medium enterprises (SMEs), hospitality, transport and youth engagement.
“Our policies are delivering practical support through school fee assistance, household relief, fuel subsidies, healthcare improvements, roads and economic support.
“The Opposition continues to criticise but has failed to present practical alternative solutions for the country,” 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
Another stab at land reform in PNG
By Colin Filer
PORT MORESBY, 28 AY 2026 (DEVPOLICY.ORG) — In a recent post on the Devpolicy Blog, Andrew Donigi hailed the report of the Special Parliamentary Committee on Customary Land and Land Reforms in Papua New Guinea as a further step along a well-trodden path of reform that has sought to reconcile the fundamental principles of customary land tenure with the demands of good governance. However, this appears to be a much bigger step than those previously taken after the 2005 National Land Summit.
Amongst the committee’s numerous recommendations are those contained in the provisions of a Customary Land Tenure Bill attached as an appendix to the report. In its current form, the Bill proposes three major innovations.
First, to abolish the Customary Land Division of the Department of Lands and Physical Planning and replace it with a separate Customary Land Authority (CLA) with its own board of trustees.
Second, to repeal the amendments made to the Land Groups Incorporation Act and Land Registration Act in 2009 and make “clans” submit fresh applications for recognition by the CLA before they can be authorised to issue “customary land leases” to third parties.
And third, to require the holders of such leases to make all rental or compensation payments to the CLA in the first instance, before the CLA redistributes a proportion of this money to individual clan members.
The first of these proposals has been on the table for more than a decade. A review of the land reform process in 2018 observed that it had been endorsed by PNG’s National Executive Council in 2016, but that decision was soon abandoned in the face of strenuous opposition from the Lands Department. The proposal continues to resurface because of persistent doubts about the capacity of departmental staff to administer the legislation for which they are currently responsible, but it is not clear whether their shortcomings count as evidence of corruption, incompetence, political interference, a lack of resources or a combination of all these things.
The second proposal is based on a belief that the 2009 amendments do not go far enough to ensure that incorporated land groups (ILGs) truly represent the wishes and interests of the customary landowners whom they claim to represent. In a previous discussion paper, I pointed out that the many legal safeguards built into those amendments were not matched by evidence of effective implementation on the part of relevant government officials, and that is why the so-called “voluntary customary land registration” scheme was thought to have failed by the time of the 2019 National Land Summit.
If the first proposal is meant to solve the implementation problem, then one has to wonder why the addition of new safeguards cannot be accomplished by making further amendments to the existing legislation rather than getting rid of ILGs altogether.
The committee’s answer seems to be that the very idea of a “land group” needs to be cast aside because land groups cannot possibly be authentic entities if they cannot prove that they are “clans” — in other words, what we anthropologists would call unilineal (patrilineal or matrilineal) descent groups. However, there are perfectly good reasons why the Land Groups Incorporation Act has never included the word “clan” since it was first passed in 1974.
There are some parts of PNG where local people do not recognise the existence of such descent groups and therefore have no word for “clan” in their own language. There are other places where people do have a word like this, but where membership of such groups is not simply determined by descent through the male or female line. And even where unilineal descent groups do seem to be part of the customary social fabric, there is no reason to assume that their primary social function lies in the allocation of rights to the use of customary land.
So, what will happen if the 2026 bill gets to be enacted and certified in its current form? Since the 2009 amendments came into effect in 2012, about 1,600 ILGs have received certificates of recognition from the Lands Department, but fewer than 130 of them have managed to secure registered titles over blocks of former customary land. There is currently no legal way to revoke these titles without evidence that they were issued by mistake or through some fraudulent action on the part of the registrar.
The 2026 bill allows three years for ILGs that only have certificates of recognition to reconstitute themselves as “clans” and then try to get new certificates on the basis of a new bundle of evidence to be submitted to the CLA. Those groups that have been established on some other basis, like a common place of residence rather than descent from a common ancestor, may not bother to do so. But that does not necessarily mean they will disappear. There are hundreds of ILGs registered before 2012 whose executives failed to apply for reincorporation under the terms of the 2009 amendments, but who continue to receive and redistribute royalties and other landowner benefits under the terms of the Forestry Act and the Oil and Gas Act. It is most unlikely that the government would risk the outbreak of serious public disorder by trying to block such payments.
The third proposal in the new bill could also prove to be rather unpopular. Although it is based on a widely held belief that land group executives cannot be trusted to distribute rental and compensation payments to all group members in a transparent and equitable manner, it is just as unlikely that people will trust the executives of the CLA to do any better.
That raises the further question of who will foot the bill for the operation of the CLA itself. While the latest report contains numerous complaints about the costs incurred by land groups in their efforts to comply with the terms of the current scheme, the additional safeguards prescribed in the new scheme can only make the whole business even more expensive. There are various passages in the latest report that invoke the generosity of the government. However, the government’s past failure to subsidise the existing scheme does not give much cause for optimism on that score. If the CLA is then obliged to cover a substantial portion of its own operational costs by making deductions from the revenues it collects on behalf of the customary landowners, then the customary landowners will soon be up in arms.
In my latest discussion paper on the alienation of customary land in Port Moresby, I have shown how people with money and power, including members of parliament, continue to exploit all sorts of legal and illegal mechanisms to get what they want. This suggests that the addition of more legal and institutional machinery to protect the interests of customary landowners is unlikely to put an end to the process through which those interests are betrayed.
While Donigi’s approval of the 2026 bill is evidently shared by most members of parliament, one does have to wonder whether the institutional constraints to the implementation of such drastic changes will be recognised before it is made into law…. PACNEWS
Dr Colin Filer is an honorary professor at the Coral Bell School of Asia Pacific Affairs, Australian National University.
PACNEWS DIGEST
The views expressed in PACNEWS are those of agencies contributing articles and do not necessarily those of PINA and/or PACNEWS
COSPPac3 Annual Session ends in Palau, setting direction for next steps
KOROR, 28 MAY 2026 (SPC) — The Republic of Palau hosted the Climate and Oceans Support Programme in the Pacific Phase 3 (COSPPac3) Annual Session from 18–22 May 2026, bringing together Pacific Island countries, regional organisations and technical partners to strengthen climate and ocean services across the region.
The session gathered representatives from National Meteorological Services and Land Survey Departments from 15 Pacific Island countries, funding partners including Australia and New Zealand, and technical partners such as the Pacific Community (SPC), the Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environment Programme (SPREP), the Australian Bureau of Meteorology, Geoscience Australia and Earth Sciences New Zealand.
Opening the session, Maria Ngemaes, Meteorologist-In-Charge at the Palau Weather Service Office, highlighted the importance of regional collaboration in addressing climate and ocean risks.
Australia’s Ambassador to Palau, His Excellency Toby Sharpe, reaffirmed Australia’s long-standing support for Pacific Island countries through COSPPac, noting the programme’s role in providing trusted, actionable information to support decision-making.
The annual session reviewed the progress of COSPPac3 activities, including the delivery of climate outlooks, the Early Action Rainfall Watch Bulletin, climate and ocean data services, and tide calendars that support maritime safety and planning.
These services are helping countries better anticipate risks, inform infrastructure planning, and support key sectors such as fisheries, agriculture and disaster management.
The COSPPac3 Steering Committee convened in the final two days, covering the technical partners’ workplans, tools and products, and endorsing the recommendations of the Programme’s mid-term evaluation. Committee members also examined cross-cutting areas including Monitoring, Evaluation, Research and Learning (MERL), Gender Equality, Disability and Social Inclusion (GEDSI), and communications, agreeing to strengthen investment in building capacities to ensure accessibility, two-way communications with stakeholders and evidence-based decision-making.
As an implementing partner, SPC supports coordination, technical delivery and regional collaboration under COSPPac3, working closely with countries and partners to ensure services are relevant, inclusive and reach those most in need.
Outcomes from the session will inform further planning for COSPPac3, reinforcing regional cooperation and assisting Pacific Island countries in accessing and using climate and ocean information to remain resilient to the impacts of climate change and disasters…. PACNEWS
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U.S prepares to auction leases for seabed mining blocks in federal waters
WASHINGTON, 28 MAY 2026 (MONGABAY) — The U.S agency responsible for overseeing deep-sea mining in federal waters is preparing to auction off seabed blocks within months — a step that could kick-start commercial-scale deep-sea mining and make the U.S one of the first countries to allow it.
Deep-sea mining has not yet begun anywhere in the world. Opponents say it could cause widespread and irreversible damage to the marine environment if it begins, while supporters say it could provide an important source of critical minerals.
In a budgetary document released in April 2026, the U.S Department of the Interior (DOI) indicated it intends to hold at least three offshore lease sales during the 2026 and 2027 fiscal years. The lease sales will take place through competitive auctions, providing a pathway for winning companies to gain exclusive rights to explore and exploit minerals in designated tracts of seabed.
The first sale is slated for the federal waters of American Samoa in August 2026; a second in the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (CNMI) in November 2026; and a third in Alaska in 2027. A spokesperson for the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM), the U.S agency currently responsible for the development of offshore energy and mineral resources on the U.S outer continental shelf (OCS), confirmed this timeline.
If completed, the lease sales would be the first of their kind in the world. Other countries have moved close to issuing licenses for deep-sea mining activities in their territorial waters but haven’t followed through. For instance, Norway planned to hold seabed auctions, but delayed them, while India began an auction but didn’t finish the bidding process. In parts of the ocean beyond national jurisdiction, the U.N.-affiliated multilateral International Seabed Authority has issued licenses for mineral exploration, but none yet for commercial exploitation. At the same time, the U.S has controversially taken steps toward issuing licenses for commercial mineral exploration and exploitation in international waters.
Across the three U.S territories, nearly 875,000 square kilometers (about 338,000 square miles) of seabed have been identified as potential mining areas — an area roughly twice the size of the U.S state of California. However, any actual leases would likely be limited to selected tracts within those broader designated areas. Still, if the lease sales proceed, large stretches of seabed in U.S federal waters could be opened up for mining, which would see companies sending heavy machinery thousands of meters below the surface of the ocean to extract seabed minerals.
Tony Romeo, the CEO of a newly formed deep-sea mining company based in South Carolina, called Eco Minerals and previously known as Deep Sea Rare Minerals, told Mongabay he’s interested in mining in all three areas where lease sales will be held. He said he believes “virtually nothing” in the marine environment would be harmed when his company mines the seabed due to the “low footprint” mining equipment his company would be using.
“We’re picking up rocks at the bottom of the ocean,” Romeo said. “We’re not scraping, digging, blasting, killing fish, dragging nets on the bottom of the ocean. It’s a very thoughtful process.”
However, environmental advocates say this industry could cause widespread and irreversible destruction to the marine environment. “How can these miners suggest they’re causing no harm when they are removing the very structure of the ecosystem?” Arlo Hemphill, an ocean campaigner at environmental group Greenpeace USA, told Mongabay via text message.
Reunification of U.S agencies
The disclosure of the lease sale timeline follows a number of executive orders from President Donald Trump calling for an acceleration of energy and critical mineral production in the U.S, including an order commanding the rapid development of the deep-sea mining industry for reasons of national security and economic prosperity.
“Securing reliable access to critical minerals is a national priority,” a spokesperson for BOEM, told Mongabay in an emailed statement. “BOEM’s current work to establish a strong scientific foundation, conduct responsible environmental review, and put sound oversight frameworks in place will help facilitate efficient future development of these important resources that are essential for our nation’s economic well-being and technological advancement.”
Also in April, DOI announced that it intended to reunite BOEM and the Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement (BSEE) to form the Marine Mineral Administration (MMA). These agencies were separated in 2010 after the Deepwater Horizon oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico, the largest marine oil spill in U.S waters, resulted in an environmental catastrophe. The breakup was aimed at increasing environmental surveillance and preventing future disasters. Critics say putting the agencies back together as the MMA, especially alongside significant proposed budget and staff cuts, could weaken oversight of deep-sea mining, particularly when it comes to the environment.
Elizabeth Klein, a Washington, DC-based attorney who acted as BOEM’s director between 2023 and 2025, told Mongabay she believes there’s “no justification” for putting the two agencies back together.
“Both of those agencies, under the best of circumstances, were already under-resourced — BSEE in particular, for many years,” Klein told Mongabay. “Part of the concern has been that they do not have sufficient inspection and enforcement capability, that they need more funding for those activities, that they need more bodies.
“So now you add deep-sea mining, which is going to be taking place literally thousands and thousands and thousands of miles from any BOEM and BSEE office,” Klein added. “BOEM and BSEE don’t have staff located in the territories. The closest offices will probably be the Pacific office, which does not have sufficient capacity to handle this new industry.”
When Mongabay asked BOEM about these concerns, the spokesperson said DOI “will ensure that appropriate resources and expertise are in place to meet all statutory and regulatory responsibilities.”
Fast-moving mining plans?
The DOI must complete several steps before the lease sales can proceed. These include publishing a request for information and interest, or RFI, to gauge commercial interest in leasing areas and gather public comments. The RFI processes have already been completed for American Samoa, CMNI and Alaska. The department must also publish a proposed leasing notice in the Federal Register and a final notice at least 30 days before the sale. Additionally, it must conduct environmental reviews of the potential lease sales, which the BOEM spokesperson said had already been “formally initiated” for the American Samoa and CMNI areas.
In February, the U.S’s National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), under the Department of Commerce, which is working in coordination with BOEM, began surveying the seabed in American Samoa. This will “inform federal agencies and the public of the potential likelihood of finding critical mineral deposits in the surveyed area,” Kim Doster, NOAA’s communication director, told Mongabay via email.
Companies that win a lease will also need to follow a number of processes before they can begin mining.
Despite the steps yet to be taken, deep-sea mining companies are anticipating starting very soon. For instance, Romeo of Eco Minerals said he aims to begin exploitation in federal waters in two or three years.
Pula’ali’i Nikolao Pula, the governor of American Samoa and the territory’s highest-ranking political official, told Mongabay in an email that while his government’s position “remains one of strong caution and opposition to rushed commercial leasing” in American Samoa’s exclusive economic zone, he was “not that concerned” about the timeline set out by the U.S government.
“I have always kept the welfare of our people as our top priority,” Pula said. “Our tuna industry and the health of our oceans are critically important. Nevertheless, the welfare of our people is always the top priority. And if there is a way our people could benefit from a new industry with no harm coming to our oceans, then any good leader would want to consider the benefits.”
In 2024, the governor of American Samoa at the time, Lemanu Peleti Mauga, enacted a moratorium on deep-sea mining in its territorial waters, which extend 3 nautical miles (5.6 kilometers) from its shorelines. The U.S government controls the much larger remainder of American Samoa’s exclusive economic zone, which extends 200 nmi (370 km) from its shorelines.
Sabrina Suluai-Mahuka, founder of the Fina Finau Foundation, an environmental organisation in American Samoa that opposes deep-sea mining, told Mongabay Pula’s stance on deep-sea mining “hasn’t been as strong” as her local community would like it to be. She also expressed disappointment in the U.S government for not adequately consulting the American Samoan people.
“It’s kind of an insult at this point, because we’ve already opposed it, and our voices are seen as optional.” Suluai-Mahuka said.
Environmental advocates from CNMI and Alaska have also raised concerns about the government’s plans.
Angelo Villagomez, a senior fellow at the Center for American Progress, a Washington, D.C.-based nonpartisan policy institute, who grew up in Saipan in the CNMI, told Mongabay in a text message this move toward mining indicates “profound failure of governance and a direct assault on the rights of the Indigenous peoples who call these islands home.”
Cooper Freeman, the Alaska director of the U.S nonprofit Center for Biological Diversity, and a resident of the coastal community of Homer, Alaska, called the speed of the developments “shocking” and said there was little support for this industry in the state.
“The ocean is the breadbasket for communities along the coast,” Freeman said. “It’s the heartbeat of our fishing industry and our incredible marine mammals and birds … that thrive here in Alaska, and I think it’s not lost on anyone the amount of damage that could be done in these areas.”
The CMNI government and the Alaskan state government did not respond to Mongabay’s requests for comments.
A spokesperson for BOEM told Mongabay the agency is actively engaging with tribes and Indigenous peoples in Alaska, American Samoa and CNMI and has initiated a formal consultation process with Alaska natives. They said the bureau is also considering feedback from the RFI processes that identified potential environmental and cultural impacts to “ensure safe and environmentally responsible activities should a lease sale occur.”
Speaking on American Samoa in particular, the BOEM spokesperson said there had already been “meaningful dialogue regarding the future of competitive marine minerals lease sales offshore the territory” with American Samoan officials, and that there will be “additional opportunities for Governor Pula to engage with BOEM and the Department as BOEM continues to consider potential leasing activity.”
Klein said she believes the agency is rushing the lease sales and that doing so introduces legal and social risk. BOEM did not respond to Mongabay’s questions about these potential risks.
“For folks who are supportive of this type of activity, they actually should be advocating to the agency that they slow down,” Klein said. “Because I think moving this fast runs the risk that those first projects … are going to fail because they have not established or done the homework to make sure that they’ve generated goodwill amongst the territorial communities…. PACNEWS
