New Zealand PM Luxon heads to Niue and Fiji this week
New Zealand Prime Minister Christopher Luxon will travel to Niue and Fiji this week (04-07 June) as New Zealand continues to sharpen its focus and engagement in the Pacific. It will be Luxon’s first visit to the
In the shadow of global challenges
Cybersecurity threats and governing generative AI are amongst the most pressing challenges facing telecommunications companies globally. While the rapid development of Artificial Intelligence (AI) characterises the
Death penalty for drugs to be debated as King calls for MPs to find solution
Tonga Parliament will host a debate on the death penalty on Tuesday, 28 May. The debate is being sponsored by the Speaker, Lord Fakafanua, and will discuss the topic ‘Capital punishment as a deterrent for illicit drug
Opinion: Fiji’s three-speed economy
Fiji’s swift rebound from the pandemic-induced downturn has been impressive. The economy is doing better than it was in 2019 with tourism leading the rebound. Visitor arrivals in 2022 exceeded most expectations and
Pacific visa-free travel backed
Visa-free travel for business has been part of most bilateral talks Samoa’s prime minister Fiame Naomi Mataafa has had with Australia and New Zealand. This is a concept that has received backing from the Pacific
Property owner to appeal emergency order after 40 fruit pickers from Vanuatu found living in one Tasmanian house
About 40 fruit pickers from Vanuatu were found living in a “cramped, hot and crowded” dwelling in north-west Tasmania where the fire safety risk was “obvious”. The kitchen had only one working burner, and some
Opinion: 2024 Australian aid spending and effectiveness update
Australian Foreign aid was increased by 4% over what had been projected last year to bring the 2024-25 aid budget to $4.961 billion, virtually unchanged from the (inflation-adjusted) 2023-24 level of $4.900 billion. The
Nine more Solomon Islands Ministers sworn-in
Nine more Solomon Islands ministers have been sworn-in Monday formalising their appointments to their respective Ministerial portfolios, almost completing the lineup of cabinet ministers this week. The eleven
Opinion: Australia’s superannuation rules leave Pacific workers out of pocket
The government must reconsider its tax on the Pacific’s poorest. More than 40,000 Pacific Islanders working in Australia are being unfairly taxed on superannuation contributions – enforced savings payments that they
Opinion: Pacific elder excoriates Australia on AUKUS panel with Bob Carr
Former foreign minister Bob Carr recently described AUKUS as “fragrant, methane-wrapped bullshit”. This remark — tailor-made for the headlines — was covered by media outlets on both sides of the Tasman Sea.
Pacific job market shows resilience amidst challenges, ILO report shows
The International Labour Organisation (ILO), reports ongoing challenges within the Pacific job market, despite resilient growth. The Pacific Tripartite High-Level Dialogue on Decent Work and the 2050 Strategy for the
