Whispers

Samoan style Samoa’s former PM, Tuilaepa Sailele Malielegaoi has been found guilty of contempt of court in relation to last year’s contentious election. But in a judgement that reflects the extraordinary way Samoans

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New Pacific workers scheme to deal with “slave labour” conditions

Next month (April) a new scheme for Pacific Islanders to work in Australia’s agricultural industry comes into force, after parliamentary inquiries heard evidence that Pacific Islanders have been exploited and treated

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The cost of politics

is again under the spotlight as Papua New Guinea, Fiji, Australia, Wallis and Futuna and American-affiliated Pacific states and territories are all expected to hold elections this

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Movers and Shakers

Leonard Louma is the new Director General of the MSG Secretariat. Louma is a seasoned PNG diplomat, with postings to the UN, France and China, and was involved in several regional initiatives, including the Pacific

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Pacific sports weekend update

SOCCER: Solomon Is. and NZ in World Cup qualifiers Grand Final The stage is set for one last epic showdown in Qatar as Solomon Islands looks to take on the star laced New Zealand side. Both are coming off impressive

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Pacific women thrive in world of sports

Champion Cikamatana carry Commonwealth Games Queen’s Baton The Commonwealth Games Queen’s Baton Relay has completed its brief visit to Australia after following an itinerary from March 17-20 which paid

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$50m drug bust, COVID eases in French Polynesia

Police in French Polynesia have seized almost US$50 million worth of methamphetamine (‘ice’) on a cruise ship from the United States. A 27-year-old Tahitian passenger has been arrested after the discovery of

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Fiji and Tonga record first win at Pacific Netball series

Fiji and Tonga won their first matches in the PacificAus Sports Netball Series in Sydney, Monday afternoon. Fiji defeated Samoa 55-44 whilst Tonga thrashed Papua New Guinea 85-42. Outstanding players on Fiji’s team,

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The right person for the job: why Pacific state-owned enterprise director selection processes matter

State-owned enterprises (SOEs) play a dominant role in essential service provision in the Pacific, providing services such as airports, ports, broadcasting, telecommunications, water supply and sanitation. So the way

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Breaking down barriers for women candidates in Tonga

The Tonga 2021 general election was one of the most eventful in the nation’s history as long dominant political parties were ousted by a new wave of independents. However, despite this political shift, women are

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Leadership and the Pacific Way

Will the leadership tussle within the Pacific Islands Forum be resolved using the Pacific Way?  Dr Henry Ivarature looks back to a previous era to see if it offers lessons on the current impasse. Reports indicating

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America engages the Pacific

After a 38-year break from Fiji and a 10-year break from the Pacific,  a United States Secretary of State has visited the region,  committing to “a free and open Pacific” with promises to “respect core

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