Captains ready for Rugby World Cup in New Zealand
Captains of all 12 nations competing at Rugby World Cup 2021 gathered at the world-famous Eden Park in Auckland on Sunday as anticipation reaches fever pitch ahead of kick-off on October 8. Eden Park has twice hosted
PNG ‘extremely frustrated’ over extradition request for Samson Jubi
A Papua New Guinea government minister and top justice officials say they are “extremely frustrated” with Australia for harbouring a Cairns resident wanted for one of the biggest alleged frauds in the
22 WW2 bombs found in Tuvalu lagoon
Twenty two 500lb WWII-era bombs have been located underwater at Nanumea in Tuvalu, by a naval team from Australia, New Zealand, Canada and the United States. The Tuvalu government had asked the Australian Defence Force
Exercise Cartwheel: Largest Pacific military exercise in decades
A military exercise in Fiji involving the United States, Britain, Australia and New Zealand ends this week as the traditional allies counter China’s growing influence in the region. The 11-day Exercise Cartwheel in
Fiji and Australia crowned Rugby 7s champions
Fiji and Australia were crowned Rugby World Cup Sevens 2022 winners in the men’s and women’s events respectively today, as they defeated reigning champions New Zealand in two exhilarating finals in Cape Town. The
Solomon Islands election delayed to 2024
The Solomon Islands parliament has voted to delay the country’s national elections to 2024, backing a push from Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare to postpone the poll until after the Pacific Games next year. The
Kiribati could establish aged care hub to meet Australian demand
The Kiribati Government is planning to establish a hub for aged care students at the School of Nursing and Health in Bikenibeu. This was confirmed by the Minister for Employment and Human Resource, Taabeta Amuera Teakai
Opinion: Shifting the dial on child malnutrition in the Pacific and Timor-Leste
As donors seeking to support development impact in the Pacific, the Australian government cannot afford to ignore the challenge of child undernutrition and its deep and long-lasting impacts on the Pacific region’s
Australia offers to fund Solomon Islands elections
But Solomon Islands PM says timing is inappropriate Australia has made an offer to fund Solomon Islands National General Elections. Foreign Minister Penny Wong told the ABC that the offer reflects commitment to
Kiribati govt suspends all Court of Appeal judges
Kiribati’s government has dramatically escalated its campaign against the judiciary reports the ABC, suspending the country’s three remaining senior judges after they blocked the deportation of High Court
PNG to likely join NRL by 2025: Hill
Australia’s Foreign Ministry is working with PNG Sports executives to get the NRL bid up and running. Australia’s Foreign Minister Senator Penny Wong said this when appearing at NBC National Radio. She said
Opinion: The Pacific Labour Scheme and the Royal Commission into Aged Care
In Suva, new Prime Minister Anthony Albanese took a smiling selfie with Fijian aged care workers, who are preparing to come to Australia to look after our elderly in a new pilot program. Raising the standard of aged
PNG negotiates security pact with Australia
Papua New Guinea’s new Foreign Minister Justin Tkatchenko has revealed his country is moving to negotiate a security treaty with Australia — and potentially New Zealand — in a move that could have far-reaching
Opinion: The Pacific Islands Forum’s Forgotten Pacific Islanders
No one disputes that a central objective of the Pacific Islands Forum (PIF) is to improve and enhance the broad socio-economic and political development of Pacific Island peoples and address any and all factors
Opinion: Solomon Islands, a blueprint to stop a cycle of strife
Allowing more power for the provinces under a decentralised system of governance will be a step towards stability. In November last year, Solomon Islands’ capital Honiara erupted into three days of riots, resulting in
Sogavare govt “furious” over Australian media report
The Solomon Islands government has hauled in Australia’s High Commissioner to complain after the ABC’s Four Corners programme aired an episode exploring how China has been rapidly building commercial and security
Canstruct loses lucrative Nauru offshore processing contract
Canstruct has lost the lucrative contract to run Australia’s offshore immigration regime on Nauru with the Brisbane firm to be replaced by a U.S.-headquartered private prisons operator that has a controversial past.
Australia pledges $17m for Pacific Games amid top US diplomats tour
Australia will provide the Solomon Islands with more than A$17 million (USD$11.9 million) for the Pacific Games as a slate of ministers and top U.S. diplomats tour the region. Australian Pacific Minister Pat Conroy has
Opinion: What do Pacific workers think about Australia’s Engagement Visa?
The new Australia Pacific Engagement Visa has sparked great interest from Pacific workers in Australia, however there is a need for clarification around the details of the scheme, Akka Rimon writes. A major policy of
Humboldt cable to connect Oceania to Latin America
Desarrollo País and H2 Cable has announced they have issued a request for proposals to begin construction of the estimated 15,000 km Humboldt Cable, the first to connect Latin America, the Asia Pacific and
Opinion: Don’t blame Pacific Island cultures for queer fear, blame colonisation
Six of the seven players who refused to wear the Manly Sea Eagles rainbow jersey in their match on Thursday night are from a Pasifika heritage. I’ve been working alongside wellbeing and education with the NRL since
Rugby 7s to light up Birmingham 2022
As the clock winds down to the grand opening of the Commonwealth Games 2022, the ever-growing sport of Rugby Sevens will be expecting to light up the stadium with some of the world’s best teams scheduled to take part
Skilled workers shortage worry
A growing shortage of skilled workers in Fiji is causing concern among members of the Fiji Commerce and Employers Federation (FCEF), and they want Government to increase the number of countries covered under its