Vanuatu Supreme Court rules in favour of opposition in Parliament majority case
The Supreme Court of Vanuatu ruled on Friday that Vanuatu’s opposition party won a no-confidence vote regarding incumbent Prime Minister Ishmael Kalsakau last week. While the speaker of Parliament initially ruled that
Vanuatu Opposition demands new Speaker
A motion of no confidence was lodged and registered Friday by the Vanuatu Opposition bloc, moved by Johnny Koanapo, Member of Parliament for Tanna Constituency, and Malekula MP Gracia Shadrack, to remove the Speaker of
Vanuatu PM Kalsakau survive no-confidence vote
Vanuatu narrowly avoided a political crisis as Prime Minister Ishmael Kalsakau survived a no-confidence vote in Parliament on Wednesday. Vote of no confidence against PM Kalsakau was defeated as opposition failed to
Solomon Islands Opposition leader outlines weaknesses in Truth and Reconciliation Commission report
Solomon Islands leader of Opposition Matthew Wale has revealed weaknesses in the Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) Act. Speaking in Parliament in Honiara this week, Wale said firstly there is a lack of a
Motion of no confidence against Vanuatu PM moved to next week
A motion of no confidence against Vanuatu Prime Minister Ishmael Kalsakau will now be debated next Wednesday, after the government didn’t appear at Parliament today. Twenty-five members of the Opposition camp attended
PNG Parliament Committee wants 40 doctors reinstated
A law passed by the Papua New Guinea Parliament to prevent public servants who contested general elections from re-entering the public service for five years is causing a severe shortage in a province’s health
Tuvalu foreign minister Kofe resigns from Cabinet
Tuvalu’s foreign Minister Simon Kofe has announced his resignation from the island nation’s Cabinet on Friday. “Friends, today in Parliament I made a significant announcement. I’ve decided to
Tonga Parliament passes deficit Budget for 2023-2024
Tonga’s parliament passed the national Annual Budget for FY2023-2024 of $784.2 million pa’anga (US$332 million) Wednesday with 14-0 votes. The biggest budget allocation in the Budget Estimates 2023-2024 is for the
Solomon Islands leader takes High Court action over election delay
Solomon Islands leader of the Independent Group, John Kuku has filed a legal suit challenging the legality of the extension of Parliament to 2024. Parliament September last year passed the extension of Parliament by
PNG payroll blowout
The Papua New Guinea Special Parliamentary Committee on Public Sector Reform and Service Delivery is concerned about what the country gets in return for employing 132,898 public servants. Committee chairman Gary Juffa
PNG Parliament passes Ombudsman bill
A Member of Papua New Guinea Parliament found guilty under the Leadership Code and dismissed from office will stay out for five years before taking up a public office and not three years as it is under the current law.
“Papua New Guinea is my home”: Sidelined PNG Foreign Minister apologise
Sidelined PNG Foreign Minister and Port Moresby South MP Justin Tkatchenko has apologised to Papua New Guineans in Parliament Wednesday regarding his comments of primitive animals. This was in response to
Kilman out, Napat in as Vanuatu’s deputy PM
Sato Kilman has been removed as Vanuatu’s Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Lands by Prime Minister, Ishmael Kalsakau. He will be replaced by the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Jotham Napat. It marked the first
Xanana Gusmao’s party wins Timor-Leste election but falls short of majority
Timor-Leste independence leader Xanana Gusmao’s party has won the parliamentary election but has fallen short of an outright majority. The opposition National Congress for Timorese Reconstruction (CNRT) led with
Vanuatu PM confident of defeating no confidence motion
Vanuatu Prime Minister Ishmael Kalsakau has expressed his confidence in defeating the motion of no confidence against him, scheduled for Friday, 19 May 2023. In an interview with the Vanuatu Daily Post Tuesday, PM
Dalton Tagelagi re-elected premier of Niue
Dalton Tagelagi has been re-elected premier of Niue beating opposition leader O’love Jacobsen by 16 votes to 4 during the first sitting of the new assembly in Alofi. During the meeting, Niue’s 20 assembly
How Tonga strikes a balance between king and democracy
The Pacific’s last remaining monarchy has taken a unique approach to balancing executive powers between the king and the parliament, Mele Tupou Vaitohi reveals. Tonga knows how to do coronations. When the current
Niue goes to polls with 30 percent of seats already decided
A total of 1,167 Niuean voters get a chance to elect a new parliament this weekend. They will choose from the 17 candidates lining up for the six common roll seats, while six of the 14 village seats have already
Rethink tourism approach, Cook Islands Opposition leader says
Cook Islands Opposition leader Tina Browne has called on the Government to rethink its approach to tourism. Browne in her response to the Speech from the Throne, delivered in Parliament on Tuesday last week, said
Cook Islands Parliament decriminalises homosexuality
Cook Islands Parliament has repealed provisions in its Crimes Act that criminalised homosexuality. The Crimes (Sexual Offences) Amendment Bill 2023 which, among other things, aimed to decriminalise homosexuality was
Tongan court rules law does not apply to a noble
Tonga’s Appeal Court has upheld a decision saying a law did not apply to a nobleman. A member of Parliament, a nobles’ representative, was elected in 2021 despite the fact he had a court debt. It is
Seruiratu is new Fiji Opposition leader
Fiji’s new Opposition leader, Inia Seruiratu, has vowed that he will do his best to serve the people of Fiji. “I’m indeed honoured and privileged for this opportunity,” he said. “I’m here to serve all
Vanuatu MP allocation increased to VT5 million
Members of Parliament in Vanuatu will now receive a higher amount of funding to cater for their constituents. The MPs will now be entitled to an amount of VT5 million(US$41,544) as their MP Allocation fund. This is
