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
Bainimarama suspended from Fiji parliament for 3 years
Fiji’s Opposition leader and former Prime Minister, Voreqe Bainimarama, has been suspended from parliament for three years, effective immediately. After a long day of parliamentary debate, 27 MPs voted in favor of the
PNG PM to launch “constitutional review”
The constitutional law review of the forms and system of Papua New Guinea government for the election of the prime minister by the people will be launched by Prime Minister James Marape. The government has directed the
Tonga MPs debate on domestic airline licensing
A heated discussion between members of Tongan parliament over a request of endorsement from REALTonga Airlines went nowhere on Monday this week. The discussion began when Tongatapu 5 People’s Representative, Hon. Dr
Ardern farewells supporters on final day as Aotearoa’s PM
Jacinda Ardern has bid an emotional farewell on her last day as prime minister, speaking of the kindness and empathy New Zealanders have shown her, but saying she is ready to be a sister and a mother. Days after
Cooks’ PM vows to change law as parliament delayed by petitions
The new Cook Islands Parliament has still not held a sitting, despite its general election taking place more than five months ago. It will not sit until March at the earliest. The country is waiting for the outcome of
Jacinda Ardern announces resignation as prime minister
New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern today has announced her resignation stating she will not be seeking re-election this year and her last day as prime minister is February 7. Ardern said she reflected over the
New Guam bill seeks to rein in the governor’s emergency powers
In yet another attempt to clip the governor of Guam’s emergency powers, Senator Chris Duenas Tuesday introduced a bill that would authorise the legislature to terminate a public health emergency declaration. Bill 7-37
