August 2009
Young PNG delinquents turn to photography
Updated 31/08/2009 07:05:23
In the Papua New Guinean capital Port Moresby a slow but significant change is taking place.
NZ man stages mountain protest over poison use
Updated 31/08/2009 07:05:23
In New Zealand, a man has been protesting on Mount Tongariro and refusing to come down, angered at New Zealand using a poison known as 1080.
Australian landowners get mining appeal rights
Updated 31/08/2009 07:05:23
Landholders in eastern Australia will now be able to appeal to the Land and Environment Court if they feel mining companies on their land are breaching license conditions.
New opinion poll website for Fiji
Updated 31/08/2009 07:05:23
A New Zealand academic has started an online survey website on Fiji's political situation with the aim, he says, of giving a balanced view of what's actually happening in the country.
Japan election result could affect Guam military buildup
Updated 31/08/2009 07:05:23
Japan's Liberal Democratic Party has suffered an ignominious defeat in general elections, with voters sweeping the opposition Democratic Party into power.
Cook Islands roads among world's most dangerous
Updated 31/08/2009 07:05:23
The World Health Organisation says the Cook Islands has the second-highest road toll, per capita, in the world.
Samoan road switch opponents disappointed by court ruling
Updated 31/08/2009 07:05:23
The Samoan Supreme Court has confirmed that in just over a week, drivers will be switching from the right hand side of the road to the left.
Samoan Supreme Court rejects road switch objections
Updated 31/08/2009 07:05:23
The Samoan Supreme Court has confirmed that in just over a week, drivers will be switching from the right hand side of the road to the left.
Fiji editor says censorship suppresses news stories
Updated 31/08/2009 07:05:24
The editor of one of Fiji's main daily newspapers has told an overseas audience that government control of the media has resulted in major news stories being suppressed on the orders of military and police censors.
Samoa rattled by 6.6 magnitude offshore earthquake
Updated 31/08/2009 07:05:24
A powerful earthquake rattled Samoa overnight, but there are no immediate reports of damage or of a tsunami.
Fiji-Australian film a challenge to Bollywood
Updated 31/08/2009 07:05:22
Indian movies have long been a huge business in India and as the diaspora has settled all over the world, the backdrops to Bollywood films have become increasingly international.
Aust Banks in Fiji urged to cut rates
Updated 31/08/2009 17:12:12
Meanwhile, the Reserve Bank of Fiji will lift the credit ceiling it imposed on commercial banks in the wake of the 2006 coup, from September 1st.
Fiji's Commonwealth suspension deadline due tomorrow
Updated 31/08/2009 17:12:12
The Commonwealth has confirmed Fiji will be suspended from tomorrow, September the first, if it refuses to commit to elections next year.
New Caledonia's USTKE protests lead to loss in public support
Updated 31/08/2009 17:12:12
In New Caledonia, the U-S-T-K-E has decided to take its campaign to free six trade unionists to metropolitian France.
Tongan soldiers building houses for Aboriginal township
Updated 31/08/2009 17:12:12
Ten Tongan soldiers are working with the Australian Army in far north Queensland at the moment, helping build houses at a remote aboriginal community.
Fiji Housing Ministry says few squatters can afford homes
Updated 28/08/2009 06:16:32
Earlier this week, Radio Australia brought you a report from Fiji suggesting up to 40 percent of people living in squatter communities could actually afford to buy their own homes.
Urgent WHO call for healthier Pacific lifestyles
Updated 28/08/2009 06:16:33
Seventy-five percent of deaths in the Pacific are due to non-communicable diseases.
Cook Islands Democratic Party expels Wilkie Rassmussen
Updated 28/08/2009 06:16:33
Cook Islands former vice president Wilkie Rassmussen was suspended this week by the ruling Democratic Party.
Cook Islands budget criticised for relying on loans
Updated 28/08/2009 06:16:33
Cook islands deputy opposition leader is leading a rear guard action criticising the use of loans to balance the budget.
Telecommunications firm loses Solomon Islands monopoly
Updated 28/08/2009 06:16:33
Solomon Islands has passed its Telecommunications Bill 2009, bringing to an end a long-standing monopoly.
Preliminary work begins for Solomons reconciliation commission
Updated 28/08/2009 06:16:33
Church communities, women's groups, and young people in Solomon Islands could soon be working closely with people who committed crimes during lethal ethnic violence nine years ago.
UN urges Australia to pay reparations to indigenous communities
Updated 28/08/2009 06:16:33
An independent United Nations observer has branded a mainstay of Canberra's approach "racist", and in breach of international obligations.
UN dubbs Australian indigenous policy 'racist'
Updated 28/08/2009 06:16:33
The Australian government's intervention policy in indigenous communities living in the Northern Territory has come in for heavy criticism from a senior United Nations official.
Climate change activities focus of SPREP
Updated 28/08/2009 08:54:16
The Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environment Program, SPREP, is involved in a wide range of media outreach activities, as part of the Pacific Year of Climate Change.
New model for Indigenous affairs representation
Updated 28/08/2009 17:00:15
Professor James Anaya, the U-N's Special Rapporteur on the rights and freedoms of indigenous peoples says Aborigines and Torres Strait islanders are experiencing entrenched racism.
Fiji Times editor takes new threat seriously
Updated 28/08/2009 17:00:15
The editor of the Fiji Times newspaper says he's received another threat, which he's taking seriously.
Morobe people dying of mysterious disease
Updated 28/08/2009 17:00:15
Authorities in Papua New Guinea are investigating a mysterious disease that reportedly claimed the lives of more than 40 people in a remote District of Morobe province last week.
Pacific help sought in identifying WWII photos
Updated 27/08/2009 07:52:46
An Australian archivist is hoping Pacific islands communities may be able to help add to an archive she is compiling of a New Zealand Air Force flying boat squadron which operated in the Pacific in WWII.
Pacific islands failing to achieve UN goals on reducing child deaths
Updated 27/08/2009 07:52:46
An increase in the number of child deaths and under-nourished children are listed among the reasons Pacific Island nations are failing to meet UN Millennium Challenge goals.
Dutch teen hopes to be youngest solo world sailor
Updated 27/08/2009 07:52:46
Six weeks after an American teenager, Zac Sunderland, overcame raging seas and a pirate scare to become the youngest person to circumnavigate the globe in a boat, an even younger competitor is challenging his record.
El Nino catches Pacific climate watchers off guard
Updated 27/08/2009 07:52:46
Nations in the southern and western Pacific look set to suffer unpredictable weather over coming months.
Marshall Islands tables budget
Updated 27/08/2009 07:52:46
Pacific Beat takes a look at the budget just tabled in Marshall Islands.
Fiji's Momi Bay resort auction fails to finalise buyer
Updated 27/08/2009 07:52:46
The partially built Momi Bay resort was passed in at auction this week.The highest bid, in excess of $F40 million wasn't high enough for the Fiji Provident Fund.
Call for NZ government to support Samoan language
Updated 27/08/2009 07:52:46
A group promoting the Samoan language in New Zealand is warning Pacific languages in the country will die without government support.
Casino in Palau divides public and law makers
Updated 27/08/2009 07:52:46
The proposed establishment of a casino in Palau is causing widespread concern in the community.
Disqualified PNG MP drops court challenge
Updated 27/08/2009 16:57:40
The former Papua New Guinea Works and Transport Minister, Don Polye has decided to drop his court challenge against his election disqualification - and to contest in the by-election instead.
PNG businesses fight corruption
Updated 27/08/2009 16:57:40
The fight against corruption in Papua New Guinea has received a boost from the business community, who formed an Alliance to prevent corruption within businesses.
Tax Haven clean-up hurts the Pacific
Updated 27/08/2009 16:57:40
The international campaign to clean-up tax havens has put 3 Pacific Island Offshore Finance Centres out of business and has serious implicatons for those remaining in Samoa, Vanuatu and Cook Islands.
Fiji extends emergency regulations again
Updated 27/08/2009 16:57:40
Fiji's interim government has extended its emergency regulations.
Former Fiji diplomat urges international attitude change
Updated 26/08/2009 06:43:34
One of the most experienced former Fijiian diplomats and public servants has joined the call for Australia and New Zealand to change their attitude towards the island nation.
Researchers warn high sugar diet can damage heart
Updated 26/08/2009 06:43:34
Health experts have issued a dramatic warning on sugar consumption, saying Western diets contain up to three times more sugar than is safe to eat.
Fiji NGO says some squatters can afford own homes
Updated 26/08/2009 06:43:34
A non-government organisation in Fiji has dismissed reports that nearly half of people living in squatter communities could actually afford their own homes.
Future of Fiji Methodist hymn singing uncertain
Updated 26/08/2009 06:43:34
It's unclear if the Methodist Church's annual hymn-singing event will go ahead in Fiji this week.
OECD urges Australia to include agriculture in emissions scheme
Updated 26/08/2009 06:43:35
The global body for economic development says leaving agriculture out of an Australian emissions trading scheme could undermine the governments' efforts to reduce overall emissions.
Solomons strike action cut short
Updated 26/08/2009 06:43:35
Members of Solomon Islands Public Employees Union have cut short their strike action and returned to work.
Emotional ocean memorial for Tonga ferry victims
Updated 26/08/2009 06:43:35
Dozens of people in Tonga have attended an ocean memorial 90 nautical miles out to sea, at the site where the Princess Ashika sank earlier this month with 72 people on board.
UN 'red tape' delays Solomons reconciliation efforts
Updated 26/08/2009 06:43:34
The Solomon Islands Truth and Reconciliation Commission has had the start of its proceedings delayed, awaiting the arrival of two United Nations Development Program commissioners.
New Caledonian nickel producer to phase out 20% of jobs
Updated 26/08/2009 17:04:00
New Caledonia's largest nickel producer has announced plans to radically cut costs over the next three years.
PNG's Lihir Gold announces big expansion in its gold resource
Updated 26/08/2009 17:04:00
Lihir Gold has announced a substantial increase to its gold resource at its Lihir Island site, in Papua New Guinea, and a record underlying profit for the first half of 2009.
Samoan PM defends matai-only parliament
Updated 26/08/2009 17:04:00
Samoa's prime minister says criticism of the country's electoral system in which only people with chiefly titles can be elected to parliament as undemocratic are rubbish.
New Zealand police evict a group of Maori squatters
Updated 26/08/2009 17:04:00
In New Zealand, police have evicted a group of Maori squatters who had been occupying a disused building for four months.
Indigenous debate 'a scramble for moral high ground'
Updated 25/08/2009 07:06:26
Aboriginal issues took centre stage in Australia last week with the launch of the Indigenous Policy and Dialogue Research Unit.
Fiji National Women's Council concerned over UN resolution
Updated 25/08/2009 07:06:26
In Fiji, the National Council of Women met recently, and addressed a range of national and international issues on gender equality.
NZ firm to provide Samoan schools with computers
Updated 25/08/2009 07:06:26
In developed countries, most children have access to computers and it is a vital part of education, but in Pacific countries, many children miss out due to a lack of funds.
Australia 'should accept UNESCO board role'
Updated 25/08/2009 07:06:26
A former member of UNESCO says Australia has made a mistake by not accepting a position on the organisation's executive board.
New strategy for Fiji on deforestation
Updated 25/08/2009 07:06:26
The Secretariat of the Pacific Community says it is crucial to consider the rights of resource owners when addressing forest degradation in Fiji.
Fresh warning to Pacific states on swine flu
Updated 25/08/2009 07:06:26
The World Health Organisation is urging doctors in the region to treat H1N1 flu sufferers as early as possible.
Calls to lift French Polynesian leader's parliamentary immunity
Updated 25/08/2009 07:06:26
The veteran French Polynesian president Gaston Flosse could face further questioning over the corruption affair involving the French Polynesian Post and Telecommunications Office.
Oil Search profit down but PNG LNG project on track
Updated 25/08/2009 16:48:56
Oil Search says its 11 billion US dollar Papua New Guinea liquid natural gas project is on track to make its crucial final investment decison before the end of the year.
NZ opposition presses for new Tokelau ferry
Updated 25/08/2009 16:48:56
New Zealand's opposition Labour Party is calling on the government to honour a promise to help Tokelau buy a new ferry.
Allegations foreign fruit is being used in Tahitian noni juice
Updated 25/08/2009 16:48:56
Producers of Tahitian noni fruit have raised concerns about a fall in demand for their produce.
MSG continues public support for Fiji
Updated 25/08/2009 16:48:55
The Melanesian Spearhead Group has given its support to Fiji's inclusion in PACER Plus free trade agreement negotiations.The support was given after a meeting of MSG Foreign ministers in Suva.
New guidelines on smacking for NZ parents
Updated 24/08/2009 07:08:26
The New Zealand government is to introduce new guidelines for investigating smacking complaints, in response to a national referendum last week.
Researcher asks if it rains more on weekends
Updated 24/08/2009 07:08:26
A major conference on water and climate opens today in Melbourne, with hundreds of scientists and experts flying in from all over the world.
US journalist questioned in Fiji
Updated 24/08/2009 07:08:26
Questions are being asked in the United States over whether President Barack Obama's favourite bottled water is helping prop up Fiji's military regime.
Greenpeace praises efforts to fight illegal fishing
Updated 24/08/2009 07:08:26
Greenpeace has praised member nations of the Forum Fisheries Agency for its efforts to try and stop illegal fishing in the Pacific.
US Navy Secretary Ray Mabus visits Guam
Updated 24/08/2009 07:08:27
The US Navy Secretary Ray Mabus is currently in Guam, to supervise the latest efforts in Washington's military build-up on the island.
Health-checking timber with lasers and electronic noses
Updated 24/08/2009 07:08:27
The business of working with wood is getting the high-tech treatment - a step forward from the days when a craftsman would tap on a piece of timber and listen to check for hidden cracks or flaws.
Widespread strikes threatened in Solomon Islands
Updated 24/08/2009 07:08:27
A wide-ranging strike by members of Solomon Islands Public Employees' Union, or SIPEU, appears to be going ahead as planned today.
Hawaii marks 50 years of US statehood
Updated 24/08/2009 07:08:27
Hawaii became the 50th State of the United States of America 50 years ago on August 21.
Solomons High Court to determine validity of MP payments
Updated 24/08/2009 07:08:27
The Solomon Islands Cabinet says the High Court is to determine the validity of new entitlements awarded to members of parliament.
Environmentalists seek independent body on palm oil
Updated 24/08/2009 07:08:26
The Palm Oil Action Group, which is based in Australia, has claimed a victory in its attempts to persuade large companies to stop using palm oil, after the chocolate-maker Cadburys said it would stop using the oil in its milk-chocolate.
Fiji netball coach determined to return team to glory
Updated 24/08/2009 08:40:06
Fiji's national netball coach Melissa Walker has returned home after taking the team to the World Youth Netball Championships in Cook Islands.
Samoan opposition party says new electoral laws aimed at them
Updated 24/08/2009 17:24:44
The leader of Samoa's main opposition party has appealed to Australia and New Zealand to pressure the government not to proceed with changes to the country's electoral system.
Solomons Police Commissioner dismisses violent crimes perception
Updated 24/08/2009 17:24:45
The Melanesian countries and in particular Papua New Guinea followed by Solomon Islands, have often been singled out by observers as the most crime-ridden and unsafe in the region.
Solomons Public Servants call off strike
Updated 24/08/2009 17:24:44
The latest reports from Solomon Islands say strike action from the Public Employees Union has been called off today.
Investigation continues into lethal PNG plane crash
Updated 21/08/2009 06:12:29
We go to Papua New Guinea for an update on the recent plane crash near the Kokoda Track and the investigation into what may have caused it.
New effort to eradicate rats from Samoan islands
Updated 21/08/2009 06:12:29
The Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environment Programme SPREP in New Zealand is working on a new program to eradicate rats from several islands in Samoa.
Environment campaign threatens Solomons palm oil farmers
Updated 21/08/2009 06:12:29
The chocolate-maker Cadburys has bowed to pressure from consumer and environmental groups, saying it will no longer use palm oil in its dairy milk chocolate.
NZ-Australian relations closer than ever
Updated 21/08/2009 06:12:29
In the late 19th century New Zealand attended some of the earliest meetings leading to the establishment of Australia, but eventually sailed away from the idea.
Australian warning to Indonesia on Papua rights
Updated 21/08/2009 06:12:29
Australia's government has sent a signal to Indonesia about mounting concern over human rights conditions in Indonesia's province of West Papua.
Fresh constitutional amendment proposed in Cook Islands
Updated 21/08/2009 06:12:29
Following on from proposals to amend the constitution to allow the Court of Appeal outside Cook Islands, a fresh change has been put forward.
Samoan right-hand drive court case to hear government's side
Updated 21/08/2009 06:12:30
The court case in Samoa brought by citizens opposed to the switch from right to left hand drive has been going on all week.
Traffic noise drowns frog mating calls
Updated 21/08/2009 06:12:29
Frog species around the world have dramatically declined since the 1980s, according to the International Union for the Conservation of Nature.
US delegates assess American Samoa wage rise
Updated 21/08/2009 06:12:29
A team from the US is in American Samoa at the moment to assess the impact of a recent wages hike on village communities.
Some Pacific Tuna stocks are critically low
Updated 21/08/2009 16:54:11
The Scientific Committee of the Western and Central Pacific Fisheries Commission has finished its two week meeting in Port Vila.
Solomons MP entitilements challenged in court
Updated 21/08/2009 16:54:11
The controversial entitlements awarded to Solomon Islands members of parliament are being challenged in the High Court.
Guam establishes fadang tree sanctuary
Updated 20/08/2009 06:53:11
One of Guam's precious native trees, the cycas micronesica, is under threat of extinction.
Tongan ferry relative speaks against salvage and for safety
Updated 20/08/2009 06:53:12
One Tongan woman who lost three relatives to Princess Ashika ferry sinking earlier this month says she doesn't want their bodies brought home.
Fiji national rugby coach sacked over 'alcohol incident'
Updated 20/08/2009 06:53:11
Rugby union in Fiji is in turmoil following the sudden sacking of the national coach Ilivasi Tabua.
Asia and Europe economic turnaround may help Pacific
Updated 20/08/2009 06:53:11
There is hope on the horizon that the global economic downturn may be slowing.
Domestic violence law under consideration in Samoa
Updated 20/08/2009 06:53:11
Women in Samoa could find more relief from an abusive partner if proposed legislation is passed into law.
Death penalty being considered in Solomon Islands
Updated 20/08/2009 06:53:11
Solomon Islands and Papua New Guinea are looking at the death penalty as a deterrent against violent crimes.
French Polynesian strike over for now
Updated 20/08/2009 07:57:31
In French Polynesia, unions have now called off a strike after a second day of emergency talks with the government.
Fiji abolishes Sugarcane Growers representative group
Updated 20/08/2009 17:06:43
Fiji's Interim Prime Minister, Commodore Frank Bainimarama, has abolished the country's Sugarcane Growers Council.
PNG worries over giving mineral ownership to landowners.
Updated 20/08/2009 17:06:43
Papua New Guinea's Mineral Policy Department warns of severe effects on the country's mining industry if a proposed amendment to the Mining Act is passed by parliament.
Guam senator challenges government transparency.
Updated 20/08/2009 17:06:06
A senator in Guam is challenging the government to be more transparent and provide immediate access to more of its files.
NZ PM gloomy assessment of Fiji
Updated 20/08/2009 17:06:43
New Zealand's Prime Minister John Key says there's nothing more that can be done easily to bring Fiji back to democracy - ruling out economic sanctions against the regime of Commodore Frank Bainimarama.
Culture clash in NZ over eating dogs
Updated 19/08/2009 06:22:02
A Tongan man living in South Auckland has been found to have acted within New Zealand law when he killed his pet dog and roasted it in an umu pit.
Dissent wracks Fiji netball's ruling body
Updated 19/08/2009 06:22:02
For the second time in less than three months netball in Fiji is in turmoil.
Pacific progress on UN poverty goals 'mixed'
Updated 19/08/2009 06:22:02
A report from the Australian government has found mixed results in the region's progress in achieving the "Millennium Development Goals".
No agreement in French Polynesia strike talks
Updated 19/08/2009 06:22:02
Eleventh-hour talks between the French Polynesian government and trade union officials have failed to avert the threat of widespread strike action.
Couples flock to Fiji to marry
Updated 19/08/2009 06:22:01
Fiji has added the wedding market to its list of tourist attractions in a bid to boost falling visitor numbers.
Fiji chiefs to decide Tui Nayau appointment
Updated 19/08/2009 08:29:06
Despite the indefinite suspension of Fiji's Great Council of Chiefs the chiefly household of Vuanirewa in the Lau group is pressing ahead with the appointment of one of their top ranking chiefs.
Pacific service organisations face amalgamation
Updated 19/08/2009 08:29:06
The Communiqu� issued at the end of the Pacific Islands Forum Leaders Meeting in Cairns two weeks ago ran to 21 pages and contained more than 8,300 words - so it is hardly surprising that some of the items discussed by the leaders have not received a lot of general media attention.
French Polynesia Unions say strike will stay until negotiations comple
Updated 19/08/2009 17:02:18
French Polynesia's combined trade unions have begun strike action, as they continue to negotiate with the territory's government over the way it is addressing the global economic crisis.
Climate change sceptic urges Pacific to be wary of global warming theo
Updated 19/08/2009 17:02:18
An Australian scientist who is sceptical about man-made climate change says Pacific island countries should be wary of thinking all their environmental challenges are the result of global warming.
PNG leaders' summit support seats for women
Updated 19/08/2009 17:02:18
Papua New Guinea's National Leaders Summit has agreed to a proposal by a government task force to reserve seats in the parliament for women to contest.
Solomons parliament entitlements to be reviewed
Updated 19/08/2009 17:02:18
A Parliamentary House Committee inquiry in Solomon Islands will review the huge increases in entitlements awarded to members of parliament.
Trade mission to boost trade between NZ, Samoa and Tonga
Updated 18/08/2009 06:48:44
The Pacific Island Trade and Investment Commission is on a mission to Tonga and Samoa to improve the level of imports to New Zealand.
Fiji Women's Crisis Centre celebrates 25th anniversary
Updated 18/08/2009 06:48:43
The Fiji Women's Crisis Centre celebrated its 25th birthday over the weekend.
PNG women farmers' delegation visits Australia
Updated 18/08/2009 06:48:43
The Australian and Papua New Guinea Women in Agriculture groups have been meeting regularly over the last year or so.
Tuvalu sailors describe Somali pirate ordeal
Updated 18/08/2009 06:48:43
A group of men from the tiny Pacific island nation of Tuvalu have just been through a terrifying ordeal.
New UN Population Fund head for Fiji
Updated 18/08/2009 06:48:44
The United Nations Population Fund UNFPA has appointed a new sub-regional director for the Pacific Region.
Fijian PM Bainimarama 'in no hurry' to appoint new President
Updated 18/08/2009 06:48:44
Fiji's interim prime minister believes there's no real urgency to appoint a new President.
Widespread strikes threatened in French Polynesia
Updated 18/08/2009 06:48:44
Widespread strikes could go ahead later this week in French Polynesia if talks later today between President Oscar Temaru and union leaders make insufficient headway.
Great Barrier Reef plan to tackle climate change
Updated 18/08/2009 06:48:43
A fishing lobby group in Australia has entered into a cost-sharing arrangement with regulators to tackle climate change.
ADB provides grim economic outlook for the Pacific islands
Updated 18/08/2009 17:04:08
The Asian Development Bank has forecast a further shrinking of the Pacific islands econonies.
Estimate of Tonga ferry victims reduced
Updated 18/08/2009 17:04:08
The number of victims in the Tonga ferry disaster has been reduced from 93 to 73.
Fiji military cancells the Methodist Church activities
Updated 18/08/2009 17:04:08
In Fiji, the government has cancelled the Methodist Church's choir competition and a fundraising event which were to have been held this Saturday.
Solomons Teachers demand pay increase
Updated 18/08/2009 17:04:07
Teachers in Solomon Islands are demanding an 18 per cent Cost of Living Adjustment salary increase.
Guam debates legal rights for same-sex couples
Updated 17/08/2009 06:56:34
Should same-sex couples in Guam have the same rights as a married couple?
Australian farmers welcome high sugar prices
Updated 17/08/2009 06:56:34
Bad weather in the northern half of the globe and the world's ballooning eating habits have turned around the fortunes of Australia's sugar industry.
UN rapporteur on Australian indigenous visit
Updated 17/08/2009 06:56:34
The issue of human rights of Australia's indigenous people is high on the agenda of the United Nations today, with the start of a two-week visit of Aboriginal communities.
Australian government push on renewable energy targets
Updated 17/08/2009 06:56:34
The Australian government will today begin negotiations in earnest to get its renewable energy target through parliament.
Tropical disturbance heading towards Marianas
Updated 17/08/2009 06:56:35
Guam's National Weather Service says a weather system that could turn into a tropical storm is heading towards the Marianas.
Rival rugby teams brawl in NZ
Updated 17/08/2009 06:56:35
A large brawl has taken place between rival school teams at a weekend rugby match in New Zealand.
Cook Islands parliament debates constitutional amendment
Updated 17/08/2009 08:15:19
The Cook Islands parliament slapped a last-minute delay on an urgent hearing of a bill on sea-bed mining last Friday, when it turned out the bill wasn't ready for politicians to debate.
Commonwealth delegation cancels Fiji visit
Updated 17/08/2009 08:15:19
A planned trip by a Commonwealth delegation to Fiji has been cancelled.
PNG promises quick crash investigation
Updated 17/08/2009 08:15:19
The Prime Minister of Papua New Guinea, Sir Michael Somare, has promised a speedy investigation into last week's plane crash in which thirteen people died.
Controversial Guam port project put on hold
Updated 17/08/2009 08:15:19
In Guam, the management of a $US350,000 port project has been put on hold, pending an official investigation.
Australia lays out policies on fighting Pacific domestic violence
Updated 17/08/2009 08:15:19
Australia has released the publication, Stop Violence: Responding to violence against women in Melanesia and East Timor.
Samoan villages blockade roads in protest
Updated 17/08/2009 17:14:36
Attempts to force the Samoan government to backdown from changing from right to left hand drive, has taken a twist, with several villages threatening road blockades when the switch occurs on September 7th.
Blue-collar workers joining skills exodus from Fiji
Updated 17/08/2009 17:14:36
An Indo-Fijian community leader in Australia says the exodus of qualified people from Fiji to developed nations like Australia and New Zealand is getting worse.
New Zealand Navy remote operated vehicle to identify Tongan vessel.
Updated 17/08/2009 17:14:36
The New Zealand Navy is sending a remote operated vehicle down to what they believe is the wreck of the Princess Ashika in the waters off Tonga.
PNG Transport minister says his election was credible.
Updated 17/08/2009 17:14:36
Ousted Papua New Guinea Transport Minister Don Polye, has defended the 2007 election result, which elected him to parliament.
PNG and Australian authorities cooperate on plane crash
Updated 17/08/2009 17:14:36
The bodies and remains of the 13 people aboard the light plane that crashed in Papua New Guinea last Tuesday have been brought to Port Moresby where the process of identification has begun.
Researchers probe the eating habits of prawns
Updated 14/08/2009 08:27:11
Scientists in Australia are using recording equipment to delve into the private lives of prawns.
Goroka doctor wins prestigious new award
Updated 14/08/2009 08:27:12
Five Pacific Island Nations are represented in the inaugural Greg Urwin award.
SPREP partners major climate change project
Updated 14/08/2009 08:27:12
Climate change adaptation is the centre of a major United Nations-backed project under way in the Pacific.
Fiji dialysis centre catering to foreign kidney patients
Updated 14/08/2009 08:27:12
Many people in the South Pacific suffer disproportionate levels of diabetes and high blood pressure...
New coffee industry brewing in Samoa
Updated 14/08/2009 08:27:12
A project is under way to rekindle Samoa's coffee trade.
Focus on freedom of information in the Pacific
Updated 14/08/2009 08:27:12
The leaders of the Pacific Islands Forum have agreed to improve public access to official information.
Cooks MPs set to wrestle with new resource legislation
Updated 14/08/2009 08:27:12
An urgent parliamentary sitting is expected to get under way in Cook Islands today, to discuss a key sea bed mining bill.
Australia's defence minister pushes for greater transparency
Updated 14/08/2009 08:27:12
Australia's Defence Minister John Faulkner -- after a relatively brief nine weeks in the job -- has been outlining some of the challenges he's facing in what's traditionally a complex and difficult portfolio.
Regional free trade pact under ministerial spotlight
Updated 14/08/2009 08:27:12
By the start of next year, the ambitious project to carve away 100,000 trade-distorting tariffs across 12 countries in the region is scheduled to be up and running.
PNG crash prompts calls for better infrastructure
Updated 14/08/2009 08:27:12
Most of the passengers killed in the Papua New Guinea plane crash were Australian tourists, en route to walk the World War Two Kokoda trail.
Recovery mission set to resume at PNG crash site
Updated 14/08/2009 08:27:13
Rescue teams in Papua New Guinea have begun the grim task of retrieving bodies from the Kokoda plane crash that killed 13 people earlier this week.
US federalisation hits CNMI tourism
Updated 14/08/2009 16:27:37
The looming passage of a federalisation law in the United States is causing serious concern in the Northern Marianas.
Cook Is parliament delays sea-bed mining bill
Updated 14/08/2009 16:27:37
To Cook Islands, where an urgent parliament sitting was called today, to discuss an important sea-bed mining bill.
First bodies from PNG plane crash arrive in Port Moresby
Updated 14/08/2009 16:27:37
There have been emotional scenes at Port Moresby airport, after the first bodies of victims from Tuesday's plane crash in Papua New Guinea's Owen Stanley Range began arriving.
Olympic Games to allow women's boxing
Updated 14/08/2009 16:27:36
Women's boxing has been banned as an Olympic Games sport since 1904.
Mixed results mark PNG business week
Updated 13/08/2009 09:34:47
We discuss the week in Papua New Guinea business and finance with the head of Kina Securities in Port Moresby, Syd Yates.
Australia's shrinking songbirds
Updated 13/08/2009 09:34:48
Australia's birds are shrinking, and scientists believe it's a direct result of climate change.
World netball comp under way in Cook Islands
Updated 13/08/2009 09:34:48
Fiji takes out first game against Samoa at under-21 world netball titles in Cook Islands.
Fiji's former top judge takes up Vanuatu post
Updated 13/08/2009 09:34:49
Fiji's former Chief Justice, Daniel Fatiaki, is said to be settling well into his new role as a judge at the Vanuatu Supreme Court.
Family fears for Pacific sailor held by Somali pirates
Updated 13/08/2009 09:34:49
The brother of Radio Australia's reporter in the Northern Marianas is one of a number of people being held hostage by Somali pirates.
Fiji pushes to see more local produce on hotel menus
Updated 13/08/2009 09:34:49
Fiji's government has approved a new program which aims to get more locally produced fruit and vegetables into the country's hotels and resorts.
Fiji failing to capitalise on high sugar prices
Updated 13/08/2009 09:34:49
Bad weather in key producing countries, and increased use of biofuels have led to near 30-year highs in sugar prices.
PNG crash victim's charity work to continue
Updated 13/08/2009 09:34:49
Thousands of Australians visit PNG every year to walk the Kokoda Trail, to discover this key part of their wartime history.
PNG crash recovery operation gets under way
Updated 13/08/2009 09:34:49
The search effort has turned to recovery at the site of a fatal air crash on the Kokoda Trail in Papua New Guinea.
Sunken Tongan ferry may become ocean grave
Updated 13/08/2009 15:33:34
The New Zealand navy has released the first images of the sunken ferry off the coast of Tonga.
Disaster relief work underway in New Ireland
Updated 13/08/2009 15:33:34
Disaster relief work is ongoing in Papua New Guinea's New Ireland Province after heavy rains in July caused extensive flooding throughout the province.
PNG flying amongst the toughest in the world
Updated 13/08/2009 15:33:34
For pilots Papua New Guinea provides flying conditions which test all their skills and training.
Rugged conditions hamper PNG plane recovery
Updated 13/08/2009 15:33:34
Poor weather conditions and rugged terrain are combining to hamper efforts to recover bodies from the light plane that crashed near the Kokoda Track in Papua New Guinea on Tuesday.
Fiji invites Commonwealth delegation to dialogue
Updated 13/08/2009 15:33:33
Fiji's interim prime minister, Commodore Frank Bainimarama, has invited a delegation from the Commonwealth Secretariat to visit Fiji to engage in dialogue with his government.
Indigenous fishing rights under spotlight in Guam
Updated 12/08/2009 08:15:41
Political debate is underway in Guam over a proposal that would allow Aboriginal Chamorro exclusive rights to fish in marine reserves.
A report card on the state of Asia Pacific education
Updated 12/08/2009 08:15:41
A new report on the state of education in the Asia-Pacific region has called on the Australian government to work on other wealthy countries to put more money into children's education in the Pacific.
Managing the media at the Pacific Islands Forum
Updated 12/08/2009 08:15:41
Analysis of the recent Pacific Islands Forum in Australia continues with the spot light now on they way the media was managed throughout the conference.
Vanuatu's outgoing president favours constitutional change
Updated 12/08/2009 08:15:41
The President of Vanuatu's five year term in office concludes on the 16th of this month.
Uighurs expected in Palau soon
Updated 12/08/2009 08:15:41
The Pacific nation of Palau is soon expected to receive a number of Uighur detainees from the American military prison at Guantanamo Bay.
Fiji facing dark economic times
Updated 12/08/2009 08:15:41
A bleak picture of Fiji's economic future has been painted at a major conference held at Australia's Parliament House in Canberra.
Vanuatu offers to help break Fiji's political deadlock
Updated 12/08/2009 08:15:41
Vanuatu's prime minister Edward Natapei says he's willing to host a dialogue of Fiji's rival factions.
Search resuming for missing PNG plane
Updated 12/08/2009 08:15:41
A charter plane with 13 passengers and crew aboard is still missing in Papua New Guinea.
Fijian father on murder charge over 'exorcism killing'
Updated 12/08/2009 16:16:14
Churches in Fiji have distanced themselves from violent exorcism, after the death of a toddler whose father claimed she was possessed by demons.
Tongan ferry wreck found by NZ and Australian divers
Updated 12/08/2009 16:16:14
Navy divers from New Zealand and Australia have finally located the Princess Ashika ferry that sank in Tonga a week ago today.
Australians watching PNG air crash story closely
Updated 12/08/2009 16:16:15
In Australia the air crash in Papua New Guinea has been the subject of intense media coverage since the plane was reported missing.
Australian PM confirms 13 dead in PNG plane crash
Updated 12/08/2009 16:16:15
News that no-one survived the light plane crash in Papua New Guinea was broken to Australians by the Prime Minister Kevin Rudd.
Aviation authorities in PNG say no survivors from plane crash
Updated 12/08/2009 16:16:15
Papua New Guinea's Civil Aviation Minister Don Polye has confirmed that there were no survivors from the light plane that crashed near the Kokoda Track yesterday.
Coral bleaching to cost Australia billions
Updated 11/08/2009 09:18:43
A new report has put a dollar value on the impact of climate change on the Great Barrier Reef.
Australia's NRL suffers fresh off field set back
Updated 11/08/2009 09:18:43
Rugby league in Australia is in damage control once again after one of its high profile players has been charged with assaulting his girlfriend.
Bat borne virus hits Australian horse stud
Updated 11/08/2009 09:18:43
There has been another outbreak of the potentially deadly Hendra Virus in northeast Australia.
Violence against women threatens Pacific communities
Updated 11/08/2009 09:18:43
Concern about "sexual and gender based violence as a risk to human security" was reflected in the Pacific Forum Leaders communique held last week in Australia.
UNDP Pacific Head says Pacific falling behind Asia
Updated 11/08/2009 16:17:20
The United Nations says the relative advantage that Pacific countries enjoyed over their Asian neighbours a generation ago has now vanished.
China and Taiwan say fight for diplomatic recognition is over
Updated 11/08/2009 16:17:21
This week trade officials and ministers from China and Taiwan have both been quoted as saying they now have an understanding which will end the competition between them for diplomatic recognition from developing countries.
NZ to send special forces back to Afghanistan
Updated 11/08/2009 16:17:21
New Zealand says it is sending its special forces SAS troops back to Afghanistan.
Thousands affected by floods in PNG's New Hanover Island
Updated 11/08/2009 16:17:21
In Papua New Guinea, where thousands of people in New Ireland province have lost their food gardens and cash crops, due to continuous heavy rains throughout last month.
Missing I-Kiribati fishermen found
Updated 11/08/2009 16:17:21
Maritime New Zealand's Rescue Co-ordination Centre says three I-kiribati fishermen who had been missing since Saturday, have been found.
Tongan ferry captain says he was pressured into sailing
Updated 11/08/2009 16:17:21
The Tongan transport minister, Paul Karalus, has resigned following the sinking last week of the Princess Ashika ferry.
Tongan transport minister resigns following ferry sinking
Updated 11/08/2009 16:17:21
Tonga's transport minister Paul Karalus has resigned, following last week's ferry disaster.
Violence threatens PNG's Australian NRL bid
Updated 11/08/2009 16:17:20
Papua New Guinea's bid to enter a team in the Australian National Rugby League competition is under threat over spectator violence directed towards match officials.
Guam set to host international 'women against militarism' meet
Updated 10/08/2009 08:58:17
Representatives from across the Asia Pacific are gathering in Guam to discuss the implications of the US military build up on the island.
Australia's parties prepare to do battle over emissions cuts
Updated 10/08/2009 08:58:17
Australia's Federal Parliament resumes on Tuesday after a winter break and it's expected 11 government bills setting up the Carbon pollution reduction scheme will be defeated on Thursday.
Research gives new hope for better diabetes treatment
Updated 10/08/2009 08:58:18
An international research team has produced results that they say are a significant step towards finding a cure for type 1 diabetes.
New Zealand aids Tonga ferry disaster inquiry
Updated 10/08/2009 08:58:18
New Zealand correspondent Kerri Ritchie looks at the response to the Tongan ferry disaster.
Terrorism charges throw spotlight on Australia's Somali community
Updated 10/08/2009 08:58:18
The arrest of a number of Australian citizens on charges related to terrorism with alleged links to Somalia and Lebanon has drawn attention to the ethnic communities that they were part of in Melbourne.
Assessing Australia's seasonal worker pilot
Updated 10/08/2009 08:58:18
An evaluation of Australia's Pacific seasonal worker pilot program is under way.
Pacific states look for bigger slice of tuna pie
Updated 10/08/2009 15:54:19
A recent regional meeting on the tuna fishing industry has looked at ways Pacific countries can get a bigger cut of the more than four billion dollar annual tuna harvest in the western Pacific.
World Bank says improving Pacific economies 'difficult, not impossible
Updated 10/08/2009 08:58:18
The nations of the Pacific are among the poorest in the world, with close to three million people living below the poverty line.
Pacific Forum outcome a 'give and take' compromise
Updated 10/08/2009 08:58:18
Meetings like last week's Pacific Islands Forum leaders gathering are inevitably about compromise.
Nation mourns as search continues for lost Tongan ferry
Updated 10/08/2009 08:58:18
Tonga has held a day of mourning for the now 95 people suspected to have died in last week's ferry disaster.
PNG's Sepik Crocodile Festival gets underway
Updated 10/08/2009 15:54:20
The remote Ambunti community in PNG's East Sepik Province is hosting this year's annual Sepik Crocodile Festival this week.
Key international meeting on HIV/AIDS opens in Bali
Updated 10/08/2009 15:54:20
Scientists and government officials from 65 countries are meeting in Bali for the Ninth International Congress on AIDS in Asia and the Pacific.
European-Pacific economic partnerships under scrutiny
Updated 10/08/2009 15:54:20
There was broad appreciation from Pacific leaders at last week's meeting in Cairns for a new regional aid program from Europe, but there was less positive feedback on the trade front.
Hunt for sunken Tongan ferry continues
Updated 10/08/2009 15:54:20
Australian and New Zealand naval divers still haven't been able to locate the sunken ferry which claimed at least 95 lives.
Fiji to withdraw involvment in regional trade discussions
Updated 10/08/2009 15:54:20
Fiji's interim Prime Minister, Commodore Frank Bainimarama, says he is withdrawing his country's involvment in the Pacific's regional trade agreements.
Cook Islands celebrates Constitution Day
Updated 07/08/2009 08:24:57
Our regular look at the week in politics and sport in Cook Islands.
A farewell to one of Pacific Beat's best known voices
Updated 07/08/2009 08:24:58
Regular Pacific Beat listeners are familiar with name and voice of Myra Mortensen.
Australia's 'green power' under scrutiny
Updated 07/08/2009 08:24:58
Environment-friendly electricity is in the news in Australia, where the national consumer watchdog has told power companies to tone down their marketing of so-called "green power" because it's not as good for the environment as they've claimed.
Samoa decries Fiji military's continued grip on power
Updated 07/08/2009 08:24:58
Samoa's prime minister says the region hasn't given up hope on Fiji, and suggests the country may be ripe for a Philippine-style 'people-power' movement.
PNG's opposition cries foul over MP payments
Updated 07/08/2009 08:24:58
Papua New Guinea's Opposition has questioned the release of more than 46 million US dollars to government MPs who supported the adjournment of parliament last month.
The implications of Fiji's Commonwealth suspension
Updated 07/08/2009 08:24:58
Fiji is facing full suspension from the Commonwealth.
Australia vows to represent Pacific interests at climate change talks
Updated 07/08/2009 08:24:58
Australia's prime minister, and the new chair of the Pacific Islands Forum, says the world doesn't understand the threat to the existence of Pacific island states, and he's committed Australia to representing the issue on behalf of the Pacific before the world.
Search resumes for survivors of Tonga ferry disaster
Updated 07/08/2009 08:24:58
The search is continuing for survivors of a ferry sinking in Tonga.
Dealing with alien species in the Pacific
Updated 07/08/2009 08:24:55
The problem of invasive species is a common one facing many communities in the Pacific.
Tongan transport minister defends ferry's safety
Updated 07/08/2009 17:30:55
Tonga's Minister for Transport, Marine and Ports, Paul Karalus, says he believes the ferry was hit by a freak weather event, and denies any evidence that the 40 year old vessel had technical problems.
Mixed response to Forum communique
Updated 07/08/2009 17:30:55
Around the Pacific there has been a mixed response to the Communique released by Forum leaders after yesterday's meeting.
Tongans seek spiritual comfort
Updated 07/08/2009 17:30:55
Meanwhile, the people of Tonga are seeking spiritual guidance and comfort in the light of the disaster that has befallen the country.
Search for survivors of ferry disaster continues
Updated 07/08/2009 17:30:55
Search and rescue authorities in Tonga say they are continuing their search for any survivors or bodies of the ferry disaster.
Expatriate Tongans trying to get home after Ferry tragedy
Updated 07/08/2009 17:30:55
Hopes are fading for the 62 people who are still missing, after a ferry sank off the coast of Tonga late on Wednesday night.
New program aims to keep young Aboriginal offenders out of jail
Updated 06/08/2009 09:34:42
Aboriginal elders in Australia are hoping that a revolutionary new program will help keep young Aborigines out of jail.
New Zealand meat producers feeling the pinch
Updated 06/08/2009 09:34:42
New Zealand's sheep and beef producers are struggling to make money and want more investment to secure their long term viability.
Pacific cruise industry defies choppy economic waters
Updated 06/08/2009 09:34:42
The cruising industry in the Pacific is defying the Global Economic Crisis.
Lines restored after resolution of Fiji telecom row
Updated 06/08/2009 09:34:42
A post-industry restructuring row between two key telecommunications players in Fiji appears to be over.
PNG hosts visit from Pacific Games bid committee
Updated 06/08/2009 09:34:42
The Pacific Games bid committee is visiting Papua New Guinea, to assess PNG's tilt versus those from Tonga and Solomon Islands.
Amnesty calls on Pacific leaders to deal with violence against women
Updated 06/08/2009 09:34:43
Pacific rates among the highest for violence against women and girls, according to experts.
Joy as Somali pirates free Pacific islanders
Updated 06/08/2009 09:34:43
Twelve Pacific Islanders who were the crew of a German cargo ship have been released by Somali pirates....reportedly after the payment of a large ranson.
Economic downturn threatens Pacific children
Updated 06/08/2009 09:34:43
The number of child deaths could rise by 800 each year if the global economic downturn continues to impact on the Pacific.
NZ remains hopeful for quick start to regional trade talks
Updated 06/08/2009 09:34:43
One of the contentious issues at this year's Pacific Islands Forum is whether there should be an immediate start to negotiations for a new regional trade and economic agreement, PACER Plus.
Pacific leaders prepare for forum retreat
Updated 06/08/2009 09:34:43
Pacific forum leaders go into their traditional retreat today, away from the cameras and officials.
Australia moves towards sustainable 'roo meat industry
Updated 06/08/2009 09:34:38
The kangaroo may be on the coat of arms, but Australian's don't always have the most harmonious relationship with the marsupial.
Tongan authorities says the disaster has left the country in shock
Updated 06/08/2009 17:18:28
Tongan police have confirmed the body of one person has been recovered so far.
Search for missing to continue overnight
Updated 06/08/2009 17:18:36
Meanwhile, Maritime New Zealand's Rescue Co-ordination Centre says the search for those still missing will continue overnight.
Pacific leaders meet in Cairns
Updated 06/08/2009 17:18:43
A strong statement on climate change is expected to dominate a communique from the Pacific Islands Forum leaders meeting, with the leaders spending today in their traditional retreat.
Pacific Games council completes bid inspections
Updated 06/08/2009 17:18:51
The assessment team from the Pacific Games Council has completed its inspection of the three countries bidding to host the Pacific Games in 2015.
Concerns over safety of old ferries in Fiji.
Updated 06/08/2009 17:18:28
Right now in Tonga rescue boats are still looking for the survivors after a ferry sank overnight.
Pacific leaders issue concluding communique from annual meeting
Updated 06/08/2009 17:19:04
The leaders of the Pacific Islands' Forum have issued the concluding communique from their meeting.
Pacific Island Forum gets under way
Updated 05/08/2009 16:49:05
Outgoing Pacific Islands Forum chair Toke Talagi says Fijians should take the matter of Frank Bainimarama's military rule into their own hands, though there's no reply from forum leaders to a call by Fiji democracy activities to slap stringent sanctions on their country.
WWF says Australia needs to more to help coral triangle states
Updated 05/08/2009 08:12:31
The international environmental group WWF is one of a number of NGO's trying to get their message across to Pacific leaders gathered in Cairns for the Pacific Islands Forum.
The downfall of New Zealand's first islander MP
Updated 05/08/2009 08:12:31
This week we focus on the fate of New Zealand's first Pacific islander MP, Taito Phillip Field, who's fallen foul of the law in a case that's been making headlines in the country for months.
Britain focuses on Pacific role in climate change talks
Updated 05/08/2009 08:12:31
One of the many senior officials from outside the region that's heading to the Pacific Forum in Cairns is Britain's Minister for Australasia and the Pacific, Chris Bryant.
ADB warns over state of Pacific island economies
Updated 05/08/2009 08:12:31
As the leaders from the Pacific prepare for the Pacific Forum's formal opening, the Asian Development Bank is warning that many of their economies are at growing risk from the worldwide economic contraction.
Small island Pacific states call for deep greenhouse cuts
Updated 05/08/2009 08:12:31
The 40th Pacific Islands Forum leaders' meeting gets under way in Cairns, Australia, later today with trade, Fiji and climate change billed as the big talking points.
Search continues for a definitive answer to the fate of Amelia Earhart
Updated 05/08/2009 08:12:30
The disappearance, 72 years ago, of American aviator Amelia Earhart is one of the Pacific's great mysteries.
Forum leaders meeting officially underway
Updated 05/08/2009 16:47:33
Trade, and the much talked about Pacer Plus free trade agreement will also feature heavily with leaders over the next few days.
SPC Director-General explains impact of Econ Crisis
Updated 05/08/2009 16:47:41
The Director General of the Secretariat of the Pacific Community, Doctor Jimmie Rodgers, has laid down the priorities for development and assistance he believes Forum leaders need to focus attention on.
Kiribati keen to be part of Australian seasonal worker scheme
Updated 05/08/2009 16:48:05
Kiribati has signalled it's keen to start taking part on Australia's seasonal worker scheme.
Fiji Methodist Church back-down from conference due to intimidation.
Updated 05/08/2009 16:47:48
The Methodist Church of Fiji has confirmed it has backed down from its earlier decision to defy the military regime and go ahead with its Annual Conference, planned for the end of this month.
Somali Pirates release Tuvaluan hostages
Updated 05/08/2009 16:47:55
The German-flagged container vessel 'Hansa Stavanger' and all crew members have been released by Somali pirates.
UN moves in to Pacific GEAR
Updated 04/08/2009 09:36:44
The United Nations is moving forward on its commitments on Gender Equality Architecture Reform, known as GEAR.
UNDP launches project to boost employment in Nauru
Updated 04/08/2009 09:36:44
An ambitious program is in the pipeline to help reduce unemployment and improve food security in Nauru.
A push to secure parliamentary seats for women in PNG
Updated 04/08/2009 09:36:45
A government committee in Paua New Guinea has recommended 22-seats be reserved for women to contest the next election in 2012.
NZ points the way on fisheries management
Updated 04/08/2009 09:36:45
Scientists are hopeful they have found a way to replenish the worlds fish stocks.
Samoa's deputy PM rejects trade talks pressure allegation
Updated 04/08/2009 09:36:45
The proposed new trade agreement between Australia and New Zealand and the Pacific Islands, PACER Plus, is one of the most hotly contested issues going to the Pacific Forum.
Island nations face tough economic times ahead, says forum chief
Updated 04/08/2009 09:36:45
The secretary-general of the Pacific Islands Forum says the global economic crisis will have a significant impact on the Pacific, made worse by the cost of adaptation to climate change.
Australia continues to harbour concern over Pacific trade talks
Updated 04/08/2009 09:36:45
Australia has been hoping that this week's Pacific Islands Forum leaders meeting will approve the formal start of negotiations on the proposed PACER-Plus regional free trade deal.
2009 Forum Leaders meeting underway in Cairns
Updated 04/08/2009 16:58:36
Small Pacific states want developed countries to cut climate changing greenhouse gas emissions by 45 per cent by the year 20-20 and 85 per cent by 20-50.
Solomons' PM to support Forum hardline on Fiji
Updated 04/08/2009 16:58:36
Solomon Islands Prime Minister, Derek Sikua, will not ask the Pacific Islands Forum to lift its suspension of Fiji.
Commonwealth says media censorship in Fiji is deplorable
Updated 04/08/2009 16:58:43
The Secretary General of the Commonwealth, Kamalesh Sharma, has described the continuing media censorship in Fiji as deplorable.
Pacific News Association new leaders described as ineffective
Updated 04/08/2009 16:58:50
Last week the Pacific Island News Association decided that despite censorship and restrictions, its secretariat and international wire service, Pacnews, will stay in Fiji.
PINA President's vision for Pacific news media
Updated 04/08/2009 16:58:56
The newly elected President of the Pacific Islands News Association Moses Stevens says educating regional leaders on the role of the media is the way to promote media freedom in the Pacific.
Violence continues in New Caledonia
Updated 04/08/2009 17:06:40
Union activists in New Caledonia are continuing their protests in a number of different cities causing disruption for business and government in the French Territory.
Fiji to try and convince Commonwealth to reverse suspension decision
Updated 04/08/2009 17:06:40
Fiji's regime says it hopes a scheduled meeting with Commonwealth representatives will avoid the suspension threat.
Australia warns over aid 'fragmentation'
Updated 03/08/2009 09:14:03
The impact of the global recession in the Pacific is the central theme for a conference by the Lowy Institute think tank under way in Brisbane Australia's Parliamentary Secretary for International Development Assistance Bob McMullan is one of the key speakers at the gathering.
Guam visit by Philippine president cancelled after Aquino's death
Updated 03/08/2009 09:14:03
Our regular weekly catchup with the Guam Governor's spokesman Shawn Gumataotao focuses on the cancellation of the Philippine president's visit, and the impact of the US troop buildup on the island .
Pacific leaders gathering ahead of forum summit
Updated 03/08/2009 09:14:03
Pacific island leaders are starting to arrive in Australia for the Pacific Forum and its associated meetings, which get underway in Cairns on Tuesday.
Link emerges between developing world violence and global recession
Updated 03/08/2009 09:14:03
Evidence is beginning to emerge that pockets of violence in the developing world may have arisen as a direct result of the global economic crisis.
Solomons project promotes eat local, eat healthy message
Updated 03/08/2009 09:14:03
Last year's global food shortage saw the cost of rice soaring, and impacted most heavily on the wolrd's poorest communities.
Report backs bullying allegations over Pacific trade talks
Updated 03/08/2009 09:14:03
A report by leading Pacific economic watchdogs has backed allegations by an Australian fair trade group, that a lunch meeting in June between trade ministers in Samoa forced the speeding-up of PACER Plus trade negotiations.
Australia argues Pacific nations see need for new trade pact
Updated 03/08/2009 09:14:03
Australia 's Trade Minister Simon Crean says there's a growing acceptance in the region, that a new trade & economic agreement is in the interests of the Pacific.
Solomons PM outlines efforts to deal with global recession
Updated 03/08/2009 09:14:03
The Global Economic Crisis has hit Solomon Islands harder than most countries.
Fiji's netballers prepare to leave for Cook Islands competition
Updated 03/08/2009 09:14:01
Melissa Walker is our sporting enthusiast in Suva, Fiji.
Pacific institutions making too little progress for substantial funds
Updated 03/08/2009 16:18:44
New Zealand's Foreign Minister Murray McCully says Pacific Regional Institutions are making to little progress for the substantial funds they receive.
Palau looking for further US financial assistance
Updated 03/08/2009 16:18:44
While Pacific leaders will be in the Northern Australian city of Cairns this week, taking part in the Pacific Islands Forum, Palau's president won't be.
Pitcairn may start whale watching tourist business
Updated 03/08/2009 16:18:45
The smallest territory in the Pacific has joined others in protecting the region's whales and dolphins.
