PINA

The Solomon Islands opposition has accused Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare of trying to “bulldoze” his contentious bill to delay next year's elections through parliament. Sogavare wants to amend the country's constitution to extend parliament until after it hosts the Pacific Games in November 2023, arguing that Solomon Islands cannot afford to hold both major events in the same year. But the...

-The Papua New Guinean prime minister’s office has taken out a full page advertisement in the country’s two major newspapers urging journalists to stop calling and texting him directly. “This circular is to advise all members of the media fraternity, both national and international, that the Prime Minister James Marape MP will no longer accept direct press enquiries from the...

Fiji has removed covid-19 tests on arrival as entry requirement to the country, beginning Monday. Over the past six weeks, Fiji’s health system has continued to provide community-wide protection through a widespread immunisation campaign, which has led to a persistent decrease in COVID-19 cases. Taking into account our high levels of community-wide vaccine protection, the expansion in vaccination coverage to children,...

Australia’s vocational education and training system will be overhauled to become easier to navigate and more efficient, the federal government has announced. Significant duplication of courses in the higher education sector has resulted in students having to study the same thing multiple times, Skills and Training Minister Brendan O’Connor says. There are currently 5000 vocational education and training (VET) units which...

Fijian Parliament has now been adjourned sine die after the fourth session this year. Leader of Government in Parliament Inia Seruiratu moved the motion to adjourn sine die – to adjourn for an indefinite period following the final five days of sitting this week. It was voted unanimously by both members of the House. Speaker of Parliament Ratu Epeli Nailatikau thanked all...

Papua New Guinea deputy Prime Minister John Rosso and Treasurer Ian Ling Stuckey are among 12 returned Members of Parliament in the 2022 National General Election (NGE) whose elections are being disputed at the court of disputed returns. The National Court Registry has so far registered 12 election petitions. It is envisaged that more petitions will be filed in the...

By Veronica Corno, Climate Finance Specialist at BASE, Dr. Jale Samuwai, Resilience Financing Analyst at the Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat (PIFS), and Prof. Jeremy Hills, University of the South Pacific (USP). While contributing very little to global warming, Pacific Island nations are among the most vulnerable to the impacts of climate change, already experiencing extreme climate-induced disasters such as...

Fiji's Electoral (Amendment) Bill 2022 was passed in Parliament Thursday. The majority of the Opposition Members who contributed to the debate on the Electoral Amendment Bill 2022 were against Clause 3 of the Bill which amends section 6 of the Act. National Federation Party MP, Lenora Qereqeretabua said she will not bow down to the Supervisor of Elections, Mohammed Saneem while...

Papua New Guinea's foreign minister has warned Solomon Islands its decision to halt foreign naval visits could have "repercussions". Appearing on ABC Radio on Wednesday, Justin Tkatchenko said he did not know much about the decision, and it was Solomon Islands' call to make. But he said the Pacific nation's government “needs to think about these decisions they're making now, and...

Preparations are underway for a hearing in the Supreme Court of Vanuatu following an application against the dissolution of Vanuatu's parliament. It was submitted by 27 former opposition MPs who were signatories to a motion of no confidence in caretaker prime minister Bob Loughman last month. Assistant deputy private secretary to Vanuatu's head of state, lawyer Wilson Thomas will be in...