PINA

Opinion by Kate Lyons The Australian government woke up Wednesday morning to a Solomon Islands-shaped headache. Tuesday night, news broke that the Pacific nation, less than 2,000km from Australia’s east coast, had signed a security deal with China. A draft of the agreement, leaked on social media last month, contained concerning provisions, including one that suggested the deal could allow China...

Commonwealth Games Australia has partnered with the Australian Government to assist athletes and Para-athletes from Pacific nations in their preparations for the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games. Commonwealth Games Australia (CGA) President Ben Houston Wednedsday announced a partnership with the Australian Government to support Commonwealth Games athletes and para-athletes from eleven Pacific nations to prepare for the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games. Due...

The Western Force's clash with Moana Pasifika has been postponed after a number of COVID cases in the Force camp. The WA-based club were without coach Tim Sampson, Izack Rodda and Issak Fines Leleiwasa for last week's defeat to the Waratahs, forced into isolation. However, further cases have emerged, leaving SANZAAR with little option but to postpone the match for a...

Fiji Airways Fijiana 7s Head Coach Saiasi Fuli has named a powerful and exciting pack with one debutant for the Langford and Toulouse 7s as the Women’s HSBC World Rugby Sevens Series resumes in Canada next weekend. Savusavu lass Verenaisi Bari, a product of the Vodafone Vanua Championship is the new addition to a squad packed with experienced players who...

Suva prop Meli Tuni will make his Super Rugby Pacific debut for the Fijian Drua this Saturday. Tuni has been named in the starting line-up in the loose-head position for the clash against the Blues. Making their first start of the season are 2016 Olympic gold-medalist Kitione Taliga who is at full-back, Flying Fijians tight-head prop Manasa Saulo and Naitasiri lock...

Solomon Islands' decision to sign a security pact with China will not hurt or undermine peace and harmony in the region, Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare has told parliament Wednesday. Sogavare confirmed the pact had been signed by foreign ministers from the two countries, a day after China announced the signing at a regular news briefing in Beijing. The move, days before...

The Papua New Guinea Government and Cabinet will continue to operate up until the return of writs scheduled for 29 July, says Prime Minister James Marape. “The government and (Cabinet) ministers will continue to remain in office but will work more administratively,” he said. Daulo MP Pogio Ghate and Sohe MP Henry Amuli were sworn in Tuesday as cabinet ministers to...

Federal Labor is accusing the government of the “worst failure of Australian foreign policy in the Pacific” in almost 80 years, after the governments of Solomon Islands and China signed a new security pact. The controversial deal has been subject of significant debate in recent weeks, sparking fears it could allow China to establish a military presence in the South...

The Australian government has sounded the alarm about the newly-signed security agreement between China and Solomon Islands, arguing the pact has been negotiated in secret and could “undermine stability in our region”. The government said it was “deeply disappointed” by the signing of the deal, first announced by China on Tuesday, and would “seek further clarity on the terms of...

China said on Tuesday it had signed a security pact with the Solomon Islands, a move set to heighten the concerns of the United States and allies Australia and New Zealand about growing Chinese influence in a region traditionally under their sway. However, Solomon Islands officials had earlier appeared to suggest no agreement had yet been signed. Douglas Ete, chairman of...