PINA

The Pacific territory of New Caledonia goes to the polls on Sunday for a third and final referendum on independence from France with campaigning marked by angry demands to call off the vote because of the Covid pandemic. The territory, some 2,000 kilometres (1,250 miles) east of Australia, was allowed three independence referendums under a 1988 deal aimed at easing...

A coalition of Pacific civil society organisations (CSO) and movement leaders, has called on the French Government to postpone the third independence referendum in Kanaky/New Caledonia, which was “hastily” announced to go ahead on 12 December The French Minister for Overseas Territories, Sebastien Lecornu, told French journalists in Paris that the third self-determination vote would take place, as it "serves...

By Megha Mohan and Yousef Eldin There are fewer women in politics in the Pacific Islands than in any other part of the world, according to UN Women. But this year Samoa elected a woman as its head of government - only the second Pacific Island nation to do so - thanks in part to a network of women...

Lawyers of the petitioners demanding the postponement of the auto-determination referendum of New Caledonia on 12 December has filed an urgent appeal at the France’s highest court in Paris. “On 03 December 2021, Bourdon and Associes introduced a petition for the protection of fundamental liberties (référé-liberté) at the Council of state, France's highest admonitive court, on behalf of 146 individuals...

A dramatic new development in the race for the prime ministership in Tonga. The incumbent, Pohiva Tu'i'onetoa, has pulled out and there are now two contenders. The caretaker education minister, Siaosi Sovaleni, is facing 'Aisake Eke, who won re-election last month after losing in his seat in the 2017 poll. RNZ Pacific's correspondent, Kalafi Moala, said it appears that Tu'i'onetoa is backing...

A plan to pass a Digital Residency Identification law this weekend did not succeed when the bill failed to get majority votes in the Palau Senate. The votes were split even with 6 No and 6 Yes. The bill was rushed through both House and Senate, with an expressed goal of having it take effect by 14 December. The rush to...

By Nic Maclellan Many New Caledonians will go to church this Sunday, or visit family or go fishing, and some of them will also drop into the local town hall to vote in a referendum to decide New Caledonia’s political status. But tens of thousands of independence supporters — mainly indigenous Kanak — won’t turn out to vote, challenging...

By Ian Fry For many, the Glasgow Climate Change Conference, known as COP26, was a significant disappointment. Much had been promised by the UK Government, but last-minute ructions over the reference to the phase out of coal left many with a sour taste in their mouth. Glasgow was an opportunity to steer the global community towards the Paris Agreement...

Papua New Guinea Prime Minister James Marape is expected to announce a major Cabinet reshuffle leading into the festive season and the 2022 National General Elections (NGE). The reshuffle could see major changes with senior ministers reaching out to the Post-Courier expressing their concerns over a leaked interim list that even the Prime Minister’s office maintained it as speculation. Concerned on...

New Zealand has deployed a navy ship to the Solomon Islands to help peacekeeping efforts after political unrest in the capital, Honiara. The decision to deploy the HMNZS Wellington to the mission was not formally announced by the Government or the Defence Force. The armed offshore patrol vessel left the Devonport Naval Base in Auckland just before 7:30pm on Monday with...