PINA

Controversial Australian government contractor Paladin is suspected of abusing taxpayer funds to bribe then-Papua New Guinea police minister Jelta Wong to enable the firm to run the federal government’s offshore detention regime. The suspicions are detailed in police documents sighted by this masthead and come after federal agents seized the phone of a suspected Paladin middleman after he flew into...

More than 3,000 delegates and leaders from 56 Commonwealth countries, representing 2.7 billion people, will gather in Apia, Samoa, next week for the bi-annual Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM). Samoa is the first Small Island Developing State from the Blue Pacific to host CHOGM. This year’s CHOGM marks some other important milestones: *His Majesty King Charles III will, for the...

The Registrar of the International Court of Justice (ICJ) has released the schedule for the oral hearings as part of its consideration of an advisory opinion on climate change obligations. A record-breaking 100 oral statements are scheduled to be presented, with Vanuatu’s arguments scheduled for 12 December. Eighty-eight will be from country delegations, including a joint statement from five Nordic countries,...

The upcoming Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting, or CHOGM, set to take place in Samoa from 21 – 26 October, is a significant moment for the Pacific. Not only is this the first time the biannual event will be held in a Pacific island nation, but the focus on ocean conservation resonates strongly with the region. For Pacific leaders, this gathering...

A strong message of unity echoed at the Police Academy in Tafaigata, where nearly 1,500 law enforcement officers from Samoa and neighbouring Pacific Island nations gathered for a special service. This was in preparation for next week’s Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM). This gathering served as a reminder of the strength of collaboration and shared purpose dedicated to maintaining peace...

In a significant boost to Tuvalu’s maritime security, Australia officially handed over the Guardian-class patrol boat HMTSS Te Mataili III to the Pacific Island nation. The handover ceremony, held in Western Australia, was attended by Tuvalu Prime Minister Feleti Teo and Australian Minister for Defence Personnel and Veterans' Affairs Matt Keogh. The event marked a new chapter in the security partnership...

John Sutton accepts that he can’t change the past, but the Rabbitohs great is changing the future – for himself and the Fiji Bati. Sutton captained South Sydney to their drought breaking 2014 grand final win and is the most capped player in the history of the NRL’s oldest club, but his one burning regret has been that he never...

PNG stalwart Nene Macdonald insists the top tier nations hold no fear for the Kumuls as they aim to win qualification for next year’s Pacific Cup under a new promotion-relegation format. Macdonald, who has played 16 Tests for his native Papua New Guinea, said the players were embracing the opportunity to take on the third placed Pacific Cup team –...

A war of words has erupted between Kangaroos coach Mal Meninga and Tonga star Jason Taumalolo ahead of their Pacific Championships clash on Friday night. Australia haven’t played since their biggest defeat in history, a 30-0 shellacking by New Zealand last November, and they also lost their last Test against Tonga. That was back in 2019 when the Tongans pulled off...

“A single cyclone can erase decades of development in mere hours.” This statement was made by Deputy Secretary General of the Pacific Islands Forum, Esala Nayasi, in his address at the Pacific Disaster Risk Management Ministers first intersessional meeting. The meeting, held in Manila, served as a vital platform for Pacific leaders to align on strategies to build resilience against the...