Vanuatu parliament building Photo: RNZ/Sally Round
New group in Vanuatu could become next government
A coalition of parties has formed in Vanuatu that could become the next government.
Although the official election result is yet to be released a pact has been signed between five of the largest political parties and associated smaller parties and independent MPs claiming 31 of the 52 seats in the Vanuatu parliament.
RNZ Pacific correspondent in Port Vila Hilaire Bule said the main parties in the new group are the Union of Moderate Parties, Reunification of Movement of Change, Leaders Party of Vanuatu, Graon mo Jastis Pati, People's Progressive Party and others.
"The next step is to agree with which political party will hold the prime minister and if the MPs who are in those parties will sign the pact it will be okay but if they disagree there will be a problem," he said.
Cook Islands beat Wales at RLWC
The Cook Islands have defeated Wales 18 to 12 in their opening game of the Rugby League World Cup (RLWC).
Wales led 12 - 8 at half-time before the Cook Islands rallied in the second half, scoring two tries.
South Sydney's Rabbitohs winger Steven Marsters put the Cook Islands ahead with around 15 minutes to play.
The Welsh repeatedly came within metres of the Cook Islands try line but failed to breakthrough.
The Cook Island will take on Papua New Guinea in their next game and Wales will play Tonga.
PNG National Gas Corporation claims PM ignores its role
The Papua New Guinea National Gas Corporation claims the James Marape Government continuously snubs its legislated role in the country's oil and gas space.
Its executive chair Alfred Kaiabe has reminded the prime minister it is in charge of domestic gas production and supply.
Kaiabe was reacting to Marape's invitation for a leading Japanese company, Sojitz Corporation, to visit PNG to develop domestic liquefied natural gas alongside state-owned Kumul Petroleum Holdings, but with no mention of the Natural Gas Corporation.
Kaiabe said the Ministry of Petroleum and Energy cannot propose amendments to the Oil and Gas Act to remove what belongs to National Gas Corporation, just to give it to Kumul Petroleum.
NZ language strategy overlooks Melanesian communities
A Ni-Vanuatu health professional in New Zealand says the country's Pacific ministry has overlooked Melanesian communities in its language strategy.
Leina Isno said the government's Pacific Languages Strategy, launched in September, doesn't consider other Melanesian languages except for Fijian.
Isno said she understands that bigger Pacific groups such as Tonga and Samoa have been the pioneers of language revitalisation in New Zealand, but said the ministry needs to be across all Pacific groups.
"When you talk about the Pacific, you talk about the real true representation of what the sub-regions mean and so in a document as such you need to include the other sub-regions so that it's a true representation of the document."
Defence representatives meeting in Tonga
Defence representatives are meeting in Tonga's capital, Nuku'alofa, with delegates from eight countries in attendance.
The annual meeting brings together defence representatives from Tonga, Papua New Guinea, Fiji, New Zealand, Australia, Chile and France.
Over the next three days, the countries will discuss security matters.
However, geo-political rivalries between regional powers and China is the elephant in the room, as the meeting takes place after months of diplomatic spats between the two
On Monday, China's Foreign Ministry spokesperson Weng Wenbin stated at a press conference in Beijing that he hoped the meeting in Tonga would be conducive to regional stability.
Weng's statement followed the Defence Ministers of Australia and New Zealand saying they had discussed growing strategic competition in the region.
Australia to provide financial support to Fiji
The Australian Infrastructure Financing Facility for the Pacific will provide $US58.5 million to support the restoration and upgrade of roads and bridges in Fiji.
The Australian facility said this is a concessional, results-based financing package, and includes a grant of $US12 million.
It represents Australia's first sovereign loan to the Republic of Fiji.
It is to deliver upgrades to nine critical bridges and renew more than 1.5 million square metres of road surface.
The Fiji transport infrastructure restoration project will ensure the nine key bridges in Fiji are climate resilient and designed to withstand a one-in-100-year rainfall event.
Tonga's govt distributes cash to vulnerable communities
Tonga's government is distributing about $US600,000 to support 3000 beneficiaries to recover from the impacts of the recent natural disasters.
Matangi Tonga reports the new social protection initiative was launched by UNICEF and the Ministry of Internal Affairs this week.
The cash transfers will be distributed to 750 affected households, and 2,467 people with disabilities, including 273 children with disabilities.
Priority will go to beneficiaries from affected areas in Tongatapu, 'Eua and Ha'apai.
Minister for Internal Affairs Lord Vaea said it will provide much-needed financial assistance to those vulnerable communities, especially the affected families and people with disabilities in accessing basic goods and services.
A book on traditional roles for men and women in Tonga to be launched
A book about the traditional roles of a Tongan woman and man, penned by Tongan princess Angelika Lātūfuipeka Tuku'aho, is set to be launched on October 22.
The launch event will take place at Her Royal Highness' former school, Queen Salote College Hall.
The Tongan royal family are the traditional custodians of Tonga's traditional culture.
The book is a Tongan cultural manual to aid, guide and instruct how to better effectuate duties and responsibilities as a Tongan woman and man, to the family and
to the nation.
It is the princess's first published book.