The government is again warning New Zealanders not to transit through the Middle East as US President Donald Trump threatens further military strikes on Iran.

The US President said on Wednesday said the United States would bomb Iranian civil infrastructure every time Tehran fires at ships in the Hormuz Strait.

A Safe Travel advisory issued by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFAT) said it advised against all non-essential transit travel through the United Arab Emirates and Qatar.

• READ MORE: Trump weighs ‘massive attack’ as Iran’s FM blasts ‘mindless aggression’
• Other War on Iran reports

“The security situation in the Middle East remains highly volatile and travellers could be stranded with little warning and few options.

“Given this, we advise New Zealanders not to transit the Middle East, including through Dubai or Doha, unless their travel is absolutely essential and there are no other flight routes available through Asia or North America.”

The agency said those who decided travelling through the region was necessary should keep transit times to a minimum and be prepared for flight cancellations, delays, and airspace closures.

It also advised New Zealanders in Iran to leave as soon as possible, if it was safe to do so.

Limited flights
A limited number of flights are still operating from Khomeini International Airport in Tehran but airspace closures could occur at any time, it said.

Land routes out of Iran via Turkey and Armenia are still viable and have been successfully used by other New Zealanders to leave the country.

Anyone who could not leave Iran should follow the advice of local authorities and move to or remain in a safe place and ensure they have essential supplies such as food, water, torches, batteries or power banks and any medications.

The advisory said there were a number of steps people should take if they were at risk of drone or missile attacks:

• Know how advance warnings are communicated in the area
• Follow all local authority instructions
• Identify the nearest shelter or safest locations
• If no shelter is available, move to a basement or interior room away from windows
• Avoid any potential target locations, including military sites, airports and oil and energy infrastructure
• Keep in contact with family and friends where possible

New Zealanders who need urgent consular assistance should contact the 24/7 consular emergency line on +64 99 20 20 20.

Nauru’s government has announced plans to set up an embassy in Israel.

The government said Cabinet had endorsed the deployment of a scoping mission to Israel, to assess the diplomatic, operational, and logistical requirements to establish the embassy.

“A diplomatic presence in Israel will serve as an essential platform for advancing [Nauru’s] foreign policy priorities, promoting sustainable development, and deepening bilateral engagement with one of the region’s key partners,” the government said in a statement on Wednesday.

• READ MORE:  Pro-Palestinian activists plan protest against ‘Israeli pond’ diplomacy push in Pacific
• Fiji opens embassy in Jerusalem
• Let peace govern security – A pastoral message from the Pacific Conference of Churches
• Other Pacific and Israeli diplomacy reports

“The creation of an embassy in Israel represents a significant milestone in [Nauru’s] diplomatic outreach and underscores the nation’s dedication to expanding its global partnerships in support of national development and strategic cooperation.”

The statement did not specify which city the embassy would be established in, but Israel’s foreign minister Gideon Saar said it would be in Jerusalem.

In a translated social media post shared by Israel’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Saar said the Nauruan embassy was expected to be the 10th embassy in Jerusalem, and the fifth since he took office, coming after he also reached an agreement with Colombia’s incoming foreign minister on a similar move.

Fiji and Papua New Guinea are among several countries which have diplomatic missions in Jerusalem rather than Tel Aviv, which is controversial due to the sensitive nature of a territorial dispute between Israelis and Palestinians, who both claim Jerusalem as their capital.

Fiji embassy in Jerusalem
Fiji opened its embassy in Jerusalem in September 2025.

Fiji Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka said earlier last year that establishing an embassy was “not a blanket endorsement of another country’s policies; it is a bridge that allows Fiji to work directly with partners”.

Fiji also reaffirmed its support for a peaceful two-state solution “where both Israelis and Palestinians can live in dignity and security”.

In March this year, Fiji’s human rights watchdog warned that the country’s pro-Israel foreign policy and diplomatic engagement worked against its international obligations and could be enabling “genocide, war crimes, and crimes against humanity” in Gaza.

Israel has also opened its permanent diplomatic base in Suva.

In January, Saar said that Samoa would open an embassy in Jerusalem this year.

Samoan Prime Minister La’aulialemalietoa (La’auli) Leuatea Schmidt said he instructed Samoa’s foreign ministry to begin preparations for the embassy’s opening by the end of the year, according to a recording of the speech posted on the Samoan government’s Facebook page.

PNG ‘violation’ of international law
When PNG opened its Israeli embassy in Jerusalem in 2023, the Palestinian Authority called it an “aggression” and a “violation” of international law.

PNG Prime Minister James Marape said at the time the move had deep religious significance.

“Many nations choose not to open their embassies in Jerusalem, but we made the conscious choice,” he said.

“This has been the universal capital of the nation and people of Israel.

“For us to call ourselves Christian, paying respect to God will not be possible without recognising that Jerusalem is the universal capital of the people and nation of Israel.”

The United States, Guatemala, Honduras, Kosovo and Paraguay also have embassies in Jerusalem.

The Israeli government has a formal policy of offering incentives to countries willing to open embassies in Jerusalem, including financial support for relocation and setup costs.

Concern is mounting for up to 27 people missing at sea in Papua New Guinea’s Islands region.

Bad weather has hampered the search for the crew on at least two boats who were registered as missing on Saturday.

The incident involved several staff of the East New Britain Provincial Health Authority and their families and friends — totalling 27 people including 11 children.

• READ MORE: An NBC update on the 27 missing at sea in PNG

They were reportedly voyaging on two boats from Pangpang Island in the Duke of York group to Kokopo, the capital of East New Britain, a journey of around 20 km.

The East New Britain Provincial Disaster Committee said that on Saturday afternoon, the capsised vessels were reported, and a search was immediately initiated.

It said that on Saturday night, two survivors, who were described as skippers, were reported to have gone ashore on the mainland at Baii Village, Kombiu, which is north of where their journey to Kokopo would have taken them.

Police reportedly retrieved the pair and took them to Kokopo Police Station, where they were kept and interviewed as part of the ongoing response.

NBC reports update
The national broadcaster NBC reported on the update given by the chairman of East New Britain’s Disaster Committee, Levi Mano, before a concerned crowd in windy conditions in Kokopo.

He said a number of agencies have been involved in the search, including police, a helicopter courtesy of National Government through the National Disaster Office and Maritime Safety Authority, and numerous local sea vessels.

Eventually on Monday one of the boats was spotted far to the north drifting upturned with no apparent sign of people off the west coast of Namatanai, in neighbouring New Ireland Province.

Levi Mano said that rough seas and bad weather hampered both sea and air search efforts, causing a temporary pause to the search operation.

Gazelle MP Jelta Wong told RNZ Pacific the aerial search resumed Tuesday.

Meanwhile, Mano said authorities were doing what they could in tough conditions across a wide region.

He emphasised to the crowd that police were involved as the search operation required “all agencies” to be engaged.

The East New Britain government has urged all travellers to check weather and sea conditions before going out to sea, and to take precautions.

It said difficult weather has been compounded by particularly strong winds as a result of the ongoing El Niño weather patterns.

Fiji’s government is working on a “Diaspora Policy” focused on ensuring Fijians around the globe play a key role in the country’s economic development.

The country’s Minister for Foreign Affairs and External Trade Sakiasi Ditoka has just been to New Zealand, where he met with investors and the Fijian business diaspora.

Ditoka told RNZ Pacific the increasing interest from the diaspora across New Zealand, Australia, the United States and Europe is positive for the island nation.

• READ MORE: Diaspora policy to strengthen ties with Fijians overseas – Qereqeretabua

He said every effort is being made to ensure that interests are safeguarded and served for the mutual benefit of Fiji and her diaspora investors.

He also confirmed a diaspora policy is being finalised and will be sent to Cabinet for approval soon.

“It’s [diaspora policy] vital. It’s very important for Fiji that we engage with our diaspora. In fact, as we speak, the diaspora policy is being finalised. It’s going through the the final processes of being passed through Cabinet,” he told RNZ Pacific in Auckland on Saturday.

The policy is going through the development sub-committee level, which means that senior officials are now having a look at it before it is escalated to Cabinet for sign-off.

Wide-ranging policy
He said the policy is wide-ranging, but the central theme is “the diaspora community is very, very important to Fiji”.

Ditoka said the levels of investment members of the Fijian diaspora are putting back into the country keep increasing and help propel its economy. It includes overseas remittances, with an ever-increasing number of Fijians moving overseas for work, including sports contracts, the Recognised Seasonal Employer (RSE) scheme in New Zealand and the PALM Scheme in Australia.

The Fijian diaspora serves as the second-largest foreign exchange earner for Fiji’s economy. Personal remittances sent by the diaspora officially surpassed the $1 billion threshold between January to September 2025.

According to The Fiji Times, a total of 1134 Fiji residents departed the country for employment purposes in June 2026 based on the latest figures released by the Fiji Bureau of Statistics.

Employment was the third-largest reason for overseas travel, accounting for 7.9 percent of all resident departures.

The figures show that 407 people left for overseas employment for periods of less than three months, while 318 departed for between three and 12 months.

A further 409 residents left Fiji for employment periods ranging from one to five years.

F$1 billion milestone
Ditoka said the Reserve Bank of Fiji (RBF) recorded overseas remittances first crossed the F$1 billion milestone in 2022, and have consistently remained above this mark.

The RBF said driven by extensive out-migration and regional labour programmes, remittances have outpaced traditional sectors, like sugar and garment manufacturing, and serve as one of Fiji’s largest sources of foreign exchange, trailing only behind tourism.

More than 60 percent of these financial inflows originate from the Fijian diaspora and seasonal workers living in Australia, the US and New Zealand.

Ditoka said military personnel serving in the United Kingdom, as well as Fiji rugby players all over Europe have also contributed a lot to the remittance figures.

“It’s a marvellous thing to behold, so I encourage our diaspora to keep coming back to Fiji,” he said.

“There are many, some of them who have decided to come and settle back in Fiji, even though they’ve made their lives here in New Zealand and some in Canada, in the US and in Australia.

“Some of them have decided that if they retire, they retire back in Fiji, and we encourage them to keep doing that.”

He said discussions over the past few months have also raised the critical importance of ensuring that systems are changed to be more effective and efficient — which is something he and his ministry is working on.

“As far as the importance of diaspora is to Fiji, they are very important part of Fiji’s economic investment plan, and we continue to engage with them and try to help them in in their plans in investing and working with Fiji,” he said.

Ditoka said there have been “many choke points and blockages” raised with the government in its discussions with the diaspora in Aotearoa.

“So, those are the things I’ve committed to as minister, as well as the permanent secretary who I came with here, to go and work on to make sure that their plans to come back to Fiji is not stopped or slowed down by inefficiencies [and] ineffectiveness of systems and processes that we can work on.”

Duavata partnership
Ditoka and his Permanent Secretary Dr Raijieli Taga were joined by Fiji’s High Commissioner to New Zealand, Ratu Inoke Kubuabola, and members of the Fiji Trade Mission in Auckland in meetings in the past week.

It included the signing of a refreshed Duavata Partnership with New Zealand.

Ditoka said the Duavata Partnership (2026-2030) he signed with his New Zealand counterpart Winston Peters was a milestone in the two countries’ bilateral relationship.

He said the agreement was an important step in advancing one of Fiji’s closest relationship and builds on the success of the first agreement that was first signed in March 2022.

Ditoka said the continued growth in bilateral trade, which had reached F$1.9 billion, would be boosted by the agreement, especially as both governments work on achieving F$2 billion in two-way trade by 2030.

“The signing of the refreshed agreement comes at a critical juncture for regional diplomacy and both our nations have reiterated our dedication to the Pacific Islands Forum’s 2050 Strategy for the Blue Pacific Continent and the Ocean of Peace, emphasising that bilateral cooperation under the Duavata Partnership will continue to bolster wider regional solidarity, peace, and sustainable development,” he said.

“We look forward to improving and in increasing all the current things that we’re doing in our relations, as well as other issues where it’s concerned the RSE programme, as well as trade and investment, and what we can do to improve the facilities that are needed to support the work that they do.”

Ways and means talks
Ditoka and his team also met with the New Zealand Fiji Business Council with discussions focusing on ways and means that the Fiji government can help and assist both current and potential investors.

It was followed by attending the ‘Pacific Trade Invest’ and the ‘Future for investment and trade partnerships’ meetings.

He stated the “Future for investment and trade partnerships” meeting was an eye-opener as it featured small to medium-sized economies like New Zealand, Singapore, UAE, Norway, Brunei, Malaysia, Thailand and Rwanda.

“Similar issues. So I think we’ve got our our list full from the things that we need to go and do back when we return to Fiji,” he said.

“For me, that was very important because it’s just going to help us expand our investment footprint back in Fiji, as well as the the mutual benefits that it’ll create for both our two nations

“Looking at the way the current international rules-based order seems to have not worked so well, we believe that we can find a way forward. Also, looking at the World Trade Organisation and how there are concerns that there’s so much inertia in the work that needs to be progressed, but some have stalled for over a decade, some more than that.

“We believe that the plurilateral arrangements such as these will probably pave the way forward for nations such as Fiji to to improve its economic position. Fiji is aiming, in its national development plan, to be a high income country by 2050, and we believe these kinds of relationships and partnerships with our international partners will help us on how to get on the right path, to get to where we want to go.”

Trade office reopening
Meanwhile, Fiji will reopen its Trade and Consular office in Auckland in early October.

Ditoka said that was a critical part of the plan to serve the diaspora better.

“The New Zealand diaspora is one of the most important of the diaspora communities of Fiji abroad, and as far as New Zealand is concerned, about 70 percent of the diaspora community live in the Auckland and surrounding areas,” he said.

“It’s important for us to have this consulate and trade commission set up to help assist in the things that they want to do.

“It’s a very important part of Fiji’s footprint in New Zealand and in helping to get the mutually beneficial relationship of the diaspora and Fiji up and running again.”

Fiji police say a man in his 50s has been taken into custody after he “allegedly issued a threat on social media” to remove the country’s 2013 Constitution or “burn the nation’s capital”.

In a statement on Monday, police added that investigations were continuing.

“The suspect in his 50s was questioned by investigators from the Cybercrime Division at the Criminal Investigations Department Headquarters on Sunday 19 July 2026, and remains in custody,” the statement read.

• READ MORE: Man in custody for alleged social media threat to burn Suva and remove Constitution

This comes as the Fiji government’s dual and parallel constitutional review and truth and reconciliation processes are underway.

Fijian social media users have been warned that “inciteful posts or the practice of sharing such posts” can result in them being prosecuted under Fiji’s criminal laws for offences such as urging political violence, criminal intimidation and malicious acts.

“While respecting one’s freedom of expression and speech, it must be practised with responsibility, as abuse and the breach of the law will not be condoned,” police said in an earlier statement on the issue on Sunday.

All Blacks captain Ardie Savea jetted out to Samoa on Sunday morning, hours after leading his team to a 40-21 win over Ireland at Eden Park.

The former Rongotai College First XV captain and head boy touched down at Faleolo International Airport less than 24 hours after ensuring the All Blacks’ record at Eden Park remained intact. The All Blacks have lost at the ground since 1994.

Savea and his wife, Saskia, are in Samoa with their three children and will travel on to Fiji before returning to rejoin the All Blacks squad for the upcoming tour of South Africa.

• READ MORE: Nations Championship Team of the Week:

Samoa Observer reported the family was met by Krista Liu of local car rental company Lulu, where they had arranged a vehicle for their stay. They were accompanied by Savea’s parents.

Savea is originally from Suimu village.

The tough looseman is part of the new All Blacks management and leadership team, that has now recorded a clean sheet in their first Test series of 2026.

Having created history in New Zealand because of their Pasifika heritage, head coach Dave Rennie and his team won three out of three in the first leg of the Nations Championship.

Cook Islander
Rennie, whose mother is from the Cook Islands, is the first with Pasifika heritage to be head coach of the All Blacks.

He has Fa’alogo Tana Umaga, who is of Samoan origin and the first Pasifika to be captain of the premier New Zealand side, as one of his assistants.

Savea is part of the 12 players in the current squad who have Pasifika heritage as well.

The side have recorded wins over France, Italy and Ireland in their first three home matches.

While there were some questions around how the side performed against both France and Italy, Rennie believes Saturday night’s win over Ireland in front of more than 48,000 fans in Auckland showed promise of what the team can do moving forward.

Although it was a was a tense start to the match, with both teams having periods on attack, it was the All Blacks who were the most enterprising and they were rewarded with the first try, with lock Patrick Tuipulotu scoring near the posts after several phases.

Savea said post-match he was proud of the team’s performance against Ireland, and applauded the squad as a whole, especially those who did not get game time, for pushing the players at trainings.

‘Control what we can’
“I think for us we only can control what we can control, and that’s our preparation,” he said. “We knew what was at stake and the best way to prepare for them was how we turned up each day and prepared.”

“Thought the lads prepared well, especially our guys that didn’t get a chance. They really pushed us to the limit at trainings and when you get that and then we get a performance like that tonight, just proud of everyone in the squad.”

Savea scored a try in the clash, showing his power when he picked up from the base of a scrum, following a penalty option, and bulldozed his way to the line despite tacklers hanging on to him.

Aumua: We’re always ready’
Tough hooker Asafo Aumua was thrust into the game earlier than planned, when Cody Taylor had to leave the field in the first spell through injury.

Aumua said captain Savea had always reminded the players that as an All Black they have to be ready for the call all the time, which he said was a practical lesson for him on Saturday.

“It was tough,” he said at the post-match conference. “Obviously, didn’t expect to come on there early, but as All Blacks, Ardie always says we’re always ready. So, yeah, just happy to get the win.

“Focusing on the next job, obviously a lineout and just took it moment by moment.”

Aumua was one of the six try-scorers in the match, getting that shortly after he took the field.

“I looked at the big screen my eyes were open, but I could just see black. I did definitely put it down. I just didn’t know if it was on the line or not.”

He said the message from Savea was for the team to keep going, keep the ball moving and keep the opposition guessing.

“Just try and keep keep the ball moving, keep it alive, try not to give the opposition rest. It’s pretty hard fitness-wise.”

Coach Rennie happy
Rennie said post-match the players had put in the hard work and that was beginning to show.

It was a big jump from the close two point 34-32 win over France at the One New Zealand Stadium in Christchurch in the first game.

But as the first three wins wrapped up the first international calendar for the year Rennie and his team were also looking forward to the seven-match tour of South Africa, including three tests against the Springboks in South Africa and a fourth in the United States.

The reigning world champions will host matches in Johannesburg, Cape Town, Johannesburg again in Baltimore.

“They’re such a good side, Ireland, as we saw tonight,” Rennie admitted at the post-match conference after the Eden Park dust had settled.

“We asked a lot of questions of them and they defended really well for big parts. If you give them access into your end of the field, they can hurt you, but I thought the balance of the game was really good tonight.

“We looked after the ball really well. Our big men carried and went a little bit more direct and [we had] smarter kicking that created opportunities for us.”

Rennie said the team defended well, especially on their line as Ireland had them on the backfoot time and time again during the match.

Ireland had arrived in New Zealand with two good wins under their belt – beating Australia 33-31 and Japan 36-20 in their first two Nations Championship tests.

“They came here with a lot of confidence,” Rennie said.

“They have won a series here last time and they are a very experienced squad who have played a lot of footy together. We’re quite a new group. These guys played the Six Nations a few months ago.

“I would have taken a one-point win, but I thought we were pretty clinical when it mattered. A lot of the hard work that we’ve been putting in, on and off the field, we saw it on the park today.”

Assistant Blair confident
All Blacks attack coach and one of Rennie’s assistants, Mike Blair said he’s confident they can make history against the Springboks.

New Zealand ran in six tries off the back of some high-tempo and expansive rugby.

“Still some bits that we can do better, definitely,” he told journalists after the game.

“It sounds strange to say when you put 40 points on the board, but some really pleasing stuff, some good ball movement, some good decision making.

“Once we get into the 22, I think we’ve got some growth there. You need variety. You’ve got to have the ability to play through a team, but also to manipulate a team.”

South Africa have also won three first three matches in the series, beating Six Nations teams England, Scotland and Wales.

But Blair is confident the All Blacks can win the upcoming four-test series against the World Champions, which starts next month, if they keep growing and stay consistent.

Rennie will announce the 44-member tour squad next week, with at least 10 more players added to the current squad.

“It’s going to be a big step up for us, so we’re going to have to evolve and improve again,” Blair added.

In other Nations Championship matches at the weekend, Australia managed their first win, a 57-10 win over Italy in Perth on Saturday night.

France beat Japan 42-15, South Africa thrashed Wales 43-0 while England beat Argentina 31-24.

Pacific trio lose again
Meanwhile, Fiji, Samoa and Tonga all lost their games at the weekend.

Fiji led Scotland 17-7 at halftime, following tries from captain Tevita Ikanivere, Selesitino Ravutaumada and Elia Canakaivata.

But Scottish side came back hard in the second spell and scored three of their own tries to win 33-17.

Flying Fijians head coach Senirusi Seruvakula said it was another tough loss, following earlier defeats at the hands of Wales and England.

He said despite preparing well during the week their bench could not function as planned.

“It showed in the first half. Our bench was not good, they did not come and lift the game and that’s what the last 20 minutes showed.

“[Scotland’s] bench was good and they carried the momentum of the game until the end and they never let down their pace.”

Fiji finished the Nations Championship without a win.

Leads given away
Samoa and Tonga also gave away leads in their matches to lose in their World Rugby Nations Cup matches.

Manu Samoa led Romania 17-14 at halftime, but ended up losing by a point in Uruguay.

The Miracle Fai’ilagi captained team scored tries through Alamanda Motuga, Abraham Papali’i, Iakopo Petelo-Mapu and Fai’ilagi himself.

Romania scored five tries, one including that from Fiji-born Iliesa Lesumaitaiti Tiqe in the first half.

Tonga also suffered the same fate against Portugal, going down 32-28 to Portugal in Canada.

The Tongans managed tries through Otunuku Jr Pauta, Taniela Filimone, Telusa Veainu and captain Solomone Kata.

Portugal scored five tries, including a double to Raffaele Storti.

Both Samoa and Tonga had won a game each and lost two on the road out of their three matches.

The second round of both the Nations Cup and the Nations Championship will be held in November.

Other Nations Cup results:
Hong Kong bt Uruguay 42-40
Georgia bt Chile 49-22
USA bt Spain 29-22
Canada bt Zimbabwe 23-19

The government says it had no influence over $200,000 in funding for a documentary ahead of Fiji’s election about a Fijian cabinet minister facing down a scandal.

The Ministry of Pacific Peoples funded the film Algorithm of Shame: In the Village, Everybody Knows was released in May, and tackles the impacts of social media in closely connected communities.

Marketing describes it as a “powerful Pacific-led documentary set in Fiji that exposes the devastating impact of online shaming in the age of social media, where algorithms reward outrage, humiliation, and exposure without care or accountability”.

• READ MORE: Algorithm of Shame, Fijian documentary focuses on the effects of social media from a Pacific lens
• Other cyberbullying reports

The film focuses on two people: trans woman Rhonda who lost her friend to online abuse, and Fijian politician Lynda Tabuya.

The film’s release just ahead of the Fijian election — set for sometime between August and February, with no firm date yet confirmed — could be seen as softening the image of Tabuya ahead of her potential re-election.

Given the New Zealand taxpayer funding, it is vulnerable to accusations of political interference by another government.

However, the film’s executive producer Tuki Laumea told RNZ the New Zealand government had “no editorial control over this documentary”.

“It is incorrect to say this film is about Minister Lynda Tabuya. Minister Tabuya appears in approximately 15 percent of the film,” he told RNZ.

‘Highly topical issue’
“The film is about the highly topical issue of social media harm in Pacific communities, including its impact on young people, its links to suicide and several other serious issues related to online harm.”

“This film was shown three times on Mai TV in Fiji in May and early June. It was not made widely available online and is currently unavailable to view anywhere in the world, including Fiji and New Zealand. No wide public release date has been set.”

Tabuya, the former Minister for Women, Children and Social Protection, was consigned to the back benches over a leaked video of her dancing naked that went viral on Christmas Eve 2024.

She had been pushing to ban porn sites in Fiji, but was dismissed as a minister on Boxing Day by Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka.

Fiji police later described the video leak as an invasion of privacy, and Tabuya herself said it was made for her ex-husband and that her phone was stolen and hacked.

The police cybercrime unit — acting on a complaint Tabuya had laid — eventually identified two suspects in the leak, and Rabuka welcomed her back to Cabinet in August as Minister of Information — a role he previously held himself.

He said at the time she was “well-suited to spearhead the government’s public relations machinery through the Ministry of Information” with her “personality and her accessibility to the press and the media people”.

Independently produced
In a statement, the Ministry for Pacific Peoples pushed back on questions about whether the funding could be seen as electoral interference, softening the image of a foreign Cabinet Minister beset by scandal.

A spokesperson for the ministry said the documentary was independently produced through the Moana Reo Media Fund, administered by Pacific Media Network.

“The decision to fund the documentary makers $200,000 was made independently of the ministry through an established funding process, which means editorial content of funded projects was not influenced by the New Zealand government in any way and cannot be seen as electoral interference,” a spokesperson said.

“The documentary focuses on the broader social impacts of online harm, cyberbullying and digital shaming, which are issues affecting communities globally.”

Similarly, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade said the documentary was “independently produced and independently selected through an established funding process”.

“The government does not influence the editorial content of funded projects. This is not a New Zealand government commentary on Fijian political matters,” a spokesperson said.

Pacific Peoples Minister Paul Goldsmith said in a statement: “The Moana Reo Media Fund was funded under the previous Labour government. It is administered by the Pacific Media Network, which operates purposely at arm’s length of the ministry and ministers.”

Public interest documentary
Foreign Minister Winston Peters declined to comment.

Laumea, a filmmaker for two decades, is the co-director and co-producer of the “independently produced public-interest documentary about the impact of social media harm in Pacific communities.”

“This film received public funding, as does public-interest journalism across New Zealand and the Pacific, including RNZ and Pasifika TV through PCBL.”

“The minister is among several voices in this film, including a religious leader, a lawyer, students, advocacy groups, a counsellor, the Online Safety Commission, community leaders, a male survivor and a trans rights activist.

“Minister Tabuya is in a unique position to contribute to this conversation because of her very specific and public experience of online abuse,” Laumea said.

As geopolitical tensions increase in the Pacific region and numerous security alliances are rapidly forged, questions are being raised over whether the Ocean of Peace concept is being hijacked.

The Ocean of Peace Declaration was made last year by members of the Pacific Islands Forum, recognising the role of civil society in peacebuilding.

However, the emphasis of the initiative seems to have quickly shifted.

• READ MORE: Jeremy Rose: The nuclear-free Pacific and hypersonic hypocrisy
• Other Ocean of Peace reports

Australia and Fiji take the lead
Australia last week signed the Vuvale Union and Ocean of Peace Alliance treaties with Fiji, the latest in a series of regional pacts Canberra has forged with Pacific Islands countries.

“The Vuvale Union and the Ocean of Peace Alliance have a really strong regional component,” Australia’s High Commissioner in Suva, Peter Roberts said in a post on X.

He said the new treaties underlined Fiji’s position as a regional leader.

“I think we’ve all seen during this fuel crisis how important Fiji is as a hub. And we’ve seen on security matters how important Fiji is as a regional leader, including through Prime Minister Rabuka’s vision for the Ocean of Peace.”

According to Roberts, the treaties empower Australia and Fiji to support the Pacific region in efforts against security threats such as transnational crime, cyber crime and illegal fishing.

“Including in this Fiji and Australia supporting the establishment of the Ocean of Peace Centre, in close cooperation with the Pacific islands Forum. So you’ll see Australia and Fiji standing together in support of the stability and prosperity of the region.”

Value for money
The Vuvale Union is backed by around A$1 billion in funding for Fiji by Australia over a decade, while Australia is also funding the Ocean of Peace Centre to the tune of around A$22 million.

Geopolitical commentator Dr Connor Graham from the Lowy Institute said Australia sees great value for money in these arrangements.

He said Australia was driven by the aim of keeping China out of Pacific waters and maintaining its position as the dominant security partner in the region.

“I’d note as well, a billion dollars over 10 years is a lot of money. But it’s relatively small fries in terms of defence, and the rest of the defence budget and militarisation. So I think this sort of defence through diplomacy is quite a cost effective use of money.”

While Canberra notches a big diplomatic win, regional civil society has been left wondering where it all leaves the Ocean of Peace Declaration.

Shift away from peacebuilding?
The declaration came together off the back of significant engagement with — and made provision for the leadership of — Pacific civil society in peacebuilding, especially women and Indigenous communities.

“This meaningful inclusion was celebrated and consultation followed on the premise of institutional support for conflict prevention and mediation initiatives grounded in culture, like those that were so successful with the Bougainville conflict, or in bringing Kiribati back into the Forum,” Pacific historian and AUT lecturer Dr Marco de Jong said.

But now, with the signing of the Ocean of Peace Alliance and plans to establish the Centre, the language has shifted from being about conflict prevention, peacebuidling and mediation towards deterrence, and the countering of China through military means.

It coincides with the plan of the Australian-led Joint Heads of Pacific Security to insert itself into the Pacific Islands Forum-led regional security architecture, and to advance a regional deployment framework

Joey Tau, the coordinator of the Pacific Network on Globalisation and the chair of the Pacific Regional NGO Organisations Alliance, said that as civil society, they welcomed the original Ocean of Peace initiative

“But our main concern is that we hope such a declaration is not coopted or used as a strategy to advance external security and military interest of external parties.”

He said the Ocean of Peace concept should be something that draws from existing regional priorities and responds to legacy issues for the Pacific.

These include self-determination problems in West Papua and Kanaky New Caledonia; the planetary biodiversity crisis; exploitation of ocean resources; nuclear testing and new threats of nuclearisation in the region.

“One, the Rarotonga Treaty, which declares our region is a nuclear-free region, and secondly, other initiatives as such, need to be informed by the Pacific. And when I say Pacific, Pacific peoples.

“With the proposal of a peace institute, I think it needs further consultation. It needs to be informed by Pacific people, and one that is not determined by external parties.”

Women and peacebuilding
Pacific Women Mediators Network coordinator of political engagement Sharon Bhagwan-Rolls is concerned about the lack of focus on peacebuilding in how the Ocean of Peace initiative is being developed.

“For us, demilitarisation is at the top of the agenda,” she told RNZ Pacific.

“You can’t talk about peace with simply saying that it is the absence of violence or conflict. We have to talk about peacebuilding in the operationalisation of the Ocean of Peace Declaration, and that has been clear for us from the start.”

She said it was important not to see peace building as simply a regional security agenda.

“It is critical that the future or the operationalisation of the Ocean of Peace Declaration through the Pacific Islands Forum needs a stronger focus on peace building in practice, not simply from seeing peace through a traditional security or militarised lens, but through a civilian lens, through a civil society lens, through a people-centered lens.”

“It’s important that we don’t just see peacebuilding as simply a regional security agenda,” Bhagwan-Rolls said.

“We feel that there is a need in forging alliances to also support the forging of peace-building alliances and not just security alliances, and that peace cannot just simply stand as a word of inaction, but we talk about transformative peace.”

As far as the Ocean of Peace Centre is concerned, Dr de Jong said its ultimate purpose had not been made clear, leading to speculation within regional civil society.

“Certainly, regional civil society asked for a peace centre, but maybe they got a military base instead,” he said.

“This has, in effect, shifted the focus of the Declaration itself towards deterrence, and the countering of China through military means.”

Things are moving fast
Regional civil society is also concerned that the Ocean of Peace initiative is being dominated by Australia and Fiji — not necessarily with Pacific regional buy-in

Tau said that to declare something as regional required wider consultation, not just an agreement between two countries.

“Anything of a peace regional peace institute or anything further along those lines needs proper consultation,” he told RNZ Pacific.

“So I must caution: what stems from a bilateral agreement should not very much impact the regional steps. We have to caution ourselves around that, it calls for wider consultation, and I think that that is the proper process of informing policy.”

Bhagwan-Rolls said they would continue as a civil society peace building network, and as a feminist peacebuilding network, to bring attention to the priority issues from their members and communities right across twenty Pacific Island countries and non-independent states.

She called on the foreign ministers of the Pacific Islands Forum to ensure things don’t move too hastily and that substantive consultation with civil society peacebuilders takes place.

Mahendra Chaudhry — a former Fiji prime minister removed from power and held hostage during the 2000 coup — wants George Speight to name those behind the racist takeover.

The 84-year-old Labour Party leader, who became Fiji’s first prime minister of Indian heritage in 1999, made the comment after Speight — the coup frontman — appeared before the Constitutional Review Commission last week.

Speight emerged into the political limelight in a formal suit and glasses, after spending 24 years in a maximum security jail for treason. The ex-convict has called on the perpetrators of the country’s past political upheavals to own up, saying “if you want redemption, you have to confess”.

• READ MORE:  Former coup leader re-enters Fiji political debate with challenge to immunity and national identity
• Fiji will remain unstable while Indigenous people are economically sidelined, says ex-coup convict
• Other Fiji coup reports

However, Chaudhry told RNZ Pacific it is up to Speight to name the co-conspirators involved in the failed takeover.

“He has the answers, he knows, because he’s always been regarded as the frontman. There were people who were behind him but they remain unidentified to this day,” Chaudhry said.

“He has himself said that those who were associated with him are roaming around freely.”

Need for closure
The veteran politician said many Fijians still want to know who the masterminds were behind the coup.

“He [Speight] can help bring about closure to the whole episode because it still remains open, people don’t said know really who was behind the coup,” he said.

“Only he and [Josefa] Nata know, but they are hesitant, they are reluctant to name them.”

Nata, who was a public relations man at the time, became one of the faces of the coup along with Speight, and has admitted he played a key role as a negotiator.

Fiji has been rocked by four coups since gaining independence in 1970. The first two, in May and September 1987, were led by then-military lieutenant-colonel Sitiveni Rabuka, who is the current prime minister.

In 1999, Chaudhry was sworn in as the country’s first Indo-Fijian prime minister, but the Labour Party leader’s election stoked racial tension in Fiji.

A year later, Speight led rebel soldiers from the military’s Counter-Revolutionary Warfare Unit in an armed takeover of the then-coalition government. Chaudhry and his government were held hostage for 56 days.

He later pleaded guilty to treason and received the death penalty, which was later commuted to life imprisonment. However, he was granted a presidential pardon and released from prison on 19 September 2024.

‘Bigger issue at stake’
Nata, who also spent 24 years in jail for treason before his release in December 2023, has declined to name those who orchestrated the coup “for the sake of the families involved”.

However Chaudhry said there was a bigger issue at stake.

“The families would have supported these people when they were involved in the coup, whether they deserve sympathy I don’t know,” he said.

“It’s a question of the other people, they should be thinking about those who really suffered the pain and anguish of the coup.”

Chaudhry has his own views about who the perpetrators are but said no-one would believe him.

“We know that it was our parliamentary opposition who were involved in the coup because they wanted to get back into power,” Chaudhry said.

“So it was them and their associates, but I cannot name them.”

Rabuka did not serve as the leader of the opposition after the 1999 election, before he resigned to chair the country’s highest indigenous body, the Great Council of Chiefs (GCC).

“We know that the GCC, in meetings which were held subsequent to the coup, were in support of [the 2000 coup],” Chaudhry said.

Chaudhry defends Labour govt
Meanwhile, Speight told the commission during his submission that the events and policies that unfolded during the Chaudhry-led government’s first year in office ultimately led to his actions.

Responding on Wednesday, Chaudhry told RNZ Pacific that Speight’s explanation had no factual basis.

“It is clear that his opinion was not shared by the majority of Fiji citizens at the time,” he said.

He cited a Tebbutt-Times poll conducted in December 1999, which showed his approval rating at 62 percent and a disapproval rating of 15 percent.

He said an editorial in The Fiji Times at the time described the result as “a remarkable performance — and a ringing endorsement by the public of his performance as prime minister”, adding that it was the highest rating ever recorded in a Tebbutt-Times poll.

Chaudhry said that in just one year in office, the coalition government had introduced a series of socio-economic reforms, including removing VAT from a range of staple food items, while achieving a record 9.6 percent economic growth rate and strong business and investor confidence.

Race-fuelled coup
He argued that the campaign against his government in the lead-up to the coup was fuelled by racial politics rather than public dissatisfaction.

“It is well-recorded that the anti-Chaudhry agitation whipped up over the next few months [before the coup] came from ethno-nationalist propaganda and deliberate disinformation spread by the opposition and others, some of whom were driven by greed,” he said.

“Race was used as a weapon to fuel emotions and discredit the government.”

Chaudhry said this was why the Fiji Labour Party urged the commission during its submission to consider constitutional and legislative safeguards to prevent the exploitation of ethnicity for political gain.

Speight has never apologised to Chaudhry in person or asked him for forgiveness.

When asked if he was prepared to forgive Speight, Chaudhry replied: “I can’t answer that”.

Vanuatu will escalate a decades-long dispute with France over two uninhabited islands to international arbitrators.

Talks between the two countries left everything to be desired on June 30, with neither country budging on its claim of sovereignty.

The Matthew and Hunter Islands have been controlled by France for decades, even after Vanuatu became independent.

• READ MORE: Ben Bohane: Umaenupne and Umaeneg – isles of the Resting God
• Other Matthew and Hunter reports

But Vanuatu says it will never truly be independent without its Umaenupne and Umaeneag islands, sacred to the Aneityum people.

This impasse became the undoing of “intense” and “heated” talks, as Deputy Prime Minister Johnny Koanapo told reporters on Friday, two weeks after the June meeting.

He said that the sovereignty question would need to be laid to rest by a third party.

“Since independence Vanuatu continues to fight for international recognition that Matthew and Hunter, Umaenupne and Umaeneag, has always belonged to the people of Vanuatu, to our children,” Koanapo said.

Negotiations came up short
He noted that previous negotiations — mediated by Australia in 2018 and the United Kingdom in 2019 — had also come up short.

“Now what remains is for Vanuatu to pursue other legal options available under international law.”

“Let international law, let the International Court of Justice or any arbitration for that matter decide on this … to us what France has done is an insult to us all.”

For Toney Tevi, acting director of the Department of Ocean and Maritime Boundaries, compromise was impossible.

“If you try and say it belongs to France, then I don’t know where Paris is,” he told RNZ Pacific.

“I know it’s Vanuatu’s … it’s a colonial concept when you try and understand, because for us it’s not an ‘understanding’, it’s a part of us.”

Tevi said the impasse amounts to an unsurprising attempt by France to assert colonial power.

‘Thief always a thief’
“Colonisers will always be colonisers, that’s not something that comes as a surprise. A thief will always be a thief, and he enjoys being a thief.”

“No matter how best you can tell him that a thief is a bad person, as long as he’s got a possession, he feels like he’s doing something right.”

“The moment I try and understand how they think, then I am going to start to think like a colonizer.”

The two islands lie south of Vanuatu and east of the French territory of New Caledonia.

With ownership of the islands, either country would have an extra 350,000 sq km added to its Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ), according to the ABC.

French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot said in a statement that areas of cooperation were also discussed, reiterating its position regarding French sovereignty.

Cash set aside to host the Pacific Islands Forum (PIF) in New Zealand next year may fall short of what the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade (MFAT) expected it to cost.

RNZ Pacific has received a document from MFAT under the Official Information Act (OIA) that puts potential operating costs at $30 million over two years, as of March.

Budget 2026 set aside $20 million over that time to host PIF.

• READ MORE: Other PIF reports

This is noted as a specific fiscal risk in MFAT’s submission, but was not disclosed in Treasury’s Budget Economic and Fiscal Update.

An MFAT spokesperson said that due to “subsequent work to clarify expectations and scope, and to tighten cost estimates”, they now expected the budget to cover it.

When asked specifically how $10m had been “tightened” out, they did not provide a response.

In the submission, MFAT noted that they have been instructed by the Prime Minister to host the forum “in a manner that burnishes our Pacific credentials [and] strengthens our region.”

‘Significant responsibility’
It also called it a “significant responsibility” that comes with “elevated expectations from the Forum membership.”

Next year will be the first time that New Zealand has hosted PIF in 16 years.

The 2026 summit will be hosted by Palau from August 30 to September 4.

The Papua New Guinea Correctional Service (PNGCS) has confirmed three prisoners have been killed in the Western Highlands Province while attempting an escape.

The inmates, who scaled the fence at Baisu Prison, were shot dead, while five others were critically injured on Sunday afternoon.

Two other escapees remain at large.

• READ MORE: PNG prison break leaves three dead, two still on the run in Western Highlands

PNGCS Deputy Commissioner David Suagu told RNZ Pacific that attempted prison escapes are typical during this time of year.

“It’s almost the same across the country … it happens randomly,” he said.

“We expect a high rate of escape, especially towards the later part of the year, and that is something that we are working towards addressing.”

He said infrastructure at Baisu Correctional Institution Services is in a state of despair, which likely made the escape possible.

“It’s in a deteriorating state, so consequently [they went] straight over the fence.”

Kerevat prison break
Suagu could not confirm whether the escapees were being held in remand, as has been widely reported by local media.

Local media has also reported last week that 38 inmates broke out of Kerevat prison in East New Britain province and were still at large.

According to a release from the Australian High Commission in Port Moresby in March, Baisu’s perimeter fencing “has been affected by rust, cracking concrete, unstable soil and frequent waterlogging,” and is in the process of being replaced with Australia’s help.

According to the World Prison Brief, Papua New Guinea’s prison population was at 5373 as of mid-2023.

Samoa’s opposition leader Tuilaepa Sailele Malielegaoi claims government plans to investigate him and two senior members of Parliament for treason and defamation have stalled due to a lack of evidence.

The ruling Faatuatua i le Atu Samoa ua Tasi (FAST) Party has appointed a parliamentary committee to scrutinise the conduct of Tuilaepa, who is the Human Rights Protection Party’s (HRPP) leader, his deputy Fonotoe Lauofo Pierre Meredith and the secretary Lealailepule Rimoni Aiafi.

A spokesperson at Samoa’s Legislative Assembly told RNZ Pacific that the inquiry was due to begin today, however Tuilaepa said it was deferred.

• READ MORE: 3 Senior Opposition MPs to be investigated for treason

“A lot of these accusations are all bullshit,” he said, adding that Prime Minister Laaulialemalietoa (Laauli) Leuatea Schmidt was the one “pushing” the investigation.

“Now we’ll just wait … the prime minister has been too fast in making accusations without proof,” he said.

The government’s press secretariat declined to answer questions posed by RNZ Pacific.

Tuilaepa claims that during a recent meeting there was a reference made to 100 instances where they think that what the three said impacted on the good name of the prime minister and the current administration.

Asked for proof
He said that when asked for the proof behind the accusations, the meeting was postponed.

“That is why when the prime minister tried to get the previous Attorney-General (Sua Hellene Wallwork) to lay the accusations against us she told them it was a waste of time and would be an embarrassment to the government,” he claimed.

Laauli has repeatedly claimed that the three senior MPs made defamatory statements about the government and engaged in “treasonous” conduct following the general election in 2021.

Samoa was plunged into an unprecedented constitutional and political crisis after the FAST won the election five years ago.

FAST sought to form a government, but Tuilaepa, who had been the prime minister since 1998, appeared unwilling at the time to let go of power.

According to statements made in Parliament, the latest allegations relate to public accusations against the FAST-led government and continued attacks against the prime minister and the cabinet via the media, parliamentary exchanges and social media.

Laauli reportedly told Parliament there were more than 200 pieces of evidence to support the allegations, including media reports and public statements.

“The government is headed by a prime minister who is trying all kinds of baseless accusations to get us into trouble,” he said.

“We have explained the current situation to the people, so it does not look good for the government.”

Stemmed from motion
The inquiry reportedly stemmed from a motion moved by Laauli during Parliament’s April sitting, when numerous allegations and supporting documents were submitted to the speaker Mulipola Aloitalua Mulipola for a ruling.

Mulipola has declined to answer a series of questions from RNZ Pacific about the inquiry.

Tuilaepa said attempts by the opposition to get written confirmation from Mulipola outlining the allegations and the terms of reference had failed.

“We don’t really know if the allegations relate to (the political impasse), we keep referring to the lies that have been told ever since that time, and that has irritated the PM,” he said.

“I think at the time [of the 2021 general election] it did not seem to matter, but it matters now that he is PM.”

During parliamentary debate earlier this year, Tuilaepa allegedly accused Laauli of lying, while Lealailepule had allegedly warned the prime minister that his term in the top job would be “short-lived”.

The parliamentary committee has been given eight terms of reference, which include examining whether they three breached parliamentary privilege and legal protections; assessing whether there was any conduct unbecoming of an MP; and reviewing how laws dating back to 1960 apply, involving parliamentary powers and privileges.

It will also determine the impact of the alleged conduct on parliamentary standards, investigate whether any laws or standing orders were breached and consider the consequences for any MP found to have breached parliamentary rules or protections.

The committee is expected to make recommendations on how Parliament should respond and has until 20 October to submit its report.

Deputy speaker Afamasaga Leone Mati Masame is chairing the committee, with opposition MP Faumuina Opapo Oeti acting as the deputy chair.

Pro-France Virginie Ruffenach has been elected as the new New Caledonia Congress President (Speaker) under a “governance” coalition struck on Thursday between the pro-France bloc and “kingmakers” Eveil Océanien party.

During a vote that followed New Caledonia’s provincial elections held on June 28, Ruffenach secured 28 of the 54 votes in the French Pacific territory’s territorial assembly.

Her opponent, Dominique Fochi, supported by the pro-independence bloc “Kanaky for All”, received 26 votes.

• READ MORE: Horse-trading in New Caledonia over provincial presidency elections
• Other Kanaky New Caledonia politics reports

The pro-France bloc, consisting of Rassemblement, Les Loyalistes and Génération NC, for a total of 24 seats in the House, announced a governance deal had been struck with Eveil Océanien — which has four seats — to form a majority.

Ruffenach takes over from Veylma Falaeo (from Eveil Océanien), who had held the presidency since 2024 and had become the first woman to hold this position after being elected in August 2024.

In her first speech following her election, Ruffenach stressed she intended to make New Caledonia’s Congress a place for “exchange” and “dignified debates”.

“[New Caledonians] are expecting something else than struggles … They expect mutual respect and efficiency,” she said.

“They expect us to be worthy of the history we are writing together. We have inherited an exceptional land as well as a complex history. We cannot change the past, but we have the responsibility to build the future”.

“I wish we can find the courage to overcome what is opposing us to preserve what brings us together. And this is our attachment to New Caledonia, our will to serve its inhabitants and our duty to serve future generations”.

Pro-independence camp reassured
In a special address to the pro-independence camp, she said they can be assured of “all my consideration”.

“I have the utmost respect for those who hold different beliefs than mine and I am mindful that everyone should express themselves freely.

“Our beliefs differ deeply on New Caledonia’s political future, this is a reality. But this reality doesn’t prevent us from respecting each other, listen to each other and work together when the general interest demands it.”

She said some of her main priorities would be to “rebuild our economic tools, mend the social fabric, work to reduce inequalities and restore confidence”.

New Caledonia’s Congress, following the French territory’s provincial elections, is now made up of 5 groups. They include the Kanaky NC (19 seats, pro-independence), Les Loyalistes (18, pro-France), Rassemblement (6 seats, pro-France), Union Nationale pour l’Indépendance (UNI, 7 seats, pro-independence) and Eveil Océanien (4 seats).

Votes were continuing on Friday in New Caledonia’s Congress inaugural session to elect the institution’s bureau, including vice-presidents.

Selecting Congress committees
Debates are expected to continue on Saturday for the same administrative reasons and to elect the Congress’s various committees.

Under the “governance” agreement struck this week between the pro-France camp and Eveil Océanien, it is planned that Eveil Océanien leader Milakulo Tukumuli will be appointed as New Caledonia’s next “collegial” government President.

The coalition agreement, however, does not include long-term political projects such as New Caledonia’s institutional future, which is to be addressed during talks between New Caledonia’s political parties and the French government, at a date yet to be determined.

Palau’s President Surangel Whipps Jr says countries of the wider Pacific region need to work together to reduce geopolitical tensions and the risk of nuclear conflict.

This comes after China’s test launch of a nuclear-capable ballistic missile with a dummy warhead into the South Pacific on Monday.

Beijing said the test was “consistent with international law and customary international practice and is not directed at any specific country or target”.

• READ MORE: Pacific at a crossroads amid growing geopolitical tension, says former leaders’ group
• ‘Stop firing missiles in our ocean’ – Pacific reacts to China test
• Jeremy Rose: The nuclear-free Pacific and hypersonic hypocrisy
• NZ accuses China of going against peace and stability of Pacific
• RIMPAC 2026: Part 1 – World’s biggest naval games a dress rehearsal for the coming ‘war on China’
• Missile test in South Pacific ‘routine’ and ‘consistent with international law’, China insists
• Other RIMPAC reports

Whipps spoke to RNZ Pacific about his country’s concerns over China’s actions and how Palau wants a more collaborative and transparent approach to international affairs in the Pacific.

(The transcript has been edited for brevity and clarity.)

JOHNNY BLADES: Big news this week in the South Pacific with the test missile launch by China, a nuclear-capable missile test. What are your thoughts about that?

SURANGEL WHIPPS JNR: Well, first of all, Palau was unfortunately in war during the Second World War, a site of one of the bloodiest battles ever. And when the people of Palau passed their Constitution, which today is Constitution Day, 46 years ago, one of the parts of the Constitution was a nuclear-free constitution, and I think that just goes to our ambition to preserve peace and never get into the situation that we were in the Second World War.

So when China acts in very opaque or secretive launches like this, it raises anxiety, fears, and causes great concern for all of us that live on these islands that want to live in peace and harmony, and that was demonstrated last year in Honiara [at the Pacific Islands Forum (PIF)], when we all signed the Pacific Ocean of Peace Declaration.

The missile really went right into the heart of the Pacific, crossing over all of us in the Pacific. Of course, Palau is very close to China, so anything that comes across comes near us. We know in 2024, they launched a missile, they didn’t inform us, this one is launched — they didn’t inform us, and these types of behaviours really go against long standing treaties.

There’s the Hague Code of Conduct, which 145 states subscribe to, about voluntary pre-launch notifications — they didn’t follow that, so this is where we are in very concerning times with these types of activities.

We ask China to act and follow international treaties, respect sovereignty. We understand every country has a way to defend themselves, but at the same time they wouldn’t be allowed to put other countries in harm’s way, and that’s why it’s important that we follow law that we’ve established and treaties that we’ve established.

JB: Is Palau also concerned about the missile tests that the US regularly holds in the Pacific?

SWJ: Well, the US has a base in the Marshall Islands, they follow protocols and inform countries that are in their vicinity about what’s going on. So I think we all understand that countries have to defend themselves, but the reason why we have these protocols is to ensure that we’re all informed and there’s a transparent process.

What is the purpose of this testing? It seems to us that now we’re on a rapid buildup of nuclear capability, which the world was working toward reducing. So we definitely need to work together to bring tensions down and reduce nuclear risk for our ocean.

JB: Were you just saying earlier that China didn’t inform your government before its missile test, because I know it did inform some of the regional countries, at least?

SWJ: Yes, it did not inform us, and [this] also occurred in 2024 where we weren’t informed. We also raised concerns then. Based on where they’re launching them from in China and ending up in the Pacific, they come over our area, and they could easily sway and end up on our islands, that’s of course our concern.

We feel that it’s important that we’re transparent and we’re informed. Interestingly, Chen Bo, the special envoy for China, he was in Fiji when we were having [Forum Troika meeting]. He did not mention to anybody there that they were doing these tests, and this was just a few days before the launch.

You would think that a high official from the Chinese government, who saw me there and met with me, and wanted to talk about issues instead of what they were doing, was quite odd.

JB: Your country is in an interesting position being one of the countries in the region that recognises Taiwan diplomatically, but I note you’ve sort of talked about being open to all partners, and with the Pacific Islands Forum summit coming up in your country, I think you’ve given the nod for China to also join the summit. Is that your approach, kind of like open to all?

SWJ: We have to understand that, first of all, the Pacific Island Leaders Forum that’s being hosted in Palau is a Pacific Island leaders forum, so that means it follows what the Pacific Island leaders agreed to. We all respect the other sovereignty. Yes, I have diplomatic relations with Taiwan. We don’t have diplomatic relations with China, but this is a Pacific Island Forum and under the Pacific Island Forum, China is a dialogue partner, Taiwan is a development partner, both countries contribute to the Pacific Islands Forum. So as partners, as I’ve always said, everyone is welcome.

Now, I’ve also made it very clear that there’s meetings for dialogue partners, there’s meetings for develop partners. These are separate meetings. The only time that Taiwan wasn’t allowed to a Pacific Island Forum meeting was in Solomon Islands, but that wasn’t just Taiwan, it was all all partners were told they weren’t allowed to come.

What I consistently said is that in Palau, of course, everybody is welcome to participate according to all the ways that we participate in all other forums. That’s why China, as a dialogue partner, will come and participate as a developed partner. We don’t have a bilateral relationship, but I guess I’d say through the Forum we have a relationship, and that relationship is respected and valued, just like all relationships that we have with our partner.

The Forum is an opportunity to bring partners in and say, ‘How are you here to help promote the 2050 strategy? Are you here to help promote peace and security?’ I think at the Forum it’s important to bring China, and maybe they can share how they are promoting peace and security for us all in this blue Pacific, which is for us, we feel threatened and concerned and disappointed about their recent actions.

JB: Many Pacific leaders are making clear that Pacific Islands countries want peace. I’m just wondering, with all the geopolitical kind of competition, is it unhelpful that Australia, for instance, is very busy signing these sort of defence and security treaties with various Pacific countries? Does it effectively ratchet up the tension when we need it to be going down?

SWJ: I believe that we should be working with partners to preserve peace and prosperity and freedom. Australia signing declarations with partners, like monument partners that share the same values that respect rule of law, freedom, and democracy is important.

Building alliances to me to ensure a free and open Indo-Pacific that promotes peace that we all want. Palau has, of course, a Compact of Free Association with the United States. It’s very clear our relationship is fine. And the United States has a working relationship with Australia. So these all work together to ensure deterrence, because we all also believe in that if you want peace, you have to be prepared to deter.

JB: Do you think everyone needs to work together a bit more in the wider Pacific, including China and the US, in the Pacific Islands region. Does it need to be more collaborative?

SWJ: I think that’s always the goal — to be able to communicate clearly, so we know what everybody’s intentions are, operate in a transparent manner, and that’s why there’s all these treaties to work toward that area that we can trust each other and that we can work together to promote peace.

Unfortunately, for us in Palau, you would like to see China moving in that direction, but for Palau, that hasn’t been the case. China continues to disrespect our EEZ (exclusive economic zone) again, another research vessel in our area, and maybe it was, who knows, maybe it was here to travel the metal, that missile that was flying over.

But this is why dialogue, transparency, builds trust, cooperation, and reduces tensions, and that’s what I think where it needs to start from.

Unfortunately China acts in manners that bully; for example, they didn’t spend time talking to me about the missile that they’re going to launch. They spent time lecturing me, totally disrespecting Palau, and telling us how to run the Pacific Island Forum, when the Forum has clear rules, the members of all group, too, and trying to tell us how we should run the Pacific Island Forum.

If we don’t do it their way and deny certain countries from coming, then therefore, retaliate. I mean, what kind of language is that? And so that’s deeply concerning to us. Then a few days later, launching a missile just goes to show that they don’t respect our sovereignty. They act in a way to bully us and you are saying things like, ‘well, you’re just a country, we’re a big country’.

Obviously, we know we’re a small country, but we’re still a sovereign country, and our sovereignty should be respected, and also the integrity of the PIF should be respected, and it’s unfortunate they try to bully and and and do what they do.

We all want peace, we want to promote peace and trust and cooperation, and that’s the goal, and that’s why they’re allowed to come to Palau, because is is about us working together in partnership.

JB: Do you think the Pacific Islands Forum that’s coming up in your country will be dominated by this dynamic, this tension of geopolitics, and possibly about dominated by defence discussions?

SWJ: I hope not. This conference should be about building resilience in the Pacific, working toward the 2050 Strategy. How do we have 100 percent renewable Pacific? How do we manage our ocean sustainably, and ask for investment to come into the Pacific, to help us develop fisheires and develop tourism, and the importance of protection of biodiversity so that we can really build a sustainable future, not just for the Pacific, but for the planet, because we believe that a healthy oceans and [give us a] planet.

The biggest security for us is an issue that should be talked about is sea-level rise, storms, the impacts of climate change, not these other geopolitical tensions, which, if anything, we should work to reduce, not inflame. I hope that by having everybody in Palau, we reduce those tensions, not increase them.

A group of former Pacific prime ministers, presidents and senior diplomats has warned that Pacific Islands countries are at a crossroads as geopolitical competition reshapes the region.

This comes after China fired a test nuclear-capable missile in the South Pacific on Monday, and amid Australia’s busy campaign of signing security treaties with Pacific countries.

The Pacific Elders Voice group warns that growing geopolitical competition in the Pacific is threatening the future of regionalism and the sovereignty of island nations.

• READ MORE: ‘Stop firing missiles in our ocean’ – Pacific reacts to China test
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It also warns that larger neighbours are reframing the Pacific region’s vulnerabilities — including climate change, economic dependence and geographic isolation — as opportunities for external influence.

Security agenda
Things are moving fast, too fast in the eyes of many Pacific Islands leaders who are concerned about militarisation of their region.

As well as the spate of treaties Canberra has been pursuing, a number of security and defence initiatives have recently begun including on regional responses to maritime threats and defence force integration between some regional countries adjacent to the Pacific Islands Forum.

But the Pacific Elders Voice group’s chairman, Anote Tong, who is a former president of Kiribati, told RNZ Pacific that the focus of the region was being steered away from the core issues confronting Pacific Islanders.

“We’ve got to make sure that we don’t create this proliferation of different institutions, which then detract away from the focus of what it is that we at Pacific Islands countries regard as the highest priority security consideration,” he said.

“So it’s about making sure that all of these are aligned to what the Forum as the prime body which should be allocating these priorities, that they’re all in alignment with the Forum priorities.”

The Pacific Elders said that its concern was not with cooperation:

“The Pacific has always been strongest when it acts collectively. Our concern is with forms of cooperation that weaken Pacific authority, diminish accountability, or turn vulnerability into permission for external influence.”

Different interests
Tong acknowledged that geopolitical tensions are currently high, and that at such times Pacific countries come under huge pressure.

“I know from my own experience that there’s been times when we’ve gone along, even though an issue has no direct relevance to us, and because why, because it is important to maintain solidarity in the region,” he said.

“I think if we present ourselves as being solid, then that is a source of strength, and I think we have demonstrated this on international issues where we have come together as a region that actually influenced the international agenda.

“One example is on climate change, and of course, also on the ocean, the relevance of the ocean as a key international item on the agenda.”

But the way it is going, Pacific Islanders feel increasingly deserted by Australia and New Zealand on the climate crisis, Tong said.

“I, for one, have made that very clear in my interactions with the Australian government. New Zealand has changed its position recently, because climate change has the potential and the real capacity to destroy the future of our future generations.

“So that is the prime security issue, but that’s not important, we are at odds with our larger neighbours on this issue.”

‘Act together as equals’
In their statement, the Pacific Elders Voice said that the Pacific Forum’s Ocean of Peace initiative depended on sovereign Pacific nations working together as equals through transparent, accountable institutions that reflect shared Pacific values and priorities.

Tong said it was crucial for regionalism, and the sovereignty of Pacific Island nations, that they work together.

“The recent [Chinese missile] test — what does that say? How do we respond to that, or if we should respond at all? These are the questions.

“But I think what the whole point is that let’s all keep it together, so that it goes through one channel, so that they’re all being kept in the one place, because otherwise we could be going at a tangent to our primary objectives as a region.”

The Pacific Elders said that “true regional security will never be achieved by concentrating authority or allowing vulnerability to determine whose voice carries greatest weight.

“It will be achieved by strengthening the capacity of sovereign Pacific nations to act together, as equals, in pursuit of our shared future.”

Tonga has become the 179th state to ratify the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty (CTBT).

The ratification was formalised on Tuesday at a ceremony at the United Nations headquarters in New York.

Tonga’s Permanent Representative to the UN Viliami Va’inga Tōnē said this was just a legal formality but a statement of who they were and what they stood for.

• READ MORE: China warns Australia over military alliance with Fiji that promises to ‘act to meet the common danger’
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• Other RIMPAC reports

“The Pacific has felt the pain of nuclear testing. Ratifying the CTBT is our contribution to ensuring that no one, anywhere, has to go through that again,” he said.

The Preparatory Commission for the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty Organisation (CTBTO) said the ratification reflects Crown Prince Tupoutoʻa ʻUlukalala’s strong commitment to international peace and security.

Robert Floyd, CTBTO executive secretary, said Tonga’s ratification was “a meaningful contribution to the global effort to ban nuclear test explosions for good”.

Tonga is also a party to the Treaty of Rarotonga, which established the South Pacific Nuclear-Free Zone in 1985, and the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons.

Verification regime
The CTBTO works to build up the verification regime of the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty (CTBT) in preparation for the treaty’s entry into force, as well as promoting the treaty.

The CTBTO said with Tonga’s signature and ratification, the treaty now counts 188 state signatories and 179 ratifying states.

This comes amid outcry over China testing a nuclear-capable missile with a dummy warhead in the Pacific.

Regional governments were notified by China shortly before it launched the test, on the same day that Australia’s Prime Minister Anthony Albanese went to Fiji to sign new treaties related to security and defence.

Australia and New Zealand accused China of undermining the peace and stability of the region, and of going against the values of Pacific Island countries as enshrined in the Pacific Forum’s Ocean of Peace initiative.

Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Mao Ning said the launch was consistent with international law and customary international practice and was not directed at any specific country or target.

The new US Ambassador to New Zealand is introducing Donald Trump’s agenda of “disruption” to the Pacific.

Jared Novelly arrived in Wellington last week, and is expected to travel to Niue, the Cook Islands and Samoa within the next month to present his credentials.

A businessman and sports team owner, he told a group of reporters on Friday that the Cook Islands, with its seabed riches and its permissiveness for US exploration, was “either 1a or 1b on my priority list”.

• READ MORE: New US ambassador would like chance to work on New Zealand’s nuclear policy
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“I’m going to spend quite a lot of time in the Cooks,” Novelly said.

“Take something like cobalt … 90 percent of it is refined in China, and they control that resource … it just so happens that the Cook Islands is one of the richest, most vastest resources of that in their EEZ on the seabed floor.”

But after more than a decade of US exploration in the Cooks, and new agreements from the beginning of the year, Novelly stopped short of saying whether he would push for exploration licences.

“It’s something that I think is very potentially transformative for the Cook Islands … but I don’t make Cook Island laws,” he said.

“I can introduce them to US companies that can help, and I will definitely do that if allowed.”

‘Friend’ for US businesses
It was at his Senate confirmation hearing in March where Novelly promised that “all US businesses will have a friend in the Ambassador’s office” in Wellington.

At that hearing, he thanked the Cook Islands for their openness to “take our long-standing relationship to the next level”, while praising Samoa for their increased caution in taking on debt with China.

In Wellington, he said that he would promote that cautionary message for all Pacific nations.

“China has made no bones about it, they want a base in the Pacific.”

“The responsible thing for me to do as a good friend to Pacific Islands that I speak to is make sure that they realise that there can be strings attached … that they know what a debt trap is.”

Novelly praised his boss, who he “has a lot in common” with, for being a “disruptor.”

The United States has disrupted about $25 billion in global foreign aid, and in its place, is pushing a “trade over aid” platform that promotes free market reforms in third world countries.

‘Different ways’
Novelly said that “just like we talked about disruption, we’re gonna look at different ways to do things”.

“Because remittances are so important in a lot of these Pacific Island countries, and the fees on that are so high. I want to look to try and see how I can reduce those.

“There’s the ‘teach a man to fish versus give them a fish’ thing.”

Indonesia has defended the high number of military personnel it has deployed to West Papua, which dwarfs the size of deployments to other parts of the republic.

But under Indonesian president Subianto Prabowo, a former military strongman, militarisation of Papua is changing gears and being shaped by a type of warfare that includes drone technology.

Recent research reported by Project Multatuli, says that 56,517 Indonesian military forces are deployed in Papua — at least six times more military per capita than any other region in Indonesia.

• READ MORE: A lopsided war: 83,000 soldiers and police powering Indonesia’s violent agenda in Papua
• Other West Papua reports

The figures also note that Indonesia’s military far outnumbers the amount of Papuan pro-independence fighters, estimated at 1438 members of various disparate, small groups with only 361 firearms.

The research figures come amid ongoing violent incidents related to a long running conflict between Indonesia’s security forces and the West Papua National Liberation Army, or armed factions of the OPM Free West Papua Movement.

The Indonesian Embassy in New Zealand said not all the numbers were active combatants or personnel directed to fight Papuan resistance forces.

It said the assignment of military doctors, medics, and territorial development divisions was part of efforts to provide for communities in Papua.

‘Providing security, health’
“Continuing the expansion of provinces in Papua, previously from two to six, there will be obviously the need to provide security, health, and the capability to adapt to the new administration structure, with also the assignment to guard and maintain the land and maritime borders with our neighbouring countries,” a statement from the Embassy said.

Andreas Harsono of Human Rights Watch Indonesia said that under the country’s new President, Prabowo Subianto, there has been an escalation of military sent to Papua, with at least an extra battalion each year being deployed.

“The Prabowo administration is to increase the figure up to 42 battalions by 2029. Today, Papua has around 56,000 Indonesian soldiers. The ratio is one soldier per 100 civilians in Papua.

“It is much higher than the national ratio in Indonesia — one soldier per 696 civilians.”

The purpose of the huge military deployment is working hand in glove with a gradual change in demographics in Papua, whereby Papuans are becoming a minority in many districts, and with an increase in development projects backed by the Indonesian state.

“It obviously is more than securing the area and to protect the population, but to grab lands to clear forests and to occupy this vast land,” Harsono said.

“The biggest detachments is in South Papua Province, including Merauke and Boeven Digoel regencies, where the Indonesian government is clearing nearly three million hectares of land and swamps, starting to produce what President Prabowo said to be the ‘food and energy estate’.”

New type of warfare
Meanwhile, Papuans are not only seeing more military personnel in their homeland these days — they are witnessing a new type of warfare and technology being used by the Indonesian military.

“Military units, usually equipped with drones, are dispatched in areas where the Papuan militants operate. These units patrol their respective areas with foot soldiers and drone units also armed with grenades and other explosives attached to the drone.”

Indonesia’s military also works together with a large Indonesian police presence in Papua — the research figures showed there are 26,660 police deployed in Papua region.

Additionally, countless officers from the State Intelligence Agency, who are scattered through the region, work in tandem with the security forces to protect the interests of the Indonesian state.

It was physical, a bloody battle befitting the start of the new Nations Championship competition.

In the end the All Blacks hung on to win 34-32 at the new One New Zealand Stadium in Christchurch in front of almost 30,000 fans.

That marked the start of the Dave Rennie coaching era, one that has a lot of Pasifika connections.

• READ MORE: Dave Rennie’s All Blacks beat France 34-32 in thrilling Nations Championship Test
• Other Nations Rugby Championship reports

Of Cook Islands heritage through his mother, Rennie had assistant Fa’alogo Tana Umaga, the first All Blacks captain of Pasifika heritage in his corner.

And the duo had Ardie Savea leading the team on the field.

Savea, who ended the game with a boot mark cut on his right eyebrow, is the second Pasifika heritage player to be leading the former world champs after Umaga.

Together with the coaches and seven other players of Pasifika heritage, Savea marked his captaincy with a win.

Three debutants
Three debutants got their first taste of Test rugby, prop Xavier Numia, winger Fehi Fineanganofo and lock Jamie Hannah.

Fineanganofo told the media post-match it was an emotional and nervous moment for him, before he got on to the show.

He vomited at halftime, just thinking about what the next half would bring.

The 23-year-old said hearing his family cheering him on and getting his first touch of the ball were surreal moments he will remember.

“At halftime, I was in the toilet spewing. I felt better after,” he said.

“I was sitting on the bench and nearly vomiting. I was like, I’m not even on the field yet, I can’t imagine what it’ll be like when I am on the field.

“I was still in shock, and then once I had my first touch of the ball, all the nerves just went, and I just realised I was in it.

“Happy to represent my family.”

Tongan heritage
The Tongan heritage winger said France was a tough opponent and thanked the players for helping him through his first Test.

“They couldn’t stop crying, and I was just trying to keep strong and not cry outside. I’ll cry back in the changing room,” he laughed.

While the ball came his way for just two carries, the winger made 13 metres with the ball and beat a tackle with those few touches, while making all three of his tackles.

He described the French team as “strong” and “physical”, attributes the All Blacks were expecting from the visitors.

“It was a huge step-up [from Super Rugby]. The boys helped me out, and I found my footing,” he reflected.

“It was really physical. I was stuck in the middle, so I just had to put my head down and get to work. We did a great job to seal the deal.”

He was garlanded with lolly necklaces, gifted by his family, who he said were emotional and crying when they met up after the game.

Battle ready
The All Blacks scored five tries, two each to Cam Roigard and Will Jordan. Pete Lakai added the other.

The lights went dim and the focus was on the two teams as they faced each other up in the middle, between the two 10 metre lines.

Warriors decked in their battle outfits, ready for the 80 minutes of battle ahead.

Savea’s men wore All Black, topped off with orange boots with yellow heels.

The visitors had white jerseys and white shorts, and their red socks.

France kicked off.

And they went into attack straight away.

They went right, came back to the middle and then ran right.

Misread numbers
Damian McKenzie misread the French numbers and  winger Damian Penaud went over for the first points in the game.

Captain and halfback Maxime Lucu converted and the visitors led 7-0 after one minute and 23 seconds.

All Blacks flyhalf Reuben Love was shown the yellow card after he hit France’s Max Spring in the jaw with his shoulder tackle.

Luckily he was only given 10 minutes off the field.

But in that space the All Blacks did score, winger Will Jordan diving over in the corner, after a quick tap by captain Savea set up attack close to the French line.

France came back and Lucu added three points through a penalty in front after the All Blacks were penalised inside the 22.

Then it was flanker Peter Lakai who got on the scoreboard after another good Savea drive, which saw the ball travel right with quick hands.

Lakai went through the gap, exchanged passes with Caleb Clarke before taking the final pass and ran in. Love converted and the All Blacks were back in front 12-10 in the 20th minute.

Lucu claimed another penalty to give his team a 13-12 lead but the All Blacks had the final say in the first half, halfback Cam Roigard dummying his way from the base of a ruck, running in to touch down in the 39th minute.

Love’s conversion gave the home side a 19-13 lead at halftime.

Second half
The All Blacks were penalised early for a tackle without the ball from the restart and after some good entertaining French flair rugby, the visitors were over the line, via Wallis and Futuna native Yoram Moefana, in the 46th minute. Lucu converted and France were back in the lead at 20-19.

The lead changed hands again when Roigard finished off an All Blacks move that saw the ball go from  Quinn Tupaea to Jordie Barrett, who slipped the inside pass to Roogard to finish off.

Xavier Numia entered for his debut game and France were over again through Théo Attissogbé.

Then it was Fehi Fineanganofo’s turn to make his debut and Jordan finished off with his second try, getting the ball from Luke Jacobsen out wide.

France did come back with another try of their own through flyhalf Matthieu Jalibert but the All Blacks played the time down and ended with their first win.

Rennie says it could be better
Coach Rennie told the media after the game it was a relief to have won his first test as coach but added it could have been better.

He praised the team’s attitude and attack, but knows they will need to be more clinical.

“I love the mindset, just got to be a lot more accurate,” he said.

“We constantly got our nose in front and then gave them an opportunity and they were good enough to take it. Their short passing game was excellent and we just probably lacked a little bit of line speed on the inside to apply a bit more pressure, but no lack of effort.”

“We just need more time, more reps. We scrambled really well at times but we’ve just got to get off the line and apply a lot more pressure, get two in the tackle more often to give them slow ball so we can reset and get off the line and do it again.

“We spent a bit of time on it over the last few days, we just need a lot more and it’ll make a massive difference. I love the effort, I love the optimism. I thought we were able to play with a really high tempo, a lightning quick ball, almost 85 percent, which is just outrageous.”

France were missing several first choice players but they did not show that, taking the game to their hosts right throughout the 80 minutes.

Lakai’s take
Flanker Lakai, playing at number six for the first time in his Test career, said they expected France to be tough and physical, adding the All Blacks will get better after working on some areas of their game.

“Obviously, you know, few things to work on, but you know we’re happy to start our campaign off of a win here in Christchurch and we’re looking forward to next week now,” he told the media post-match.

“We scored some brilliant tries, but we also let in a few soft ones as well. So, just like I said, it’s just polishing. We’ve been together for a week, so I guess it’s just building combinations, and we’ll take our learnings from this week and hopefully apply them next week.

“We expected them to play play quick, especially around the ruck. They obviously came down the middle and scored a few soft tries, but we’ll review that come Monday, and yeah, hopefully be better.”

Captain Savea paid tribute to the debutants.

“I thought the guys that played their first Test were outstanding,” Savea said.

“They came on and did their job, had a few good carries. I’m just really pleased for them and their families.”

The All Blacks play Italy next in Wellington on Saturday.

Other Nations Championship results:
Meanwhile, in other results:

Wales beat Fiji 39-24
South Africa beat England 45-21
Japan beat Italy 27-10
Ireland beat Australia 33-31
Scotland beat Argentina 47-38

New Caledonia’s newly-elected three provincial assemblies — Northern, Southern and the Loyalty Islands — have elected their respective presidents following the elections held on June 28 in the French Pacific territory.

The make-up of the three provinces and their respective majorities were already known since the poll on Sunday.

The election of the three presidents was therefore supposed to reflect what came out of the ballots.

• READ MORE: Official results confirmed for New Caledonia’s provincial elections
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• Other Kanaky New Caledonia reports

In New Caledonia’s affluent and most populated Southern province, a united front of pro-France parties (Loyalistes-Rassemblement) has already secured an overwhelming majority of 28 of the 40 seats.

On the province’s inaugural sitting and the election of a chair, group leader Sonia Backès, who is also the incumbent President of the province, thus received 28 of the 40 votes.

There was no other candidate.

Following the Speaker’s election, bureau members such as the Vice-President (Gil Brial) and second and third Vice-President (Brieuc Frogier and Loïc Basset-Creugnet) came from the same “Strong and United” front.

But in the Northern Province, things were more complicated: the showdown was between incumbent President and UNI (Union Nationale pour l’Indépendance) leader and founder of the PALIKA party (Kanak Liberation Party) Paul Néaoutyine who was challenged by Pascal Sawa (from Union Calédonienne-FLNKS).

In the newly-elected assembly seat quota, they were neck-to-neck with 10 seats for Sawa and nine for Néaoutyine.

Néaoutyine, 74, has been President of the Northern province since 1999 and is also the Mayor of the small town of Poindimié.

Protest walk-out
Even though Sawa had a narrow advantage of one seat, it was Néaoutyine who received the most votes for a new presidential mandate (12 votes), thanks to the last minute support from other parties represented in the Assembly (including “Let’s Act Together for the North”, and Loyalistes-Rassemblement’s pro-France group headed by Vanessa Wacapo).

At the results’ announcement, Sawa’s UC-FLNKS group walked out of the sitting, leaving the matter of electing bureau members to later — on Tuesday, July 7.

Sawa said he was “indignant” and he condemned what he called a de facto “new alliance between UNI and the Loyalist pro-France” which, he said, was a show of “disrespect for the ballot results”.

Néaoutyine denied he had struck any alliance with any party.

In the smallest of the three provinces, the Loyalty Islands, the UC-FLNKS component of the pro-independence camp, the two leaders of last Sunday’s elections results, Mickaël Forrest and his sister, Omayra Naisseline (Indigenous Nation, affiliated to UC-FLNKS), were running for the Speaker’s chair.

All women vice-presidents
Forrest was elected President (with eight of the nine votes) and Naisseline has been elected first Vice-President.

The other positions of vice-presidents were all allocated to women (Wali Wahetra [Palika îles], Marguerite Piaa [UC-FLNKS]).

For all of New Caledonia’s three provincial assemblies, the total of newly-elected members is 76.

They will sit in the provincial assemblies for the next five years.

And a portion of those will also sit in the territorial Congress.

But the Presidential process does not end there.

On Friday, July 10, the territorial Congress of New Caledonia (54 seats) will also hold its inaugural sitting to elect its Speaker.

Heavy horse-trading underway ahead of Congress sitting
As a result of the provincial elections, the Congress now and once again hosts only relative majorities and heavy horse-trading is already underway between all parties represented.

The pro-France Strong and United alliance can count on 24 of the 54 seats — not enough to rule on their own.

The same goes for the pro-independence bloc, which has won 26 seats, still not enough for an absolute majority.

The pro-independence bloc consists of UC-FLNKS (10 seats), FLNKS (6 seats), UNI (6 seats), Dynamique autochtone (Indigenous Dynamics, 3 seats) and Palika (1 seat).

But the pro-independence bloc is not entirely united.

Within this group, it remains to be seen how UNI-PALIKA will position itself vis-à-vis UC-FLNKS and its affiliates.

This comes especially after the support provided by pro-France members of the Northern province regarding the Friday election of Paul Néaoutyine.

The two groups have long experienced differences, especially on the sensitive subject of how to approach New Caledonia’s sovereignty.

While UC-FLNKS favours a speedy full independence and accession to full sovereignty, UNI-PALIKA is prefers a status of independence in gradual association with France.

The issue crystallised even more during and after the May 2024 civil unrest and riots (which caused 14 dead and over 2.2 billion euros (NZ$4.4 billion) in material damage) with UNI PALIKA condemning any violent action.

‘Kingmaker’ Eveil Océanien ‘ready to talk with everyone’
Centre party Eveil Océanien (EO) now has four seats which once again places it in the position of “kingmaker”.

Over the past mandate (2019-2026), Eveil Océanien has struck alliances first with FLNKS, then later (2024) with the pro-France bloc, allowing it to tke the seat of Congress President.

EO leader Milakulo Tukumuli told local media as part of the negotiation process with other parties, he was “ready to talk with everyone”.

He said instead of the term “kingmaker”, he preferred to regard his party as a “majorities builder”.

After the election of a new Congress President (to replace incumbent Veylma Falaeo from Eveil Océanien) and the election of bureau executives, the local parliament has two weeks (before July 25 at the latest) to determine the number of cabinet members (which could be between 5 and 11) and then (before July 31) to allocate portfolios of the new “collegial” (proportionally representative) government of New Caledonia.

They would also choose the President and Vice-President of the government of New Caledonia.

In view of the tight schedule during the next few weeks, the option once expressed by French Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu to reconvene New Caledonia’s politicians for talks on the French territory’s future straight after the provincial election has become elusive.

Instead, Rassemblement leader Virginie Ruffenach told public radio NC La Première on Friday, that it was more realistic such talks would be more likely to happen at the end of August or in September.

Later than that, French national politics would be largely constrained and dominated by the Presidential campaign in France.

Meanwhile, it was confirmed earlier this week that the French Presidential elections will take place on April 16 (first round) and 2 May 2027 (second round).

Fears of yet another escalation in military conflict in Indonesia’s Papua region have risen after an American pilot flying a small aircraft into a remote airstrip in Highland Papua province was killed by West Papuan militants.

The West Papua National Liberation Army (TPNPB) has claimed responsibility for killing Nicholas F Gosselin after he landed a small aircraft in remote Sobaham District, Yahukimo Regency, on Thursday.

Gosselin had just flown seven passengers to Yahukimo from Wamena, Highland Papua’s major town, in an aircraft which belonged to a small Indonesian airline, PT AMA. The militants also burned the plane.

• READ MORE: Indonesian military says it has recovered body of American pilot killed by rebels in Papua
• Kiwi pilot kidnapping in West Papua leads to police raids in Australia
• Other West Papua resistance reports

The TPNPB has repeatedly warned foreigners not to fly into the region if they were working with Indonesia’s military, which they are fighting for independence.

Eneko Bahabol, a human rights defender with the Papua Council of Churches who works in this remote region, said the other people on board were local Papuan villagers. He said they were understood to have escaped without injury.

He said it was widely known that Indonesia’s military relied on small airlines to fly into remote airstrips in Papua’s interior, where its larger aircraft could not land.

“We have seen the call from the TPNPB not to transport military personnel. We have followed this in every one of their releases, but we see that the companies and the pilots do not listen to it, and this applies to all pilots transporting military personnel,” Bahabol said.

However, this is not the first case of the TPNPB burning planes which have flown into the Highlands region, nor of targeting pilots.

In February 2023, the TPNPB kidnapped a New Zealand pilot, Phillip Mehrtens, after he landed a small plane belonging to commercial airline Susi Air in Nduga Regency of Highland Papua. They freed him 19 months later.

The Indonesian military has reportedly denied that the AMA plane attacked on Thursday was used to carry troops.

Fears of more violence
Bahabol said civilians in Sobaham’s Balinggama village have fled to neighbouring districts because they were afraid there would be a military operation in response to the attack.

Jakarta has been increasing its troop deployments to the Papua region and now has at least six times more military per capita in Papua than any other region in Indonesia.

This comes amid an upsurge in violent incidents in recent months in Highland Papua related to the long running conflict between Indonesia’s security forces and the TPNPB which have left many civilians dead or injured, and displaced thousands.

Bahabol said on behalf of the Papua Council of Churches, he urged both Indonesia’s military and the West Papuan militants to step back from violent conflict.

“Stop the military operations because they do not solve the problem. I ask both parties to stop the conflict and pursue a dignified dialogue through international mechanisms,” he said.

Bahabol also urged a pause in “the use of civilian aircraft for military purposes”.

Meanwhile, he said it was expected that the pilot’s body could be evacuated on Friday, depending on the weather, and the ability of Indonesian military and police to access the airstrip area.

Killing ‘a message to US’
A spokesperson for the TPNPB, Sebby Sambom, said the killing was a message to the United States which brokered the 1962 New York Agreement which paved the way for the former Dutch New Guinea to fall under Indonesian control in the 1960s, without genuine consultation with Papuans.

“We also convey to the United States of American government, through its embassy in Indonesia and to UN member states, that the shooting of the American pilot is pay for a mistake by the Indonesian, United States of America, Dutch government,” Sambom said.

He said the message was also directed at the United Nations “for failing to address the root causes of the conflict in Papua between the Indonesian military and the West Papua National Liberation Army, which has been ongoing for 64 years”.

A spokesperson for the US State Department told RNZ Pacific they were aware that Indonesian authorities were investigating the reported death.

The spokesperson said they were in touch with the authorities and the man’s family, and were closely tracking developments, but had no further comment.

After an American man, Rick Spier, was violently killed in Papua in 2002 in a shooting attack that was investigated by the FBI, the US suspended some military assistance to Indonesia.

Global aid forecasts have small island developing states “among the hardest hit individually” as aid spending reaches new lows.

The OECD, which tracks their wealthy member states’ Overseas Development Assistance (ODA), is projecting a 6.9 percent drop this year. Last year, it was 23.3 percent.

In a report, it noted this would make for the lowest global ODA level since 2014, with health spending down to pre-pandemic levels.

• READ MORE: Pacific at risk as global aid falls to lowest level in a decade – report
• Other Pacific aid reports

“Most reductions come from a small number of the largest providers,” the report noted, referring to European countries, and the United States.

“Many highly aid-dependent countries rely on a small number of providers, increasing vulnerability to shocks.”

It was also noted that five of the fifteen recipient countries with the largest cuts are small island developing states. Caribbean Small Island Developing States (SIDS) will have lost 36.6 percent of aid between 2024 and 2026; Asian and Pacific states will have lost 33.4 percent.

“A single provider accounts for most ODA in several LDCs and small island developing states (SIDS), such as the United States in Marshall Islands and Micronesia, or Australia and New Zealand in Tonga and Tuvalu,” it read.

“In these countries especially, a shift in aid could therefore spill over quickly into broader macroeconomic and societal stress.”

Globally, health spending is projected to fall by between 29 and 46 percent in that two-year timeframe, with aid for public health and the control of communicable diseases the hardest hit.

Aid targeting malaria falls by 59.6 percent, tuberculosis by 57.2 percent, other infectious-disease control by 40.4 percent.

Delivery models need to change – ChildFund NZ
Humanitarian aid is projected to fall by 40.3 percent, while government and civil society falls by 39.8 percent. Aid from multilateral institutions falls by 31 percent.

For Josie Pagani, CEO of ChildFund NZ, these are the most dangerous trends from a Pacific perspective.

“That’s for when you’re in a crisis, like we’ve just seen in Venezuela, or in the Middle East,” she said.

“That is going to have a very direct impact on the ability for countries to respond, or charities like ChildFund to respond directly to a crisis.”

Pagani said it created both a need and an incentive to make the way that aid was delivered more efficient, and more effective.

This, she said, would address a core issue around public perception — where aid was viewed as useless or unnecessary, and so it was deprioritised.

“Across the Pacific, there are sorts of dinosaur aid projects scattered around… water tanks with logos on them… [but] there are five million people in the Pacific who still don’t have access to running clean drinking water.”

“You can’t solve that by a tank here and a tank there, you’ve got to look at it systemically.”

Unchanged aid budgets
She also noted that unchanged aid budgets from Australia and New Zealand could insulate the Pacific from wider multilateral grant cutbacks.

Australia and New Zealand, in their respective budgets from May, kept their aid allocations roughly the same. New Zealand brought over NZ$160 million forward to this year from unspent cash in the previous two years.

Meanwhile, the Trump Administration is lobbying United Nations member states for its “Trade Over Aid” policy, which would prioritise aid spending for “free market reforms” in poor countries.

Explosive activity has picked up in recent days at Bougainville’s Mt Bagana volcano.

Papua New Guinea’s Rabaul Volcanological Observatory declared a Stage 1 Alert for Bagana amid its most notable upsurge in activity for two years.

The observatory’s principal geodetic surveyor, Steve Saunders, said activity at the volcano had been ongoing for several years, but last week the activity increased.

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“There was a large eruption, it was basically the dome collapsing down the east flank. It was very spectacular but it was in uninhabited areas so didn’t really cause much of a problem.

Noting continuous lava activity at the summit, Saunders said there was “a red glow and rocks rolling down the side every few weeks”.

“There was some dust downwind etc, but it looked worse than it was.”

Social media comments about the volcano indicated dust issues impacting crops to the south in Torokina, on Bougainville’s east coast.

PNG’s National Information Centre said the Department of Community Government and District Affairs Disaster Office were in touch with Torokina and other areas impacted, and monitoring the situation.

Pumice issue
Meanwhile, in another part of PNG’s Islands region, Manus Province, Saunders said big rafts of pumice from an active submarine volcano in the Bismarck Sea had started to disperse.

Since May, pumice created by the so-called Titan Ridge volcano had been carried by tides and currents into Manus Island’s south coast, impacting sea life and marine traffic.

However, Saunders said there was little pumice being produced by the volcano now as its activity has abated in the past week or two, and that pumice rafts around Manus Island had now mostly washed away with currents and winds.

But locals in Manus have told RNZ Pacific that pumice is still a problem, and that pumice has also increasingly the province’s smaller, outer islands.

The widow of a deceased Fijian farmer is claiming that her husband was beaten by police during a raid — and told to lie about it.

Ane Vakararawa’s husband, Iveri Tuimasi, died two weeks ago — yet another in a string of deaths this year where law enforcement is alleged to have played a role.

Police have acknowledged that there was a raid on the couple’s property on Beqa Island, and in a statement last week, said they would interview the officers involved.

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Vakararawa has alleged that Tuimasi was severely beaten during the raid, suffering a blow to the head, and a liver rupture that required surgery. It is also alleged the officers — including a soldier — coerced Tuimasi into saying that he had sustained his injuries from a fall.

Sharing her story with RNZ Pacific, Vakararawa said that her husband asked her to get the word out before he died.

“One week prior, he somehow knew it, and he was telling me that if anything happens, I need to be strong,” Vakararawa said.

“He kept telling me, I need to post it, I need to post the things that the officers did to him.”

Another death
Three weeks ago, RNZ Pacific reported on the death of another Fijian, Sakiasi Ose Radravu, who had been raided in uptown Suva.

Radravu’s family said he had been beaten, tortured and sodomised by officers, which Amnesty International described as typical of Fijian authorities.

Less than a week before Radravu’s raid, Jone Vakarisi, widely reported by local media as a known drug peddler, was found dead in a military prison.

Tuimasi and Radravu both have sepsis listed as their primary cause of death. Both of their death certificates listed a variety of other factors, but both families insist that their loved ones were totally fine before their encounters with the police.

Tuimasi’s certificate noted that a liver abscess had caused the sepsis, as well as a cerebral edema, a dangerous buildup of fluid in the brain. It also noted a “history of abdominal severe blunt force trauma”.

Both the police and military have been asked for a response.

‘I knew my husband didn’t jump’
Vakararawa could not recall how many police officers were there — but she insisted that there was also at least one military officer.

She said they came to their home on March 27 at around 6am local time, on a tip that Tuimasi was growing marijuana on their farm, which was 30 minutes away.

“They didn’t show me any search warrant, they went inside, they started raiding our property from the living room, right to the kitchen, in our rooms and our compound. One of the officers said that he found some marijuana seedlings on our shelves.”

She said they left and boated around parts of the island were the family would grow cassava. They returned three hours later.

“My husband didn’t come back with them. One police officer asked me ‘did you know where your husband left earlier that night’ and I told him ‘no, why?’, and he said because he ran away.

“When they were talking, I heard one police officer say ‘when we catch him, we have to punish him.”

By 2pm, police officers had left and returned again, with Tuimasi in custody, clearly injured. Vakararawa was told Tuimasi had thrown a stone at one of them, and as they pursued him, he stumbled and fell off of a nearby cliff.

The officers took him to Navua Hospital, and Vakararawa visited the following morning.

‘He was in pain’
“When I went to the hospital… he wasn’t able to sit properly, we could see how much pain he was in,” Vakararawa told RNZ Pacific.

With the officers still there, Vakararawa asked her husband quietly whether the story was true.

“He looked, and I asked him: ‘did you jump’, not loudly, I just signalled to him … and he shook his head.”

“I knew that my husband didn’t jump, because we used to farm up the hill, but now we don’t farm anymore there.”

She said he had a boot mark on his chest, a dark bruise on the back of his head, and cuts on his hand.

‘He wouldn’t be able to tell the truth’
Tuimasi was transferred to CWM Hospital in Suva shortly after his arrival at Navua, where he had surgery.

“He slept for about a week, they put him on sleeping medications … so, when he was sleeping, I went and filed a report against the officers [on] March 30.

“He got discharged on May 10, and he was telling me to tell the officer in charge that he’s okay, he’s ready to for his statement to be taken. But the officer in charge, she just called once … she said that she was busy with other cases.”

Over the next month, Tuimasi rapidly lost weight and became weaker by the day. His death certificate would later note that he had “severe protein calorie malnutritions”.

He was in and out of hospital, with “multiple surgical interventions” and a “recent history of hospitalisation for septic shock due to septicaemia.” As he deteriorated, Vakararawa described him as “traumatised”.

“He was eating, he was drinking, but somehow he kept dropping his weight, he was shrinking.”

Two days before he died, Vakararawa made a long Facebook post sharing their story, at Tuimasi’s insistence. She noted that despite his best efforts to talk to the police, they never returned his calls. Tuimasi died on June 19, in the afternoon — it would be the following morning that Vakararawa heard from them.

‘Fell from a cliff’
“An officer called … she told me that in Navua, [Tuimasi] admitted that he fell from a cliff before they transferred him to CWM [in Suva].”

“I told her, ‘ma’am, you have to understand that when they brought my husband to the hospital, he was coming with the very people that assaulted him. They could have threatened him along the way to tell the doctor that he really fell.’ He wouldn’t be able to tell the truth.”

The Fiji Police Force said on June 23 that Tuimasi’s autopsy had been completed, and that Vakararawa’s complaints were with the CID.

“The next course of action is to interview all those involved in Mr Tuimasi’s arrest following a drug raid in Dakuni in Beqa.”

“Following the interview process, all statements, evidentiary documents and reports will be submitted to the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (ODPP) for independent legal review.”

The official results of New Caledonia’s provincial elections held on Sunday were proclaimed last evening.

In a comprehensive document, the French High Commission in New Caledonia has published the key election figures, which confirm the tendencies observed immediately after the vote on Sunday.

This includes the final makeup of New Caledonia’s Territorial Congress, which results from the proportional representation in the French Pacific territory’s three provinces (Northern, Southern and the Loyalty Islands).

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In the Southern province, which is New Caledonia’s most populated and affluent region, the results confirm a clear victory for the “Strong and United” list made up of pro-France parties Les Loyalistes and Le Rassemblement.

Under outgoing provincial President Sonia Backès, they have reached 28 of the 40 seats and collected 50.4 percent of the suffrage.

The pro-independence list for FLNKS, headed by Johanito Wamytan, will get seven seats (15.59 percent of the vote).

Eveil Océanien’s list (Another World is possible), headed by Milakulo Tukumuli, has five seats (10.2 percent).

In the Northern province, pro-independence UC-FLNKS (headed by Pascal Sawa) and Union Nationale pour l’Indépendance (UNI) headed by Paul Néaoutyine are neck-and-neck, with 10 and nine seats.

The remaining three seats go to the small list “Let’s Act together for the North”.

In the smallest province, the Loyalty Islands, seats are divided between pro-independence lists “Nation Autochtone” (Indigenous Nation) and UC-FLNKS, respectively headed by Omaira Naisseline and Mickaël Forrest.

Another pro-independence party, the PALIKA (Kanak Liberation Party) now holds the two remaining seats.

Congress and three provincial assemblies to elect their presidents
The three provincial assemblies are now scheduled to hold their inaugural sitting on Friday.

They will elect their respective presidents.

At the territorial level, the Congress is scheduled to hold its inaugural sitting on July 10 with the election of its President and its bureau.

At New Caledonia’s Congress, Loyalists-Rassemblement will have 24 of the 54 seats.

Eveil Océanien reaffirms itself as the main central block in New Caledonian’s political chessboard: it has gained more seats (4) compared to three in the previous legislature (2019-2026).

This brings the Wallisian-based party, created in 2019, to position itself once again as the “kingmaker” as no single party in New Caledonia’s Congress is in a position to rule on its own.

The pro-independence block can now rely on 16 seats from UC-FLNKS (the pro-independence movement’s hard-line component), 7 from UNI-PALIKA and 3 from Dynamique Autochtone (Indigenous Dynamic).

Talks have started, behind the scenes, between parties, in order to form alliances ahead of the vote.

After the Congress President’s election, a “collegial” government will be formed, consisting of the allocation of ministerial portfolios on the basis of proportional representation.

Talks with Paris
Also based on the election of the new Congress, the French government is planning to resume talks with New Caledonia’s politicians in order to finalise a consensual document that would serve as a blueprint for New Caledonia’s political future.

Such talks, over the past five years, have failed to produce a result.

The most recent attempt, which materialised into a document called the Bougival Agreement (in July 2025, followed by more negotiations under the name of Matignon-Oudinot in January 2026) was rejected by the French Parliament on April 2.

New Caledonia’s main parties have already indicated their intentions, if they were to be convened for new talks by French Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu.

Whereas UC-FLNKS seems to favour a short-term process for New Caledonia’s independence, UNI also promotes independence for New Caledonia, but in some kind of association with France.

UNI had pledged to support the Bougival process, which is now defunct.

The Bougival process was one of the main fracturing factors within the pro-independence movement, especially between UC-FLNKS and UNI.

On the pro-France side, they consider that concessions had already been made as part of the Bougival talks and that there were red lines they were not ready to cross.

Three referendums
They also insist that New Caledonia has held three referendums on New Caledonia’s independence between 2018 and 2021 and that these resulted in three rejections (however, the last referendum was boycotted by the pro-independence groups due to the covid pandemic).

Pro-France MP in the French National Assembly Nicolas Metzdorf said at the weekend that if they were called to sit at the negotiating table again, they would take part. Buy they would not budge from their anti-independence posture.

Another scenario was for New Caledonia’s parties — especially pro-France — to refrain from entering any political agreement until the French presidential elections are held in April 2027.

“We’ll wait for the presidential elections… to make sure New Caledonia remains French,” he told public broadcaster NC la Première yesterday.

Ahead of the Congress President’s elections next month, Metzdorf also confirmed that talks with other parties would start “this week”.

“It will be either with Eveil Océanien or with UNI, but we won’t talk to UC-FLNKS.”

Fiji’s military has hit out against budget cuts it copped last Friday.

In a social media post, the Republic of Fiji Military Forces (RFMF), which has gained influence in law enforcement over the last year, issued an apparent warning to detractors to recognise the role they play in Fijian society.

“The RFMF… genuinely respects the concerns raised in public commentary… that military spending should be reduced on the grounds that Fiji is not engaged in conventional warfare,” said RFMF commander Major-General Ro Jone Kalouniwai.

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“But we ask those who hold this view to look again.”

In the 2026-2027 Budget, the RFMF lost around FJ$14.8 million (NZ$11.5 million) — a 9 percent cut — and is projected to lose another $1.1 million next year.

Fiji Sun reported that, for Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka, the rationale behind the cut was Fiji’s decision to scale back overseas peacekeeping commitments.

But the three-part post, titled “What the RFMF means to Fiji – Beyond the Budget and into the grey zone”, outlined the military’s view of itself as essential in efforts against the drug trade and corruption — and its social value.

“The RFMF has never asked for recognition. But perhaps it is time we offer it anyway,” it read.

Govt revenue falling
“And in doing so, ask ourselves honestly what it would cost us not to have it.”

While announcing the budget, Finance Minister Esrom Immanuel revealed that government revenue was falling while expenditure was climbing.

The country’s budget deficit is more than FJ$200 million higher than last year, due in part to a lower tax take.

Immanuel said the government was shifting cash towards infrastructure projects and private sector development.

The one-round provincial election held in New Caledonia yesterday has produced a few surprises, but essentially maintained the existing blocs between pro-independence and pro-France parties.

In the Southern Province (New Caledonia’s most affluent and populated, including the capital Nouméa), provisional results show half the votes went to the “Strong and United” pro-France camp.

This brought together the Rassemblement, Les Loyalistes parties, headed by incumbent Southern Province President Sonia Backès.

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Her list has obtained the support of 50.4 percent of the votes in the province, according to provisional results last night, which should give it 28 seats in the Southern Province and 24 of the 54 seats in New Caledonia’s Territorial Congress.

Support for the Strong and United pro-France list was not only strong in the capital Nouméa, but also in its three surrounding towns of Mont-Dore, Dumbéa and Païta.

Speaking to a crowd of supporters last night, Backès, 50, hailed the results and her party’s score, saying this was a way for voters to recognise what had been done during the past seven years, marked by several crises — including the covid pandemic and the May 2024 riots.

“The non-independence voters have supported our list at a large majority and I think our choice for unity was important,” she said.

“Also because we were carrying a clear message of support for a New Caledonia within France, as well as a society model we believe in, based on respect for democracy, of merit and equality for everyone.”

Pro-independence Johanito Wamytan (Union Caledonienne-FLNKS) and his list have secured 15.5 percent of the votes, translating into seven seats, one more than during the previous mandate (2019-2026).

He is followed by Wallisian-based centre party Eveil Océanien’s list (“Another World is Possible”), headed by Milakulo Tukumuli (10.3 percent).

In the Southern province, Eveil Océanien gained five seats — two more than during the previous provincial legislature.

This will again make Eveil Océanien as a force to be reckoned with in both the Southern Province assembly and the Territorial Congress, where the party, set up in 2019, has gained the nickname of “king maker”.

Eveil Océanien leader Milakulo Tukumuli said with four expected seats at the Congress, he was pleased to see that his party has “confirmed its place in New Caledonia’s political landscape”.

Northern and Loyalty Islands provinces
Provisional results in the Northern Province showed an almost equal score by the two pro-independence parties — UC-FLNKS and UNI (Union Nationale pour l’Indépendance).

The two parties’ list heads, Pascal Sawa (UC-FLNKS) and incumbent UNI-PALIKA Paul Néaoutyine (who has been leading the Northern Province for the past 27 years) have won 10 and nine seats respectively, with the remaining three seats being held by pro-France Vanessa Wacapo (Les Loyalistes-Rassemblement).

In the Loyalty Islands province, two lists headed by pro-independence Mickaël Forrest (UC-FLNKS) and Omayra Naisseline won six seats each in the small provincial assembly.

The provincial elections results need to be officially proclaimed by the French High Commission this week.

The next step, as part of the “trickle down” effect of the poll, is for New Caledonia’s new Congress to convene this Friday, July 3, with the first item on its inaugural agenda being the election the Speaker (President).

Parties represented in the new Congress are expected to enter into negotiations in order to form alliances.

This would be followed by a process of appointment of a “collegial” cabinet which is also supposed to reflect the make-up of the local Parliament.

Low turnout rate
One of the main features of Sunday’s provincial election was also the relatively low turnout rate (an estimated 58 percent of the 192,584 registered voters). This is eight percent less than the previous poll in 2019.

Geopolitical analyst Pierre-Christophe Pantz told public broadcaster NC la Première during election night that “this was to be expected and this raises questions about the meaning of democracy”.

Other experts also started to see in this low turnout a profound disinterest from voters.

University of New Caledonia law professor Mathias Chauchat said the trend was worrying, especially when combined with the “sudden death” five-percent threshold that automatically eliminates smaller lists.

“We end up with a rule that at the end of the day crystallises the forces in presence, to produce a rather conservative and polarised result,” Pantz said.

UC-FLNKS politician Alosio Sako said on Sunday night during a TV live debate: “I hope [the poll results] will enable for a fresh start, to find a new agreement because [New] Caledonians are tired of having to go through this kind of situation”.

Should the rules be changed?
Another compounding factor is that any list that does not collect at least five percent of registered voters is automatically eliminated during this single-round poll.

“This five-percent threshold rule was designed precisely to favour big blocs, to give them time to manage New Caledonia in the long term,” Professor Chauchat said.

He said that instead of discarding all these disqualified votes, it could be an idea to retain some of the ideas brought up during the campaign in favour of younger representatives, based on the principle of participative democracy.

“If you look at it more closely, there are a lot of new ideas from all these emerging small lists.

“It’s a shame that they only appear during election time and then disappear again — like shooting stars.”

Former journalist and TV personality Wallès Kotra, who headed one of the small lists, said he was concerned that the May 2024 riots and unrest should not repeat themselves.

“This has left many traces and fear within the population. And I hope it doesn’t herald more crises,” he said.

“We have to live together. And the two antagonist blocks, for them, it’s time to find an agreement. We must take care of our country.”

Polling stations have now closed in New Caledonia, as electoral officials begin tallying votes in today’s provincial elections.

The Sunday elections are the first to be held in the French territory for 7 years after the 2024 elections were abandoned following riots that left 14 dead, and about 2.2 billion euros (NZ$4.4 billion) in economic damage.

A special election night broadcast is underway, with preliminary results expected between 10.30pm and 11pm local time.

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192,584 people were registered to vote in these elections.

RNZ Pacific’s French Pacific correspondent Patrick Decloitre said there had been no reports of any incidents during polling today.

In the Southern province and even more in rural Northern province and Loyalty Islands, voters and their families seemed to have chosen to cast their votes either after Sunday mass or just before polling stations closing time, so they could stay on and watch the counting process.

Security was heavy with some 2500 law enforcement officers, mostly policemen and gendarmes, as well as additional officers from the French anti-crime squad and judiciary police.

The heavy set-up was designed to remain “visible” by the population. It mainly focused on security and monitoring of polling stations and the immediate surroundings.

Heavy security has been deployed in New Caledonia as crucial provincial elections are being held in the French Pacific territory today.

Polling stations are open from 8am local time (9am NZ time) until 6pm tonight.

This comes as heavy security has been deployed. It involves a total of some 2500 law enforcement officers, mostly policemen and gendarmes (the equivalent of 16 squadrons, as opposed to 12 in normal circumstances).

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Additional officers from the French anti-crime squad and judiciary police are deployed.

The reinforcements are to remain posted at least until early July 2026 or longer, depending on what develops.

The heavy set-up mainly focuses on security and monitoring of polling stations and their immediate surroundings.

Drones and additional armoured vehicles are also deployed on the ground, including the Centaurs — armoured vehicles that were previously used during and after the riots that broke out in New Caledonia in May 2024, causing 14 dead and material damage of about 2.2 billion euros (NZ$.4.4 billion).

The whole security operation is meant to “reassure” the population, as well as show the presence of security forces on the ground and their capacity to intervene quickly if needed.

The French High Commission in New Caledonia said at the weekend the general climate was relatively calm ahead of the vote.

Since last week, a total ban on the sale of alcohol has been in force and will remain until after election day.

This, the High Commission said, was because New Caledonia was still undergoing a “sensitive” period on social and economic grounds.

Latest incident on the Isle of Pines
However, on Friday evening, in the small island town of Vao, on the Isle of Pines (south off the capital Nouméa), police and gendarmes were called about midnight to intervene following a fire on a building near the Town Hall municipal council meeting room, which was to be used as a polling station for today’s elections.

The polling station was relocated to a school canteen in the village of Vao.

Gendarmes later arrested one teenager — part of a group of five — and they were targeted by stone-throwing.

One of the gendarmes had to be medivaced to Nouméa.

Witnesses also said in the small building, which also hosts the local power company Enercal, safes containing cash has been forced open and cash stolen.

Two flags were also stolen.

Public Prosecutor Yves Dupas told local media an investigation was ongoing, but initial findings indicated that the main target of the group was the electrical company’s office and that subsequent damage to the nearby designated polling station could be regarded as collateral.

The perpetrators were also found to be “severely inebriated”.

The latest incident has triggered swift and angry reactions from the Great Chief of the Isle of Pines, as well as from Mayor Régis Vendegou and the government of New Caledonia, which said “nothing can justify” those actions.

No cyber threat so far
Potential attempts of local or foreign cyber interference is also being closely monitored with the assistance of French digital watchdog agency Viginum.

So far no significant threat has been reported of attempts to “discredit the electoral process, jeopardise the confidence of the public in the media or trying to influence the public in favour or against a specific party or candidate”.

Provisional results should start to emerge after polling booths close at 6pm with progressive counting during the evening.

The vote involving some 192,584 registered voters (according to the latest official figures), in 298 polling stations, will determine the 76 members of New Caledonia’s three provinces (22 for the Northern, 40 for the Southern, and 14 for the Loyalty Islands).

On a proportional basis, the three provinces will then be represented and make up the Congress of New Caledonia, consisting of 54 members.

From the new Congress, a new local “collegial” government and its President would then automatically emerge.

New Caledonia’s diaspora votes by proxy
There are 127,474 registered voters in the Southern Province (where the capital Nouméa is located), 43,016 in the Northern province and 22,094 in the Loyalty Islands province.

An estimated 5000 voters (who will be either absent from New Caledonia on polling day or who live in mainland France, Australia, New Zealand or Vanuatu) will also vote by proxy.

Campaigning in New Caledonia officially closed yesterday at midnight local time — two days ahead of election day tomorrow, June 28.

The poll will renew the members of New Caledonia’s three provincial assemblies (Northern, Southern and the Loyalty Islands).

In the following days and well into July, the poll will then determine, on a proportional representation basis, the makeup of New Caledonia’s Territorial Congress and the makeup of New Caledonia future “collegial” government and its President.

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Over the past two weeks, campaigning has been intense from running political party lists — a total of 23 — both on social networks and during political rallies.

The two main blocks in New Caledonia, the pro-independence and those who want New Caledonia to remain a part of France, have been particularly active.

They are reafirming their respective positions:

• The pro-independence UC-FLNKS will continue to support the French Pacific territory’s quick access to full sovereignty; and
• For the pro-France group (consisting of a coalition of Rassemblement, Les Loyalistes) it is to continue advocating for a “French” New Caledonia, based on the three referendums held between 2018 and 2021, all rejecting independence.

Postponed three times
But this year, as New Caledonia’s provincial elections were postponed three times since 2024 (the year they should have been held in normal circumstances, along the lines of a normal five-year term), the debate was also significantly marked by the dire economic and social situation following the May 2024 civil unrest and riots.

The political future of New Caledonia remains unresolved after five years of unsuccessful attempts through negotiations between pro-France, pro-independence groups and the French government.

And the population is mostly worried by bread and butter issues:

• unemployment (after hundred of businesses were destroyed as a result of the riots);
• the cost of living; and
• the resulting situation, especially in terms of health, public service, education and transportation (air and sea connections between the main island, Grande Terre (and its capital Nouméa) and the rest of the archipelago (especially the Loyalty Islands group).

Between the two political blocks, this election has seen an unprecedented number of candidates running under a non-partisan label, whether they choose to call themselves non-partisan or just representatives of the civil society.

This week, major parties have also held their final rallies.

Regarding the Southern province, which concentrates a large majority of New Caledonia’s population and wealth, a two-hour television debate took place on national broadcaster Nouvelle-Calédonie La Première featuring five of the major contender lists.

Presenting party views
It was an opportunity for list leaders to present their respective views on how to address the major issues at stake: economic recovery, assistance to affected businesses and the general population (especially in terms of health care), the sensitive issue of nickel mining and smelting (two of the three nickel smelters are currently inoperational) and the quest for further French assistance.

List leader Sonia Backès (who is the incumbent President of the Southern province) and her co-list Nicolas Metzdorf (who is one of the two representatives of New Caledonia at the French National Assembly) said their major objective — based on their united approach — was to achieve an absolute majority in the Southern Province.

Pro-independence UC-FLNKS sees this election as a way of bringing New Caledonia closer to its “Kanaky” fast independence process.

But this year, another list called “UNI” (Union Nationale pour l’Indépendance) is running separately after its two major components, PALIKA [Parti de Libération Kanak] and UPM [Union Progressiste en Mélanésie] split away from the FLNKS, citing profound differences on the approach to independence after the May 2024 unrest.

192,584 registered voters
For the whole of New Caledonia, the latest count shows a total of 192,584 voters registered on the “special” restricted electoral roll designed for those provincial elections, the French High Commission said.

In the Southern province alone, the total is 127,474.

The largest number of voters is located in Nouméa (53,671 voters for 57 polling stations).

The capital’s suburban cities of Dumbéa and Mont-Dore, are also significant (with respectively close to 30,000 and 19,293 registered voters).

In the other two provinces of New Caledonia (North and Loyalty Islands), there are respectively 43,016 and 22,094 registered voters under the same “special” list.

‘Sudden death’ clause
But based on the number of registered voters, election day for some parties will also determine whether or not they pass the required threshold to sit in one of the provincial assemblies and at the Congress.

In the Southern province, the threshold is a minimum of 6374 votes.

In the Northern province, the threshold is 2151 votes.

In the Loyalty Islands province, the threshold is 1105 votes.

If any of the running lists fails to reach the required threshold, it will not be considered and automatically discarded.

With a backdrop of defiance and mistrust towards political parties, another major question mark will be on the participation rate of voters.

After the vote: more negotiations in France?
New Caledonia’s elections, which will significantly redefine the French Pacific territory’s political chessboard at several levels, are also perceived as the starting point of yet another round of political negotiations with France.

Earlier this year, French Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu, after talks with local political parties on the continuation of discussions about New Caledonia’s future, said he had obtained commitment from all parties that they would re-engage in talks with the French government, possibly in July, to finalise New Caledonia’s future status project.

The previous version (which was proposing to create a “State of New Caledonia” within the French realm) was rejected by the French Parliament.

But the pro-France camp has once again reiterated that just as this was one of the main themes of their campaign, they would not budge from their current stance, that is to defend and uphold the results of the three recent referendums against independence.

However, they said they were willing to take part in the proposed talks with France, even though they had serious doubts as to whether they could produce a conclusive and consensual agreement before the French presidential elections in April 2027.

The only tangible result — a compromise — was endorsed by the French Parliament a few weeks ago: an agreement to partially “unfreeze” the restricted list of voters for the provincial elections.

This consisted in allowing people (more than 10,000) who were born in New Caledonia since November 1998, and who had reached voting age, to cast their votes at these crucial local elections.

The Autonomous Bougainville Government (ABG) has formally outlined its final position on its political future, proposing a three-stage pathway towards self-government and eventual independence.

President Ishmael Toroama presented its position to the independent facilitator who is overseeing the joint technical consultations between the ABG and the Papua New Guinea government.

Bougainville would continue preparations for self-government until 1 September 2027, focusing on strengthening institutions, governance systems, peace and security, and economic readiness.

• READ MORE: PNG’s ruling party supports 15-year transition period for Bougainville
• Other Bougainville independence reports

From that date, Bougainville would enter a period of self-government, “exercising the fullest practical and constitutional authority available under the existing legal framework, including additional powers provided under Section 289 of the Constitution”.

“The proposal further envisages Bougainville attaining independence in 2030, as defined during the referendum process as an independent nation-state recognised under international law and separate from the State of Papua New Guinea.”

Toroama said the pathway provides certainty, preserves peace, and honours the democratic choice expressed by the people.

In 2019, a referendum was 97.7 percent in favour of independence, but the final decision rests with PNG’s national Parliament, as provided for under the Bougainville Peace Agreement.

Consistently honoured
Toroama said Bougainville has consistently honoured both the letter and spirit of the Peace Agreement.

“This position is not founded on emotion or convenience. It is founded on the Bougainville Peace Agreement, on Part XIV of the Constitution of Papua New Guinea, and on the solemn commitments and agreements that have guided our journey and preserved peace to date,” he said in an ABG statement.

“Our objective has never been confrontation. Our objective has always been reconciliation, partnership and a peaceful transition founded on law and mutual respect.”

According to Toroama, the 2019 referendum delivered a clear mandate from the people of Bougainville in favour of independence and that subsequent consultations between the ABG and the national government had produced several important agreements, including the Joint Communique of 11 January 2021, the Kokopo Joint Statement, Wabag Joint Statement, APEC Joint Statement, Era Kone Covenant and the Melanesian Agreement.

A cost-of-services report has also been filed, with acting president and Minister for Treasury and Finance, Albert Punghau, saying the 97.7 percent vote for independence must be matched by “fiscal readiness”.

“A sovereign people must be served by a government that can sustain itself,” he said.

“The report we launch today, ‘From Here To There’, speaks directly to both governments — the National Government of PNG and the Autonomous Bougainville Government — on the financial stewardship of our people’s resources, and the political responsibility of building Bougainville into nationhood.”

15-year process
Earlier this week, PNG’s ruling PANGU Party said it would support a 15-year transition process for Bougainville, regardless of whether Parliament votes for or against independence.

Prime Minister James Marape outlined the proposal in a statement defending PNG’s constitutional process for deciding Bougainville’s political future.

He said the process would be conditional on Bougainville demonstrating financial self-sufficiency, maintaining peace and stability, and eliminating armed violence and factionalism.

The Prime Minister said Bougainville would need to generate enough internal revenue to fund at least 70 percent of its annual budget over a five-year period.

Marape repeatedly stressed that Bougainville’s future could only be decided through constitutional processes established under the 2001 Bougainville Peace Agreement and incorporated into Papua New Guinea’s constitution.

During the fuel crisis, Pacific Island countries have scrambled to secure their own fuel supply, forcing them to lean on their wealthy neighbours and multilateral donors.

This triggered a region-wide economic slowdown and driven a managed, yet sharp, increase in fuel and electricity costs throughout the Pacific.

According to fuel price schedules released by Pacific governments regularly from February to June, Fiji has doubled the maximum price for diesel in urban centres in the main island, Viti Levu, such as Suva and Nadi.

• READ MORE: Fuel relief efforts, minerals diplomacy and fallout at a publicly funded trust
• Australia extends fuel excise relief to ease household cost pressures
• Other Pacific energy reports

Samoa has lifted its diesel ceiling by more than two thirds during that time, Tonga by more than 60 percent in Tongatapu.

And quite apart from asking for budgetary support, Pacific leaders, whenever they had the chance, appealed for help to build solar panels and other forms of renewable energy, in hopes of sidestepping a future calamity.

February
The war begins.

February 28
Iran begins its blockade of the Strait of Hormuz after taking heavy fire from US and Israeli forces. In the coming days, several Pacific-flagged tankers are trapped, abandoned or damaged, and their crews injured or killed. The Palau-flagged Skylight is abandoned with two crew dead on March 1. The Marshalls-flagged MKD Vyom is abandoned with one death on the same day, and the Safesea Vishnu is set ablaze 10 days later, killing another.

March
It doesn’t take long before the public grows nervous over fuel and electricity price hikes. Pacific governments issue certain reassurances, but panic buying occurs in sporadic cases.

For Pacific Island countries, which are far away from the established oil refineries in Singapore and South Korea, it makes better economic sense to buy from bulk, rather than to have constant shipments. This means they have forward orders already secured.

So most retail prices are kept relatively stable as countries burn through their existing stocks. The import prices are going to go up, but the lag means they can bide their time.

Behind the scenes, governments are scrambling to secure supply from new sources — and to keep the public calm. It isn’t a question of if, but when.

March 15
Christopher Luxon touches down in Samoa. They discuss energy, but New Zealand isn’t committing to anything yet. They have their own crisis brewing. He’ll go to Tonga and say mostly the same thing.

March 23
The American Pacific and the free association states don’t have price ceilings, so their consumers are paying the market rate, plus the elevated travel costs. At a Mobil gas station in Saipan, petrol is US$6.619 per gallon, and diesel $8.789. In Tinian, diesel is $10.

April
Pacific Island countries begin to raise their fuel price ceilings. Vanuatu raises diesel by 64 percent, but won’t raise it further for the indefinite future. In PNG, the price is 73 percent higher, in Fiji it’s 35 percent, and in Tonga it’s 43.5 percent.

April 15
Tuvalu’s Energy Minister Simon Kofe appears on RNZ’s Morning Report and reveals that their fuel supply is “not assured” beyond June. Just days earlier, Tuvalu had declared a state of emergency, allowing the government to take extraordinary measures to cut back on power usage. They’re experiencing rolling blackouts. The country spends more than a quarter of their GDP on petroleum imports.

April 17
In the Marshall Islands, government departments are shutting down at 3pm. They’re using their universal basic income to help consumers and adding a subsidy to their state-owned power company.

Marshall Islands Finance Minister David Paul later reveals to RNZ Pacific that their singular supplier, ExxonMobil, is using force majure provisions in their supply contracts to balloon import prices.

May
Samoa and Solomon Islands both lift their diesel caps by 46 percent. Fiji and the Cook Islands climb as well. Fuel at the pump in Port Moresby is slashed by 42 percent after the government uses its windfall revenue from LNG exports, which have spiked dramatically in value, to subsidise consumer prices. Tonga cuts their electricity surcharge and reinvests more into welfare payments for pensioners. Pacific leaders are meeting.

May 6
Fiji’s Finance Minister defies an international travel ban for ministers to go to Uzbekistan for an Asian Development Bank AGM. He walks away with a US$200 million loan in his pocket.

Meanwhile, Australia hands Fiji A$30 million. Foreign Minister Penny Wong calls it a “targeted budget support” to support Fiji’s efforts to be a regional fuel hub.

At this point, Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese is in Southeast Asia, trying to get Singapore, Malaysia and South Korea to give them preference if they have to make tough decisions over their own stocks. Foreign Minister Penny Wong says they will keep the Pacific in mind, but they have to put themselves first.

New Zealand chips in NZ$8 million.

May 8
Pacific Islands Forum leaders officially invoke the Biketawa Declaration. It’s a framework for a regional crisis response, where leaders are compelled to come together, share their resources and expertise, and arrange some kind of plan together. It was last used during covid pandemic.

Jeremiah Manele jumps the gun and says they would, before any Pacific leaders, including Australia or New Zealand, could even consider it.

May 29
ADB Pacific Lead Emma Veve tells RNZ Pacific that help requests from Pacific Island governments have begun only recently. She calls this a credit to their resilience.

Help requests at this point have come from Solomon Islands, Vanuatu, Tonga, Samoa and Nauru. Veve says they have freed up hundreds of millions in both loans and grants. Support for each country will range from $10 million to $100 million, depending on their size.

June
Peace appears on the horizon at the end of the month, but there’s no indication of it. By now Viti Levu’s diesel price ceiling has more than doubled since February. PNG’s fuel subsidy helps for a little while, but this month’s increase has exceeded last month’s decrease, and then some. Nauru and Niue, with their singular islands and tiny populations, have had to increase theirs, too.

June 5
Samoa triggers an “amber alert”, which indicates they have less than 30 days of fuel stocks left in country. They deny this is the case, and just call it a “precautionary measure.”

June 12
Fuel price caps rise in the Cook Islands — diesel in Rarotonga hits NZ$3.84 per litre, and LPG hits $5.06 per kilo. In Aitutaki: diesel is $6.24 per litre. In New Zealand, diesel prices only ever briefly passes $4 in some rural areas.

The French High Commission in New Caledonia has banned all alcohol sales until next Sunday — June 28, the provincial elections day.

The ban enforcement started on Monday and will last until Sunday at midnight, local time.

The ban concerns the sale and consumption of alcoholic beverages.

• READ MORE: Provincial elections: USTKE issues voting instructions a few days before the vote
• Other Kanaky New Caledonia elections reports

The measure is supposed to “prevent public unrest”, among other reasons.

The High Commission said New Caledonia is experiencing a tense economic and social situation, as well as “delinquency” especially in the capital Nouméa and its greater area.

It also said law enforcement agencies, police and gendarmerie, are “regularly targeted by stone-throwing”.

Similar measures were taken during the May 2024 violent unrest.

‘Sensitive’ periods
It was also enforced several times at perceived “sensitive” periods, such as the anniversary of the riots, on May 13, or the symbolic date of September 24 which marks the anniversary of New Caledonia becoming a French colony in 1853.

Political parties in New Caledonia are now in full campaign mode.

Pacific journalist Nic Maclellan told RNZ Pacific Waves the key concerns for voters were the ones that faced every country.

“There’s a lot of concern about the current state of public services, particularly around health and public transport, both of which have suffered since the 2024 crisis,” he said.

“A major concern is frustration among young people about the cost of living, about access to housing, particularly about access to jobs.”

He said the fuel crisis was not as front of mind as in other countries, but still a factor.

“Certainly, the cost of living is pretty stark here, and fuel has gone up. It has affected key industries like tourism.

“Key sectors like nickel — nickel smelting and nickel mining — tourism, and others are affected by global energy costs. But front of mind is, as I say, about the cost of public services, which have been very much disrupted by the crisis in 2024 and in many cases haven’t recovered to the full level.”

The pro-France united list brings together Les Loyalistes, Rassemblement-LR, and Génération NC; while the pro-independence FLNKS (Kanak and Socialist National Liberation Front, including Union Calédonienne) is one of the main components of the pro-independence movement.

And this year a UNI (Union Nationale pour l’Indépendance) movement is also running separately after its two main pillars, PALIKA (Kanak Liberation Party) and UPM (Union Progressiste en Mélanésie) broke away from FLNKS in August 2024.

The Greater Nouméa bus network service will be maintained on New Caledonia’s provincial election day, Sunday June 28, bus operator Tanéo/Mixed Syndicate of Urban Transports (SMTU) has confirmed.

The announcement follows complaints by several political parties in the French Pacific territory, with less than two weeks to go before the crucial provincial elections.

The greater Nouméa bus network was severely impacted following the May 2024 violent unrest, which affected Nouméa and its immediate suburbs.

• READ MORE: Campaigning in full swing as New Caledonia heads toward crucial provincial elections
• Other Kanaky New Caledonia elections reports

It has since resumed a limited service only from Mondays to Saturdays — but no longer on Sundays.

The new price of tickets (about US$4.8 for a single one-way fare) and the reduced number of stops has also come under heavy criticism.

Meanwhile, in a recent decision directly related to the provincial elections in the south of New Caledonia’s main island (including Nouméa), it was decided that the former 56 polling stations in the area have now been merged into 9 voting centres.

One of New Caledonia’s prominent pro-independence parties, the Union Calédonienne (UC), has recently challenged the polling stations re-jig in court, arguing that the merger of polling stations effectively penalises Indigenous Kanak and low income families who could not afford taxis or their own private vehicles.

No Sunday services
It also observed that the public bus service no longer operates on Sundays.

The situation forced some voters to walk several kilometres to reach the nearest polling station.

A similar network of merged polling stations was implemented during the municipal elections in March 2026.

However, Nouméa’s administrative tribunal dismissed the case on June 12.

In a media release on Thursday, Tanéo clarified that on an “exceptional” basis, their buses will operate on the Nouméa and Greater Nouméa network from 8am to 6pm at a pace of about one bus per hour on election day.

It said this was a similar service to the one usually practised on Saturdays for Nouméa and its suburban communes of Païta, Mont-Dore and Dumbéa.

The Nouméa and Greater Nouméa Area make up for more than 65 percent of New Caledonia’s total population of 265,000 people.

Advance tickets needed
But Tanéo said that passengers would have to buy their tickets in advance or recharge their bus passes because “no ticket will be sold onboard”.

Passengers who have already subscribed to a valid pass can also use it on election day.

Tanéo/SMTU said its decision to restore a minimum service on election day would be implemented at its own cost, estimated at around US$55,000.

Earlier this month, the company also announced the introduction of new subscriptions (including a monthly pass at US$57.64 or US$145 quarterly).

Reacting to the announcement which is being perceived as a significant gamechanger, Union Calédonienne said on social networks that it was “an important step forward”.

“It brings us closer to two fundamental principles in any democracy: voters’ equality in front of the suffrage and the sincerity of the vote, regardless of voters’ social condition, their commune of residence or their transportation constraints.”

A New Zealand activist detained as part of a Gaza-bound aid flotilla is calling on the government to launch an independent investigation into allegations of mistreatment by Israeli forces, after Australia launched an inquiry into similar claims involving 11 of its citizens.

Hāhona Ormsby, a member of the Global Sumud Aotearoa delegation, said he and other New Zealand participants were assaulted after their vessel was intercepted by Israeli forces in international waters in May.

Ormsby (Ngāti Maniapoto) said he was disappointed by what he described as a lack of action from the New Zealand government.

• READ MORE: Gaza flotilla victim blaming – time to expel Israel’s ambassador
• A world first: Australia will now investigate Israel over Gaza flotilla brutality
• ‘You’re a liar! You’re a liar!’ NZ foreign minister Peters insults Gaza flotilla torture survivor in Parliament
• ‘Is it NZ First, or Israel First?’ Ormsby challenges NZ foreign minister Peters
• Other allegations of Israeli brutality against Gaza flotilla activists

“I would like our government to actually take this seriously and actually hold Israel accountable for this,” he said.

The comments come after the Australian Federal Police launched an investigation into allegations of rape and torture involving Australian citizens detained during flotilla operations, following a request from Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong.

Global Sumud Aotearoa has accused the New Zealand government of failing to investigate allegations made by New Zealand citizens.

“Unlike Australia, France, Spain, Malaysia, Türkiye and other countries, New Zealand and Foreign Minister Winston Peters have failed to launch a government investigation into the mistreatment of New Zealand citizens,” the group said.

Government response criticised
Ormsby also criticised the government’s response to the incident.

“Calling in the Israeli ambassador and slapping him with a wet bus ticket over tea and scones doesn’t count as meaningful action,” he said.

The activist was promptly ejected from Parliament this week after he questioned Peters during a scrutiny hearing.

Asked about contact with officials, Ormsby said he received an email from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade (MFAT) on Wednesday seeking further information about what had occurred, despite the fact he had been back in New Zealand for close to a month.

MFAT confirmed it was seeking information from those involved.

“We are concerned by the serious allegations raised by flotilla participants,” a ministry spokesperson said.

“We have sought further information from those involved in the flotilla interceptions in April and May. This information has yet to be received.”

Raised expectations with Israel
The ministry said the government had raised expectations directly with Israeli officials.

“At the time, the New Zealand government said it expected Israel to adhere to its international legal obligations, including in its treatment of New Zealanders participating in the flotilla. This expectation was raised directly with Israel’s Ambassador to New Zealand and with Israeli officials.”

MFAT also noted New Zealand’s long-standing travel advice for Gaza remains “Do Not Travel”, warning of the risks associated with attempting to enter Gaza by sea.

Global Sumud Aotearoa said New Zealand should formally interview returning activists and seek medical and forensic evidence gathered by Turkish authorities after detainees were transferred to Turkey.

Ormsby said he plans to respond to MFAT’s request for information and hoped the government would meet directly with New Zealand participants.

A Hawke’s Bay horticultural labour contractor, who was the first person to be convicted of both human trafficking and slavery in New Zealand, has been granted parole and will be released next month.

Seventy-one-year-old Joseph Matamata, who also goes by Viliamu Samu, was sentenced to 11 years imprisonment for using 13 people as slaves and 10 charges of human trafficking.

Two of the trafficking convictions were nullified by the Court of Appeal, because of a procedural error in the Solicitor-General’s office.

• READ MORE: Hawke’s Bay human trafficker Joseph Matamata loses sentence bid
• Joseph Auga Matamata sentenced to 11 years for human trafficking and slavery
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Between 1994 and 2019, Matamata brought people from Samoa on three-month holiday visas to work on orchards in Hawke’s Bay. He’d also adopted three young people in 2016.

On Friday, Matamata appeared before the Parole Board for the third time, after serving nearly six years in prison.

He was refused parole twice last year.

Parole Board member Serina Bailey said when considering undue risk of reoffending the board believed it could grant Matamata parole. However, she said it believed Matamata had minimised his offending and did not have a clear understanding of the full impact of his actions.

14 hour days
During his trial in 2020, the court heard that Matamata made his victims work up to 14 hours a day in the fields, seven days a week, restricted their movement, and withheld their wages.

They worked at Matamata’s home late into the evening and were beaten up if they broke rules, including speaking to their families in Samoa or leaving his Hastings home without permission.

Immigration New Zealand “conservatively estimated” that Matamata kept more than $400,000 in wages they had earned.

Matamata’s youngest victim was a 12-year-old boy, and the court heard that he was beaten, and stabbed with a secateur.

Another victim, a 15-year-old girl who thought she would be going to school in New Zealand, told the jury she was made to look after Matamata’s children, cook and clean.

She said she had escaped to Auckland but was later brought back by Matamata, whom she said tied her up in his car on the journey back to Hastings, and put her in a storeroom for the night.

Matamata’s lawyer Regena Sommers told the Parole Board that he was sorry for using the victims and not seeing their needs, and that he was under a lot of pressure at the time. He was sending the fruits of his work and the victims’ labour to pay for various ceremonies and events back in Samoa, which could cost up to $100,000.

‘Humbled’ by ordeal
Sommers said Matamata had been “humbled by this entire ordeal” and that he had addressed his offending through rehabilitation programmes.

When asked by Bailey how he could have treated the victims the way he did, Matamata said through an interpreter, “I am sad after realising that what I did and what happened was wrong, I realise now that living in New Zealand is very different from life in Samoa”.

Bailey asked if he meant that he could treat people like that in Samoa, and he didn’t understand he couldn’t do this in New Zealand.

Matamata replied that in Samoa people worked for themselves on their own plantations and that for him, “we were working with everybody here” in a similar way, “and hence the conviction”, he added.

Asked why he worked his victims so hard, he said it was because he couldn’t afford at the time to provide for everyone who lived with their family.

He also told the Parole Board that he sometimes took loans to bring people over from Samoa and pay for their flights, and that it was agreed that the people needed to repay the loans when they started working — “It was their way of contributing,” he said.

Asked by Bailey why did the assaults on his victims happen, Matamata said a lot of the assaults were things that happened when he was young, and behaved like a youth.

Life changed
He said his life changed after he got married and had children.

Matamata cried at times when he told the Parole Board that after taking the rehabilitation programme, it was clear to him what he put those people through was wrong and that he realised he was guilty.

He was emotional when speaking of his wife and his children, and the difficulty of being away from them.

Parole Board member Materoa Dodd told Matamata that while there was honesty in some parts of his responses, she thought he minimised his offending in other parts, such as talking about his youth when asked about the violence.

“Really the assaults were about assaults that you made on the victims of your current offending, not when you were a youth,” she said.

Asked how he had addressed his anger management, Matamata said a rehabilitation programme he attended had given him new insight, and that the course taught him how to deal with high risk situations.

Asked about high risks for himself and the community if he was released, Matamata used the examples of if his wife was not happy with him, he would walk away, or if someone wanted to fight him, he would think about the repercussions.

Avoid migrant requests
Later he added that if anybody in his extended family wanted to come to New Zealand, that could be a risk “because that situation has led to me being here with conviction”. He said he would avoid those requests.

Parole Board member Alistair Spierling commented that he noticed that the first high risk in Matamata’s safety plan was greed or money, but Matamata had not spoken of either of those.

He also said he had concerns about Matamata’s minimisation of his offending.

Sommers told the Parole Board that a psychologist who reviewed Matamata’s safety plan did not raise any concerns.

She said Matamata not “responding perfectly” to the board was a sign that he was nervous and overwhelmed.

Matamata’s case manager said applications had been submitted for him to be supported by community organisations, where he could reintegrate in a “guided release” and maintain his Pasifika culture.

A prison officer told the Parole Board Matamata had interacted with different cultures during his term, and had mixed well in social gatherings. She said he had maintained compliance.

This story was first published on

Political parties in New Caledonia are now in full campaigning mode for the French Pacific territory’s provincial elections.

The campaign officially opened on Monday and will last until 26 June 2026 at midnight local time.

The crucial poll, involving more than 190,000 voters (as part of a recently revised, but still restricted electoral roll) is scheduled to take place on Sunday, June 28.

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The campaign will be carried out on the ground, at rallies and on posters, but also on the internet and social media.

On the security front, the French High Commission in New Caledonia has been allocated and is maintaining a high level of security forces (both gendarmerie and police).

Among the recently reported incidents, investigations are ongoing regarding the mass theft of some 37 telecommunication poles in the small rural town of Poum (northern tip of the main island Grande Terre) last week.

The equipment belongs to OPT (Office des Postes et Télécommunications), New Caledonia’s telecom operator.

The poles were sawn off at road level on a distance of over 1 Km and taken away.

Poum Mayor Marc Tidjine called on the population to be “responsible”.

“It’s difficult to bring people together with such incidents that go in the wrong direction,” he said.

A number of cash ATMs were also vandalised last week in Nouméa.

French PM warns of potential digital foreign interference threat
French Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu made a direct reference to New Caledonia’s upcoming provincial elections last week when, during a media conference in Paris, he warned against risks related to “interference” during elections.

Lecornu cited a recent report from the French digital watchdog agency Viginum.

He said French authorities would remain “vigilant” because previous Viginum reports had detected earlier cases of foreign digital interference, especially during the May 2024 riots and related unrest that caused 14 deaths and more than 2 billion euros (NZ$3.9 billion) in material damage.

Regular monitoring is intended in order to react in real time to alert voters and expose any potential digital-based attack or attempt of disinformation.

Lecornu said in the case of New Caledonia, there was a particular vulnerability related to New Caledonia’s “situation in the Pacific” and earlier cases of foreign interference.

“Foreign digital interference is a growing threat to democratic life and debate”, Lecornu told reporters.

He said the risk was especially potent with “heavy threats” anticipated at France’s presidential elections in April 2027.

On television and radio, candidates will also be granted time to broadcast their respective political messages, under the watch of the French media watchdog ARCOM (Audiovisual and Digital Communication Authority) which monitors and supervises speech time count.

Candidates already mobilised
As for the list of political parties and candidates contesting the poll, the two main blocs, for and against independence of New Caledonia, are the pro-France united list that brings together Les Loyalistes, Rassemblement-LR, Génération NC.

The pro-independence FLNKS (Kanak and Socialist National Liberation Front, including Union Calédonienne) is one of the main components of the pro-independence movement.

But this year, a UNI (Union Nationale pour l’Indépendance) movement is also running separately after its two main pillars, PALIKA (Kanak Liberation Party) and UPM (Union Progressiste en Mélanésie) broke away from FLNKS in August 2024, citing profound divergences on the approach to New Caledonia’s independence process.

This year’s poll is also seeing the emergence of a record number of “moderate” and “central” lists advocating for a “middle way” and distancing themselves from the confrontational approach from the two main blocks.

But these small lists also run the risk of contributing to a dispersion of votes and not reaching the required threshold of 5 percent of registered voters.

Some of the dominating themes during this campaign are a direct result of the current situation in New Caledonia, two years after the violent unrest that also exacerbated an already difficult economic and social situation, leaving thousands jobless due to the destruction of several hundreds of businesses.

Transport and health
Among the main sectors also affected by the situation are transport and health.

On the transport scene, links have been seriously disrupted especially between Nouméa and the outer Loyalty Island (North-east).

This remains the case for domestic flights operated by local company Air Calédonie, due to a blockade organised by a group of users who want to protest against a recent decision to move its operations from the small and nearby airport of Magenta to the international airport of La Tontouta (located more than 50 Km away from the capital’s downtown district).

The blockade has not yet been fully resolved, but flights to the Isle of Pines (South of Nouméa) and more recently (early June) to Lifou were restored.

This leaves the Loyalty Islands of Maré and Ouvéa still not operational.

On the sea, maritime connections via the ferry Betico have also been largely disrupted by a series of mechanical faults, leaving the connection highly unreliable.

A group of vessel staff has announced it would go on strike during the three days preceding the elections.

This was to protest against delays to speed up a new project to have a new catamaran vessel, Betico 3, built for a total estimated cost of US$33 million.

This was to replace the ageing Betico 2.

But New Caledonia’s Congress and government have yet to approve and endorse the financial dossier which would unlock the required deposit (US$2.7m) with the shipbuilder, Austal.

In the health sector, the situation is also perceived as critical with many rural areas struggling to maintain an acceptable level of service to the population.

In several areas, patients in need of care have to cope with reduced setups, mostly due to the absence of medical staff.

In some areas, the services have had to be reorganised and mutualised, sometimes working on a skeleton mode and resorting more often to telemedicine with remote practitioners.

New Caledonia’s government, over the past two years, has tried to implement strategies to foster the security of medical practitioners and to incite them to stay at their posts.

It has also initiated a campaign to recruit more overseas-based doctors to fill the vacant positions.

Auckland’s mayor has hit out at a New Zealand First election campaign promise to scrap the city’s Independent Māori Statutory Board (IMSB), shrugging it off as “dumb, racist stuff”.

The party has penned and introduced a bill seeking to disestablish the board, stating that the unelected council body “exercised significant influence” over council decision making and set up a “a parallel governance system”.

In a statement to RNZ, Mayor Wayne Brown said he did not know why the government was “picking a fight”.

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“It’s just dumb, racist stuff we don’t need at a time when people are struggling to put food on the table and pay bills. What’s the problem they’re trying to solve?” Brown said.

The IMSB was established in 2010 alongside the creation of the Auckland Super City and was set up to make decisions to promote economic, cultural, environmental and social issues that are significant to Māori in the living in the city, as well as making sure Auckland Council meets its obligation to Te Tiriti o Waitangi.

It is independent of the council and has nine members elected by a selection group made of mana whenua representatives. It can appoint up to two members to Auckland Council committees making decisions on management and stewardship of natural and physical resources.

Members appointed by the board have voting rights on those committees.

Brown said the council had “several committees and advisory forums that enable robust discussions and the sharing of a range of views”.

“I would’ve thought this contributes rather than takes away from our democracy.

“My suggestion to Wellington is butt out of our business. Auckland is quite capable of making decisions that work best for us,” Brown said.

The Auckland Ratepayers’ Alliance is welcoming the members bill, with spokesperson Josh Van Veen saying the board wields “considerable power”.

“We have previously called for the government to strip the IMSB of voting rights on council committees. But the time has come to get rid of the IMSB altogether.

“Auckland Council should be governed by representatives who are elected by, and accountable to, Aucklanders. There is no place in local government for a body with special statutory privileges that ratepayers have no ability to vote for or remove.”

Van Veen said local democracy works best when governors are directly answerable to the public.

“The Independent Māori Statutory Board was established as a temporary political compromise during the formation of the Auckland Super City. More than 15 years later, it has become an entrenched layer of bureaucracy that undermines democratic accountability,” he said.

RNZ understands the IMSB is meeting to discuss the proposed bill.

RNZ has asked the IMSB for comment.