“In February 2016, Victoria University hosted its first climate change conference focused on the effects, challenges and possible solutions for countries in the Pacific.

Speakers from the Pacific region and beyond from a range of fields – science, politics, indigenous rights, media, arts and the environment – came together to discuss the realities of climate change in the Pacific.”

Thomas Leaycraft reported from the conference for Scoop. Read more »

Pacific Scoop:
Report – By AUT Media

AUT’s Pacific Media Centre and Evening Report editor Selwyn Manning have teamed up to launch Asia Pacific Report, a news website that will provide a fresh “Pacific” voice to bolster Asia Pacific news and analysis in New Zealand.

PMC director Professor David Robie says the collaboration is a result of a gap in the media market for an independent Asia-Pacific voice that addressed issues of equity and justice.

“AsiaPacificReport.nz will feature in-depth current affairs news stories focused on telling the ‘untold stories’. It will be a public space for no froth journalism about real pressing issues,” he says. Read more »

Pacific Scoop:
Report – By Godwin Ligo in Port Vila

For the first time in Vanuatu’s political history since 1980, three Kalsakau brothers from the same parents hailing from Ifira, Efate, have been elected MPs, according to provisional results.

The unofficial results from Friday’s snap elections indicated the three brothers – Ephraim Kasakau, Ishmael Kalsakau and Joshua Kalasakau – have secured three seats in Parliament.

They showed Ishmael Kalsakau and Ephraim Kalsakau in the six top lists for the six parliamentary seats in the Port Vila constituency while the youngest brother Joshua Kalsakau edged through in one of the Efate rural constituency seats. Read more »

Political supporters celebrate in Port Vila after the snap election in Vanuatu. Image: Hilaire Bule/ABC

Pacific Scoop:
Report – By Pacific Media Watch

The party that led Vanuatu at independence more than three decades ago is confident that it will emerge as part of the new government after Friday’s snap election.

The Vanua’aku Pati has entered into a bloc with several other parties, including the Graon mo Jastis Pati and National United Party, to try to gain the majority needed to form a government and make constitutional changes hoped to end years of political instability.

A newly-elected MP for Vanuatu’s capital, Port Vila, says he is confident the multi-party bloc will succeed in gaining the parliamentary numbers needed, reports Radio NZ International. Read more »

Starkist tuna from American Samoa … A drop in tuna prices in 2015 has been blamed by fishing trade journals as a reason that US fishermen are struggling in the Pacific Ocean. Image: Danny Johnston/LAT

Pacific Scoop:
Report – By Pacific Media Watch in Suva

The decision by the United States to withdraw from the 30-year Tuna Treaty with Pacific Island countries will not take effect until January 2017, says Pacific Islands Forum Fisheries Agency (FFA) deputy director general Wez Norris.

In his initial response to Pacnews queries, Norris admitted that the impact of the US withdrawal “will be markedly different among individual Pacific Island Parties (PIPs)”.

“Some of them have viable alternative markets that could absorb their fishing days with relatively little impact. Others, however that are reliant on the Treaty to sell their days would struggle to achieve revenues similar to those currently enjoyed, said Norris. Read more »

Fiji-born France Sevens wing Virimi Vakatawa … in the new generation Six Nations squad. Image: Planet Rugby

Pacific Scoop:
Report – By Pacific Media Watch in Paris

France head rugby union coach Guy Novès has sprung a surprise by naming Fiji-born France Sevens wing Virimi Vakatawa in his Six Nations squad that includes eight uncapped players.

After two training camps the new France boss has settled on a squad of 31 to finalise his preparations ahead of their first game against Italy on February 6.

Two big names missing from the final list are fly-half François Trinh-Duc and flanker Bernard le Roux. Trinh-Duc is still recovering from a shinbone injury, has been provisionally left out of the squad and replaced by Toulouse’s Jean-Marc Doussain. Stade Français flank Antoine Burban replaces South African-born Le Roux, who is absent for personal reasons. Read more »

“If people really want to create a social movement to counter terrorism, we should expand our reach offline.” Image: Darren Whiteside/The Conversation

Pacific Scoop:
Report – By Andi Rahman Alamsyah

People were commenting on social media within moments of the terrorist bombings and shooting in Jakarta last week by attackers linked to Islamic State (IS).

Two popular hashtags emerged on Twitter and Facebook: #PrayForJakarta and #KamiTidakTakut, which translates as “We are not afraid”.

The Pray-for-something hashtag is a common phrase on social media to show concern and sympathy. Following the terrorist attack in Paris, #PrayForParis was also popular on social media. Read more »

France 24’s Cyril Payen … barred by Indonesia after controversial documentary. Image: France 24

Pacific Scoop:
Report – By  Tika Primandari in Jakarta

Deputy Foreign Minister Abdurrahman Mohammad Fachir has denied that the Foreign Ministry has imposed a ban against foreign journalists from entering Papua to cover human rights cases.

According to Fachir, journalists can enter Papua regardless of reporting material.

“There is no ban,” he said. Read more »

Indonesian police engage with this week’s Jakarta attackers near Starbucks Sarinah. Image: Tempo

Pacific Scoop:
By Pacific Media Watch in Jakarta

Although Thursday’s Jakarta attacks have been blamed on militants recruited by the Islamic State in Syria, with the international media blaming the bombings as an ISIL terror assault, other NGOs based in Indonesia have provided more insightful analysis that reflect the reality on the ground, reports Agence France-Presse.

Andreas Harsono, a researcher at Human Rights Watch Indonesia based in Jakarta paints a different picture of the attacks which he termed as “home-grown terrorists trained in Indonesia using low tech weapon and explosives” in an interview on BFM radio.

“I took a look at the damage at Starbucks which is the worst damaged. I thought it was a low tech, low skill attack bombing. Read more »

A very Merry Christmas from the Pacific Scoop and Pacific Media Centre team of student journalists at AUT University – most in this picture graduated this week. Watch for Michael Neilson’s (rear on left) reports from Indonesia in the New Year.