Press Release – Government of Tonga

His Majesty The King has been pleased to elevate Ambassador Sonatane Tu’akinamolahi Taumoepeau-Tupou to the Life Peerage with the Noble title of Lord Taumoepeau-Tupou of Toula and Kotu. Read more »

Press Release – Rally New Zealand

The International Rally of Whangarei returns to the highly-regarded gravel roads of the Whangarei and Kaipara districts with the dates of 15 to 17 July confirmed for the 2011 running of the intensely-competitive motor rally. Read more »

Press Release – Pacific Media Watch

SUVA (The Fiji Times/Pacific Media Watch): Fiji newsrooms show remarkable uniformity and a strong degree of commitment to gender equality in their policies, says a new research report. Read more »

Press Release – Pacific Media Watch

AUCKLAND (Pacific Media Watch): For outside onlookers at Fiji, the 2014 deadline for democratic elections seemed like a far-off date in the future, arbitrarily picked by military leader Commodore Voreqe “Frank” Bainimarama. Read more »

Fiji's Voreqe Bainimarama: Kava ... and a Melanesian slap in the face for Australia. Photo: Graham Davis/Grubsheet

Pacific Scoop:
Analysis – By Graham Davis

Australia’s impotence in influencing events in its own backyard is being demonstrated in dramatic fashion this week as the Fijian dictator, Voreque “Frank” Bainimarama, fulfils his long-held ambition to assume the chairmanship of the Melanesian Spearhead Group.

All of the other Melanesian leaders – from Papua New Guinea, the Solomons, Vanuatu plus the Kanak FLNKS from New Caledonia – are joining Bainimarama for the MSG summit in Suva on Thursday.

It’s also being attended by official representatives from Indonesia, East Timor and – strangely – the European Grand Duchy of Luxembourg, which has no Pacific interest whatsoever in the normal course of events but is also about to deliver its own slap in the face to Australia. But more on that later. Read more »

Press Release – FWCC

The first ever Fiji Women’s Crisis Centre Gender Training of Trainers was opened yesterday by the Regional Director UN Women Pacific Elizabeth Cox in Pacific Harbour. Read more »

Press Release – Eric Kolvig

April 2011 sees the first visit to New Zealand by U.S. insight meditation teacher Eric Kolvig. With a particular interest in grassroots dharma, building spiritual community in democratic, non-authoritarian ways, Eric has been teaching in the vipassana … Read more »

Press Release – Hutt City Council

Lower Hutt has secured the rights to host the 2012 Australasian Police and Emergency Services Games. Read more »

Press Release – Debbie Singh

SUVA, FIJI ISLANDS (29 March, 2011) . A Pacific regional meeting on development effectiveness has expressed concern about donor funding cuts to umbrella Non Government Organisations (NGOs) and Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) across the region, saying … Read more »

Press Release – United Nations

Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon today welcomed the transfer of responsibilities for all police operations in Timor-Leste from the United Nations mission to the country’s national force, calling it an important step for the young nation. Read more »