NZ Prime Minister John Key speaking at Auckland University's Fale Pasifika yesterday. Photo: Henry Yamo/PMC

Pacific Scoop:
Report – By Henry Yamo

Leadership in development, donor coordination and sustainable economic activities in the Pacific are poised to top the agenda at the Pacific Islands Forum (PIF) meeting in Auckland next month.

This was highlighted by New Zealand Prime Minister John Key during his pre-forum 40th anniversary PIF leaders lecture series speech hosted by Auckland University yesterday.

Key said New Zealand would be hosting the 42nd PIF meeting against the backdrop of one of the biggest events in this part of the globe – the Rugby World Cup. Read more »

Pacific seasonal labour ... critically important for New Zealand to prepare for migration. Photo: Devzone

Pacific Scoop:
Report – By Taberannang Korauaba

New Zealand needs to plan quickly for the future before population growth problems in neighbouring countries get out of hand, says a leading Pacific demographer.

The Pro-Vice Chancellor Research of AUT University, Professor Richard Bedford, said the problems stemming from population growth were becoming serious in Kiribati and the Solomon Islands.

“In Kiribati, of the 100,000 population, 50 percent live in urban Tarawa while in Solomon Islands of its 500, 000 population, 20 percent live in urban areas,’ Dr Bedford said. Read more »

Oxfam launched its GROW campaign for the Pacific in Auckland. Featured in the street theatre are "trader" Tim McPoland and "farmer" Maria Vai. Photo: Glenn Welch

Pacific Scoop:
Report – By Yvonne Brill

The Pacific region is at risk of falling victim to a “broken food system” with supplies being hit by environmental crises such as climate change, says Oxfam in a new global campaign.

Barry Coates, executive director of Oxfam New Zealand, said there was a growing global crisis in the world’s food system.

This view was supported by evidence from a new report released yesterday in conjunction with the launch of Oxfam’s GROW campaign. 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 »

Niue children perform at the opening of the Pacific Climate Change Roundtable in Alofi this week. Photo: SPREP

Pacific Scoop:
Report – By the Pacific Media Centre news desk

The global ‘green revolution’ and new sustainable development models have offered hope for the Pacific and coping with climate change will depend on their success, says Niue Premier Toke Talagi.

The emerging green revolution and new sustainable developments models and practices is an acknowledgement of this new phenomena and its success will determine our worldwide success in keeping our climate changes to sustainable levels in both the short and long term.

“The changes that have occurred to date have already made an impact and will continue to do so,” he told the Pacific Climate Change Roundtable at the opening in Alofi this week. Read more »

Cars swept away in dramatic tsunami scenes in Sendai, north-eastern Japan. Photo: RT

Pacific Scoop:
Report – By Pacific Media Watch

Many South Pacific countries and territories have lifted tsunami warnings after Japan’s catastrophic 8.9 magnitude earthquake, but Tahiti is still ordering many residents to stay ashore.

The death toll from Friday’s 8.9 magnitude earthquake reached 202 on Saturday in nine prefectures, including Tokyo, with the toll likely to rise to well over 1000 as some areas suffered devastating damage, according to the National Police Agency.

Emergencies were declared at two nuclear power plants crippled by the quake. Read more »

Top journalism graduate: Lenny Delavera of the Solomon Islands, winner of the Fiji Sun/Newsroom Tanoa Award at the University of the South Pacific prize-giving event last night. Photo: Fiji Sun

Pacific Scoop:
Report – Special correspondent in Suva

The University of the South Pacific takes its role as leading journalism educator in the region seriously – and continuously invests in learning and teaching, the annual student journalism awards event heard last night.

Outlining plans to improve facilities and further boost teaching capacity, the head of journalism at USP, Shailendra Singh, said a teaching assistant would be recruited and renovations to a broadcast lab were in the pipeline.

“This will mean more one-on-one support for students and an improved broadcasting studio,” said Singh. Read more »

Pacific Press Release |  The University of the South Pacific

The New Zealand Acting Head of Mission Mr Phillip Taula and Vice Chancellor and President of the University of the South Pacific, Professor Rajesh Chandra, have signed a Partnership Funding Agreement which confirmed New Zealand’s funding support to the USP for the 2010-2012.
Read more »

Ministers at the first Pacific disability policy conference at ministerial level in Rarotonga last year. Photo: MFAT

Higher profile attention from the top to the needs of Pacific people with disabilities is welcome but the situation on the ground remains perilous.

Pacific Scoop
Report – By Adrian Hatwell

Disabled people make up an estimated 10 percent of the Pacific population. They are the region’s poorest and most at-risk people but a mix of political, cultural and geographical factors means their needs have long gone unmet.

This has begun to change as Pacific leaders commit to agreements like the Pacific Regional Strategy on Disability (PRSD) and the United Nations’ Biwako Millennium Framework, which aim to build a barrier-free, inclusive Pacific. Read more »

Aisake Casimira, programmes coordinator for the Pacific Conference of Churches: “This is a social problem.” Photo: Joe Yaya/PCC

Church leaders at this month’s Pacific Conference of Churches meeting were called on to help deal with the issue of HIV and AIDS in the Pacific, with a focus on family and discouraging “outdated” cultural norms.

Pacific Scoop:
Report – By Alex Perrottet

Church leaders must face the facts about HIV/AIDS in the Pacific and drop long-held prejudices about those living with the virus, says a regional advocate.

Steven Vete of UNAIDS said prejudice and discrimination prevent access to treatment for those most in need. Read more »