Samoa’s Gatoloaifaana Amataga Alesana-Gidlow … seeks a NZ ban on fatty meat exports to the Pacific. Image: IISD

At last month’s Pacific parliamentary forum in Wellington, delegates from around the region called for New Zealand to stop exporting fatty meat to the Pacific. The fatty offcuts being exported have been partially blamed for the rise of non-communicable diseases in the Pacific. But Holly Ryan reports for Asia-Pacific Journalism on other concerns.

Pacific Scoop:
Backgrounder – By Holly Ryan

While non-communicable diseases in the Pacific have been on the rise over the last few decades and are partially blamed on the dumping of cheap, fatty food in the region, shortages of healthy locally grown foods are also a problem.

Fatty food supplies from New Zealand again faced controversy at last month’s Pacific Parliamentary and Politics Forum with calls for such exports to be banned.

“All we can do is keep reminding the government and ministries to not back off and to keep pushing for change,” says Cook Islands Democratic Party MP Selina Napa, who was among those at the forum. Read more »

Rev Uesifili Unasa … current legal definition of a Samoan is “incomplete”. Image: Public.Issues.Methodist.Blog

Pacific Scoop:
Report – By Lei Shi

The Samoan government is proposing a new law that may change the current definition of national identity as a “Samoan”.

Iuni Sapolu, a Samoan-born lawyer based in South Auckland, says all Samoans should be informed about the proposed changes to what it means to be a Samoan.

“There is a distinction between a Samoan and a Samoan citizen. In this proposed draft, a Samoan equals a Samoan citizen plus Samoan blood. Read more »

West Papuan journalist and peace negotiator Octovianus Mote and Pax Christi’s Kevin McBride at AUT’s WPFD address. Image: Del Abcede/PMC

More than 600 journalists have been killed globally in the last decade — 121 died last year alone. They had one thing in common. They were killed for doing their jobs. Greg Asciutto reports for Asia-Pacific Journalism.

Pacific Scoop:
Report – By Greg Asciutto

Across the Pacific, advocates of media freedom hosted many World Press Freedom Day celebrations this year.

Australia, Fiji, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, Samoa and the Solomon Islands were among the countries to commemorate the 20th anniversary of the UNESCO event on May 3, which focuses upon securing freedom of expression in all forms of media.

According to UNESCO, more than 600 journalists have been killed globally in the last decade — 121 died last year alone. Read more »

Pacific parliamentarians at the special session in the Old Parliament chamber at the weekend politics forum. Image: Finian Scott/PMC

Pacific Scoop:
Report – By Michael Sergel and Finian Scott

New Zealand is a Pacific country and is committed to the Pacific region, MPs from every party told Pacific leaders at a Wellington forum at the weekend.

At a special sitting of Parliament on Thursday and at other events during the weekend, the message from New Zealand politicians was that their attention was turning away from Europe and the United States, and towards their Pacific neighbours.

National MP Alfred Ngaro hosted the delegates, from 17 other Pacific nations, during the six-day conference. He told Pacific Scoop that New Zealand’s Pasifika MPs aimed to set an example for leaders in other Pacific nations. Read more »

Papua New Guinean women and children protest over recent brutal gender attacks over allegations of sorcery. Image: One PNG

Pacific Scoop:
Report – By Michael Sergel and Finian Scott

The United Nations and the international community have a “genuine and general concern” about the rights and representation of women in Pacific nations, says UN Women New Zealand spokesperson Sue Kedgley.

During the Pacific Parliamentary and Political Leaders Forum in Wellington, delegates from 18 countries overwhelmingly supported a motion to promote gender equality proposed by Samoan cabinet minister Fiame Naomi Mata’afa.

But Papua New Guinea’s Oro Province governor Gary Juffa accused the UN of painting his countrymen as “thugs who beat their women” and Vanuatu cabinet minister Ralph Regenvanu said serious steps to increase the political representation of women “cannot come from the United Nations”. Read more »

Finance Minister Bill English … outvoted by “sustainable development” vision. Image: NZ Parliament

Pacific Scoop:
Report – By Michael Sergel and Finian Scott

Pacific leaders have overwhelmingly rejected a push from the World Bank and New Zealand to free up trade and loosen regulations in the region.

About 60 delegates from 18 countries heard World Bank economist Tim Bulman and New Zealand Finance Minister Bill English argue for higher economic growth and smaller governments, during the Pacific Parliamentary and Political Leaders Forum in Wellington this weekend.

But a majority of the leaders – representing governments, oppositions and NGOs – have committed themselves to sustainable development over economic growth and to sound and balanced governance over more severe austerity measures. Read more »

Samoa’s Tafua Maluelue Tafua … used a media speech to seek NZ immigration policy reform for the Pacific. Image: Savalinews

Pacific Scoop:
Report – By Michael Sergel and Finian Scott

A Samoan cabinet minister has called on New Zealand to make it easier for Pacific people to migrate to the country, but Deputy Prime Minister Bill English says New Zealand workers must come first.

Samoan MP and former North Shore City councillor Tafua Maluelue Tafua has used a speech on media reform at a Pacific leaders forum to call for a rethink on New Zealand immigration policy.

“New Zealand and Samoa are good friends, but Samoans have to spend $200 to get a visa to New Zealand,” Afiago Tafua told delegates, adding that many people in Samoa would struggle to save that much money during an average year. Read more »

Mutton flaps banned in New Zealand and the US but not in the Pacific. Image: Kiva.org

Pacific Scoop:
Report – By Michael Sergel and Finian Scott in Wellington

New Zealand must stop the export of fatty foods to Pacific countries if it wants to deal with the region’s record high rates of obesity and diabetes, a Samoan MP told a forum of Pacific leaders today.

Gataoloaifa’na Amataga Alesana Gidlow told delegates at the Pacific Parliamentary and Political Leaders Forum in Wellington that New Zealand is largely to blame, for failing to stop the exporting of fatty meats and other products.

“In the true spirit of supporting each other, we ask our developed brother, partner and neighbour, New Zealand, to stop exporting to your poor and less developed neighbour in the Pacific all your fatty products that are not for sale in your country because they are not consumable,” she demanded. Read more »

Samoa’s Fiame Naomi Mataafa … legislative minimums needed. Image: Savali

Pacific Scoop:
Report – By Michael Sergel and Finian Scott in Wellington

Samoan high chief and senior cabinet minister Fiame Naomi Mata’afa says the representation of women in the Pacific is simply not good enough.
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She opened speeches at Day 3 of the Pacific Parliamentary and Political Leaders Forum in Wellington today, in a delivery that has set the mood for the conference.

“Everyone knows that the Pacific has the lowest rate of women’s participation in Parliament,” she told Pacific Scoop. Read more »

Pacific politics delegates in the parliamentary chamber in Wellington. Image: Michael Sergel/PMC

Pacific Scoop:
Report – By Michael Sergel and Finian Scott in Wellington

Pacific political leaders agree that action needs to be taken on gender equality in the region, although they disagree with the urgency of measures.

Delegates from 17 countries addressed the Pacific Parliamentary and Political Leaders Forum in Wellington on Friday.

For a Palauan politician, Senator Rukebai Kikuo Skey-Inabo, gradual change was not good enough. Read more »