Pacific Media Watch Newsdesk

Indonesia’s National Police continue to dig deeper into the Saracen group, an online syndicate accused of creating and spreading hoax news and hate speech for money, including by investigating their funding over the past three years.

“We are still investigating Saracen. We are looking back about three or four years ago to investigate their funding,” said National Police spokesman Rikwanto reports The Jakarta Post quoting kompas.com.

The police have teamed up with the Financial Transaction Reports and Analysis Center (PPATK) to investigate at least 14 bank accounts allegedly used in the Saracen campaign.

“We are still waiting for the results from the PPATK to see what has being going on with the bank accounts, including whether there were flows of funds,” Rikwanto added.

Police have named at least three suspects in the case, individuals who had allegedly acted as the group’s administrators since July and spread hate speech and hoaxes on social media.

The group is believed to have been involved in spreading hoaxes and hate speech against President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo and former Jakarta governor Basuki “Ahok” Tjahaja Purnama, among others.

National police chief General Tito Karnavian previously promised to solve the case and bring all the culprits before the law.

By Vaidehi Shah

Environmental campaigners have accused The Australian and Courier-Mail newspapers in regional Queensland of being printed on paper linked to illegal deforestation and human rights abuses in Indonesia.

In a campaign launched earlier this month, Tasmania-based advocacy group Markets for Change and Washington DC-headquartered Mighty Earth said that the owners of the two publications, Rupert Murdoch’s News Corp, buys paper from Indonesian paper manufacturer Aspex.

Aspex is a wholly owned subsidiary of Korean-Indonesian agribusiness conglomerate The Korindo Group, which has businesses ranging from palm oil and paper to construction, to real estate, financial services, and building wind towers.

An investigation by Mighty Earth last year revealed that Korindo’s palm oil arm was burning ecologically precious tracts of forest in Indonesia’s Papua province bordering with Papua New Guinea, as well as violating the rights of local indigenous communities by grabbing land without their consent, and destroying their forest livelihoods.

While the company has committed to a moratorium on forest clearing until an independent assessment has identified areas that have a high carbon stock and high conservation value—though it did briefly break this ban in February—it has yet to make progress on implementing more stringent environmental and social impact policies.

Measures that environmentalists are calling for include the institution of a no deforestation policy, restoring forests to compensate for the land they cleared after issuing a moratorium on deforestation, resolving conflicts with communities, and being transparent about its concession boundaries, suppliers, and sustainability practices.

The Australian connection
Deborah Lapidus, campaign director, Mighty Earth, said that the investigation was sparked by a reference to Aspex on the website of Australia-based paper products company Oceanic Multitrading; the firm says it imports Aspex newsprint—that is, the cheap paper used to make newspapers—into Australia.

Through further research, trade data analysis and collaboration with a paper supply chain expert, investigators determined that Aspex newsprint was used to produce The Australian and Courier-Mail in regional Queensland. News Corp has confirmed that it sources some newsprint from the firm.

Lapidus explained that this was not an active decision by News Corp, but rather a “holdover issue” from the media giant’s acquisition of APN News and Media’s regional Queensland publications last December.

APN had an existing trade relationship with Aspex in the regional Queesland market, which News Corp inherited, Lapidus said.

For the rest of its print publications, News Corp sources sustainable newsprint from the Norwegian pulp and paper firm Norse Skog’s Australian business.

News Corp’s head of environment Tony Wilkins told Mighty Earth and Markets for Change in a letter dated July 19 that “the only paper we procure from Aspex is 100 percent recycled fibre content newsprint and this is Forest Stewardship Council certified”.

Pacific Media Centre Newsdesk

After two weeks of controversy, Pangu Pati leader Sam Basil and most of his party have split with Papua New Guinea’s Opposition and defected to Prime Minister Peter O’Neill’s post-election government, consolidating the People’s National Congress hold on Parliament.

In spite of repeated denials by Basil, Prime Minister O’Neill announced the defection yesterday afternoon, reports Loop PNG’s Annette Kora.

Basil defected with all 11 Pangu MPs from Morobe Province, including Central Province, Sohe and Lufa.

The defection has been widely condemned on social media and Papua New Guinea blogs as a “betrayal” and Oro Province Governor Gary Juffa made an impassioned plea in a video message appealing to fellow Opposition MPs to continue to work responsibly in Parliament for “the interests of all Papuan New Guineans” and not just a few.

Just four Pangu Pati MPs, including former Prime Minister Sir Mekere Morauta (Port Moresby North West), refused to defect and have remained with the Opposition.

ABC News correspondent Eric Tlozek reports Basil was one of the O’Neill government’s most outspoken critics, and his successful grassroots campaign wiped out senior government MPs in his home province of Morobe.

But Basil said he had to respect the Prime Minister’s mandate, Tlozek reports.

“So all I can say is that Papua New Guineans have chosen the government, now we make our choice to join PNC.”

ABC also reports Basil has also filed a criminal complaint against rival members of his party executive who challenged his move, alleging they stole party funds.

The defection helps secure O’Neill’s grip on government, and the Prime Minister praised Basil and the defecting Pangu Pati MPs.

Pacific Media Centre Newsdesk

Greenpeace climate campaigner Kate Simcock has applauded the Greens for their climate policy announced yesterday.

“It’s exactly the sort of response to the biggest threat facing humanity that we need to see from our leaders,” she said.

“All political parties should be adopting this policy, aiming for New Zealand to have 100 percent renewable electricity, to be carbon neutral by 2050, and with clear legislative plans to get us there.”

The policy, announced by leader James Shaw at a Green Party event in Auckland yesterday afternoon, includes a Kiwi Climate Fund, a ban on new coal mines and fracking, an end to drilling for deep sea oil and gas, major investment in sustainable transport and ecological agriculture, and significant afforestation.

“After seeing climate policy from Labour and the Greens, it’s now clear that Jacinda has the talk, but Greens have the walk” Simcock said.

“While Labour’s climate policy, released on Friday, has the bones of a good climate policy, and also aims for New Zealand to be carbon neutral by 2050, it lacks the Greens’ will to immediately put a stop to polluting activities, like burning oil, coal, and gas, that we know are the driving force behind climate change.”

“It’s pretty disappointing that Labour can’t just commit to killing National’s deep sea oil exploration programme. The industry is on its last legs anyway, and we don’t need a climate commission to tell us that this is the frontier oil that would tip our climate over the edge if it’s burnt.

Oil industry must have no future
Simcock said that for New Zealand and the globe to have a future, the oil industry must have no future.

“Government policy must actively hasten the end of oil,” she said.

“It was an inspiring moment when Jacinda Ardern compared climate change to New Zealand’s nuclear-free movement, but it remains to be seen if she has the courage and the will to back it up with action”

“Climate change is threatening our very survival. It affects all life on Earth, and it is getting a whole lot worse. If we don’t act now, we face a hellish existence.”

“The Greens on the other hand, should be applauded for their climate policy. If passed into legislation, it would position New Zealand as a world leader on tackling climate change, and it would give us the hope of a future that we truly can say is clean and green.”

Key points of the Green Party’s Kiwi Climate Fund by 2020 are expected to be:

• $40 per tonne of carbon dioxide emissions.

• $6 per tonne of nitrous oxide emissions from agriculture.

• $3 per tonne of methane emissions from agriculture.

• $40 guaranteed payment for each tonne of carbon sequestered by planting trees.

The previous climate change policy had only included the dairying sector, reports The New Zealand Herald, and now captures all agriculture sectors. The party said it expected charges on dairy pollution to be about the same under the new policy, after a nitrogen levy is factored in.

Previously the Greens had called for an initial price on carbon of $25 per tonne on CO2 equivalent emissions for all sectors except agriculture, which would pay $12.50.

OPINION: By Mata’afa Keni Lesa, editor of the Samoa Observer

On Friday, the 48th Pacific Islands Forum Leaders meeting — and all other related meetings — come to an end. With the Leaders Retreat and the closing ceremony at Taumeasina Island Resort, we can safely say all is well that ends well.

Come to think of, it’s been wonderful to have everyone in Samoa — even if it’s for only a brief period. We certainly hope everyone will have good memories to take home to share with their families and friends.

And if there is anything that might have offended anyone, or perhaps fallen short of expectations, as we do in this part of the Blue Pacific, we apologise and pray that you can forgive and forget.

Keep in mind that with these big events, nothing is ever perfect. But then nothing in the world is perfect or if it were the case, we wouldn’t be having such gatherings.

It is in the acknowledgement that we’ve got gigantic problems to solve, which will take some time to do, that unites us today. And as we are about to part ways, we take a moment to pause and reflect on what has been discussed during the past few days.

A lot has been said and written about the issues. All these arguments for and against are constructive in terms of moving forward. We have one goal and that is to find a united voice in the pursuit of a better future for our region. It’s not easy and there are many challenges.

But there is hope. We always have to believe there is light at the end of the tunnel.

Revisiting interesting issues
That said, we want to revisit a couple of interesting issues raised on the pages of this newspaper this week, which we believe warrant serious attention by our leaders.

First is the issue of customary lands. In a column titled “Colonial dictates on Customary Lands is too much for Samoa and Pacific governments,” advocate Fiu Mataese Elisara made some pertinent points.

Said Fiu:

“The push to take over our customary lands in Samoa and the Pacific are a deliberate ploy of neo-colonialism by developed countries to defend their economic interests, reneging on commitments to assist developing countries.

“For the Pacific, customary lands are alienated, related human rights principles violated, daily livelihood of indigenous communities and traditional practices undermined, climate crisis worsened, profits dictate.

“The danger is all the more pernicious because shifting goal posts and insincere partnerships the culprits that engage the Pacific in their colonial dictates do not always confront us or governments directly. It becomes enmeshed in the institutional machinery that infiltrates the State apparatus and in many cases gain the complicity of government officials.

“As a simple chief from Sili, I again ask the Leaders of the Pacific Countries gathered in Apia this week, Is this the Future We Want? Will this ensure ‘No One in the Pacific is left behind’?

“I urge our Prime Minister, the Government of Samoa, Indeed the Leaders of the Pacific gathered in Samoa this week — in your collective, integrated political and economic pursuit for genuine and durable partnership, for sustainable human development, for climate justice, and protection of customary lands.”

Peaceful West Papua protest
The second issue was the subject of peaceful protest on Beach Road, earlier this week — West Papua.

Led by Jerome Mika and Unasa Iuni Sapolu, the group brought West Papua to the fore — a country that has been occupied by the Indonesian government since 1963 and whose people have experienced brutal abuse by its military police.

Mika explained that it was important for Samoa, a nation who understands the path of struggle for independence, to add their voice in demanding the de-colonisation of West Papua.

“We enjoy our independence but we should also be standing up for our Pacific brothers and sisters of West Papua,” he said.

“We are calling on Samoa to add their voice to the decolonisation of West Papua. We think it’s important that there are some issues around the world to deal with, but we should be looking after our Pacific cousins in our background.”

For Unasa, it was about raising the issue with the leaders. She said:

“They are the ones who are at the height of discussions of these sorts of issues. Don’t just talk about money; don’t just talk about jobs, let’s talk about the freedom of all Pacific islands.

“For Melanesians and for the Micronesians who have been battered by the military and obviously, Korea with Guam. Lets just stand up collectively as the people of the Pacific, don’t just sit back and relax and have a holiday in Samoa. There are deeper issues at hand, the issues of Indigenous freedom and we’ve got to fight for those freedoms.”

Well we couldn’t agree more. Indeed, the issue of customary land ownership and a right to be free are critical issues that our leaders must not ignore.

What do you think?

Republished from the Samoa Observer.

OPINION: By Mata’afa Keni Lesa in Apia

There is no doubt about it. The leaders of the Pacific Islands Forum in Apia this week have had their work cut out. Or so we hope.

As they do at these meetings, it has everything to do with trying to save our people and our part of the planet from eternal damnation.

Time will fly and with climate change taking most of the focus, this meeting is as good as finished already with the communiqué probably being written as we speak.

Keep in mind that climate change is not an issue that can be fixed overnight, you know. Truth be told, regardless of how many accords, frameworks and promises our leaders make, the fact is our islands are sinking and there is little we can do about it.

That shouldn’t stop us from pretending we are doing something about it.

And when you have a well-travelled group of officials who claim to be doing it for the sake of those poor folks in the village, we can at least rest well knowing they will have a jolly good time doing well … who knows.

Of course, there is a lot of noise being made about the issues.

Pretend to look busy
That’s about the best part of gatherings such as the one we are having in Apia this week. We can come together, wear our finest clothes, move from one meeting to the next and pretend to look busy.

But what does that mean for the person who is struggling to make ends meet in the village?

Does it change the prospects for the subsistence farmer who is toiling day and night to make ten tala to feed his family of 12?

Does it really empower the average woman who has to overcome so much to look after herself and family?

Let’s not forget, someone is picking up the bill for all this. What about taxpayers who are forking out for the bill, what do they get in return?

And how do we measure the return on investment?

Questions for a simple reason
We ask these questions for a very simple reason.

At the beginning of this meeting, the Secretary-General Dame Meg Taylor made the point that “Pacific people must be the recipients of the common good delivered by the policies and initiatives” discussed at such meetings.

She couldn’t have said it better.

But lets pause here for a second.

How many Forum meetings have we had now and where exactly are we today?

Looking at some of the recent developments, has the Forum become a stronger regional body to represent the voices of the Pacific? What are we to make of the emergence and strengthening of sub groups like the Polynesian Leaders Group and others? Is it possible that the emergence of these groups could spell the beginning of the end for the Forum?

Nobody wants to be the person asking these questions. But if we are serious, they have got to be asked and our leaders must respond.

Fancy closing ceremony
The fact is before you know it, this meeting will wrap up with a fancy closing ceremony and dinner at an exotic five star place where delegates and leaders will have fine wine and be merry.

That’s okay. They’ve got to have a bit of fun too, don’t you think?

You see, today in those meetings, we guarantee you that they will already be preparing for the next meeting. It’s just the way these things work. And it’s not confined to the Pacific.

The talkfests have become a way of life and you really have to wonder when it will end. If saving the planet is the goal, can you imagine the amount of carbon footprint these guys are burning in the process?

But then who cares?

The point is that somewhere somehow somebody is going to have to justify the need for one meeting after another meeting to prepare for another meeting to analyse the last meeting.

Please don’t get me wrong; we support the cause and we should never deride the value of talking about these issues. Talking about them is a lot better than not acknowledging them at all.

A line should be drawn
But we should also be mindful that a line should be drawn where talking stops and actions begin.

From our standpoint, actions are lacking. And when it comes to the Pacific islands, the reality is that a lot of so-called problems discussed during these meetings are deteriorating while our leaders are still talking.

You can pick any one of them issues whether it’s health, education, environment, governance, justice, gender and you will find that progress has been very slow, if any at all, and yet the poor taxpayers are still forking out for those beers and fine meals dished out in the name of officialdom and the pursuit for progress.

Let’s make the Apia experience a meaningful one, shall we? And tell me please that there is method in thy madness with all these meetings. Have productive Thursday Samoa, God bless!

Mata’afa Keni Lesa is editor of the Samoa Observer. This editorial coinciding with the 48th Pacific Islands Forum leaders meeting has been republished by Asia Pacific Report with permission.

Pacific Media Centre Newsdesk

Transparency International Papua New Guinea (TIPNG) says its work will continue despite a break-and-entry incident that occurred at their Boroko premises earlier this week.

Staff were assaulted and close to K20,000 (almost NZ$9000) worth of goods stolen from the property. Transparency just recently moved there to a new office.

“We are a local non-governmental organisation fighting an important battle against destructive corruption and dependent on financial support from concerned citizens and donor agencies” said TIPNG chairman Lawrence Stephens.

“While we cannot say for certain that the theft was as a result of our work against the corrupt, we will obviously continue to fulfil our mission of speaking up for Papua New Guineans, even though we are now challenged by the loss of our project equipment.”

The Criminal Investigations Division of the Royal Papua New Guinea Constabulary (RPNGC) is investigating Monday’s break-in.

The organisation is appealing to the public for any information that will help in investigations.

EMTV News items are republished with permission.

By  Dames Alexander Sinaga in Jakarta

Almost 13 years to the day since human rights activist Munir Said Thalib was poisoned with arsenic aboard a Garuda Indonesia flight bound for Amsterdam, his fellow activists are urging President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo to publish a report originally produced in 2005 by a fact-finding team that they believe will reveal the mastermind of the mysterious murder.

A former Garuda Indonesia pilot, Pollycarpus Budihari Priyanto, was sentenced to 14 years in prison for premeditated murder in the case.

In court, Pollycarpus was shown to have spiked fried noodles that Munir ate during his flight with arsenic. He was released on parole in 2014.

Muchdi, a deputy head at the National Intelligence Agency (BIN) at the time of Munir’s murder on September 7, 2004, was also charged with conspiracy to murder in the case but was declared not guilty by a Jakarta court in 2009.

Even before then though, Munir’s family, led by his wife Suciwati, and rights activists have been demanding that the government find the real mastermind behind the murder.

In October 2016, the Central Information Commission (KIP) demanded the government publish the report by the fact-finding team on Munir’s murder, reviving hopes the mastermind would finally be unveiled.

Following KIP’s recommendation, former President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono (SBY) submitted the report to Widodo’s administration in late October last year.

Report apparently unread
Almost a year on, Widodo has apparently not yet read the report.

Suciwati said she has little hope the Jokowi administration will publish the report or try to find the mastermind behind Munir’s murder.

“I am pessimistic about President Jokowi. However, we will keep pushing him. It’s his duty as president to settle this case,” she said in a public discussion in Jakarta on Tuesday

Suciwati said she had met with government officials many times when SBY was still in power to try to persuade them to release the report, but to no avail.

“[Meeting government officials] only turned me into a political commodity. I don’t need to meet them again. I just want this case to be solved,” she said.

Suciwati said Widodo should make it a priority of his remaining two years in his first term as president to release the report.

Meanwhile, former fact-finding member Usman Hamid said Munir’s murder will not be solved until the report is opened and made public.

“Munir’s murder is still unsolved because the main actor is still out there. Without our investigation, we would not even know Munir was killed,” he added.

By Elizabeth Ah-Hi in Apia

The Secretary-General of the Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat, Dame Meg Taylor, has promised protesters that their voice on West Papua will be heard by the leaders attending the 48th Pacific Islands Forum (PIF) leaders meeting this week.

Dame Meg delivered the promise when she personally appeared before protesters in front of the Sheraton Hotel in Apia today where the meeting is taking place.

West Papua may not have had a seat at the Pacific Leaders Forum table this week but they were not forgotten by Samoans who showed up to demonstrate on their behalf.

The protest was led by prominent lawyer, Unasa Iuni Sapolu.

VIEW VIDEO: Protesters take up West Papua’s cause at Apia Forum

Between 30 to 35 members of the New Zealand Dairy Workers Union, Samoa First Union, Pacific Climate Warriors and Free West Papua supporters joined forces to demonstrate outside the PIF meeting.

Dame Meg came out to personally acknowledge the protesters before heading into the Sheraton.

Supporters of the moment chanted “Freedom for West Papua” and sang songs from the Mau, making a connection back to Samoa’s ancestors struggle for independence and sovereignty against New Zealand colonial authorities.

Message loud, clear
The demonstrators made their message loud and clear to the delegates, leaders and onlookers this morning as PIF members made their way to the Sheraton to begin the first day of official talks after last night’s opening.

The group was later asked to disperse an hour into their demonstration by police spokesperson Sala’a Sale Sala’a.

The group did not have a permit to protest.

Jerome Mika from the New Zealand Dairy Workers Union spoke with Sala’a and agreed to leave the area until a permit could be processed.

The Free West Papua supporters were satisfied with their efforts today.

“We call on the other Pacific Island heads of state to join the seven countries pushing to re-list West Papua with the UN Decolonisation Committee. Samoa as a nation through our forefathers fought for self-determination, and we should stand together with West Papua. Lest we forget,” the group said yesterday.

Protests at the Forum come after West Papua action groups last week urged leaders to continue their support and take decisive action, Pacific Media Watch reports.

Elizabeth Ah-Hi is a reporter with the Samoa Observer.

Pacific Media Centre Newsdesk

As Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull prepares to meet with his island counterparts this week in Apia, Samoa, Pacific civil society groups say his country’s promotion of coal puts their communities at risk.

Pacific island countries, including some of the world’s most vulnerable low-lying islands, are demanding greater ambition to tackle climate change and renewed political commitment to the 2015 Paris Agreement.

On Thursday, Pacific Islands Forum leaders will consider a “united” Pacific voice to take to the COP23 climate negotiations in November. At those talks – to be held in Bonn, Germany – the world’s eyes will be on the Pacific as Fiji takes over as president of the UN climate negotiations, the first time a small island developing state has held this important role.

However, members of the Pacific Islands Climate Action Network (PICAN) say there is a low probability of an authentic “united” Pacific voice being forged in Apia, with Australia’s presence and economic interests being historically responsible for watering-down regional climate declarations.

Australia’s continued promotion of coal – the dirtiest of the fossil fuels that are driving the world’s warming climate – jeopardises negotiation outcomes, and ultimately the safety of the entire Pacific region.

Maina Talia, from the Tuvalu Climate Action Network (TuCAN), said Pacific island leaders had again and again explained that climate change was the greatest security risk to island countries and communities.

“We are strong and resilient people”, said Talia. “However we can only adapt to so many changes.

Greater responsibility needed
“Stronger cyclones, coral bleaching, and rising sea levels are all causing permanent and irreparable damage in our countries. We need polluters to take greater responsibility for their actions now.”

He said countries that were committed to fossil fuel economies needed to shift to renewables as fast as possible.

Talia added that “governments and civil society organisations must work together, to build resilience to address the adverse impacts of climate change by developing a Pacific Islands Climate Change Insurance Facility that ensures our sovereign rights are well protected.”

Talia also said polluting nations needed to ensure Pacific island communities and countries that are facing permanent loss and damage from the impacts of climate change could access grant-finance simply and easily.

Australia, the largest and wealthiest member of the Pacific Islands Forum, is also the world’s largest coal exporter, and is currently planning to subsidise the development of new export coal mines and coal-fired power plants.

In October, construction is expected to get underway for what will be the world’s largest export coal mine, in the state of Queensland.

Strong language
PICAN and other members of the Pacific civil society will be looking to the outcome statements of the Apia meeting for strong language around 1.5 degrees, the UNFCCC Gender Action Plan (GAP), loss and damage finance, and other previously agreed ambitious Pacific positions in the global climate negotiations.

Last month PICAN awarded the Australian government the inaugural “Pacific Fossil Award”, for its repeated efforts to convince Pacific island countries of its dedication to tackling climate change, while actually making the problem worse by expanding coal exports, as well as promoting the use of coal abroad.

Established by the Pacific Islands Climate Action Network (PICAN), the new award is intended to call out countries that are not doing their fair share to move away from fossil fuels and to tackle climate change.

Pacific Islands Climate Action Network (PICAN) is a regional alliance of 55 non-governmental organisations (NGOs), civil society organisations (CSOs), social movements and not-for-profit organisations from the Pacific Islands region working on various aspects of climate change, disaster risk and response and sustainable development. PICAN is also the Pacific regional node of the Climate Action Network International.

ANALYSIS: By Professor Jane Kelsey

It is now certain that any decisions on the future of the Trans-Pacific Partnership Agreement (TPPA) minus the US will take place after New Zealand’s general election this month.

Last week’s meeting of the negotiators from the remaining 11 TPPA countries rebuffed the National government’s wish to proceed with the agreement basically unchanged aside from new provisions for its entry into force.

They have all agreed to suspend (but not remove) some of the most controversial intellectual property provisions that hiked the price of medicines. Other countries want parts of the actual text and countries’ schedules reopened.

Each country has to come back with its wish-list at another meeting in Japan later this month, probably while the New Zealand government is in caretaker mode after the September 23 election.

Post-election, a Labour-led government would inherit a poisoned chalice. But its position to date gives no confidence that Labour will take a stand against the resurrection of the deal, despite the groundswell of opposition from its own core membership.

READ MORE: Response of the opposition parties to the 10 bottom lines for NZ’s future trade policy

Labour Party leader Jacinda Adern recently defended the party’s “bloody minded” opposition to the agreement. But its only firm position is an objection to a single, very specific provision in the entire 30-chapter deal: the right to discriminate against foreign purchasers of residential property in the schedule on investment.

Does Labour really intend to agree to the TPPA-11 if that minor matter is changed (as it has been in a leaked copy I have of New Zealand’s proposed schedule to the now-suspended Trade in Services Agreement negotiations)?

Hiking the price of medicines
What about the intellectual property provisions the US insisted on that will hike the price of medicines and put taxpayer money into the pockets of Big Pharma – money Labour will desperately need to upgrade our rundown hospitals and fund primary health care for our poorest communities?

To date they will be suspended, but not removed, so they can be reactivated if the US rejoins. If the New Zealand Medical Association can call for those rules to be dropped, surely it’s a safe enough bet for the Labour Party to do so?

Or the investor-state dispute mechanism. David Parker’s position is that Labour would prefer not to have them. Grow a spine! Even Crawford Falconer, the ex-MFAT official who is now the UK’s new free trade negotiator, says it should be dropped from such deals.

Parker also insists that the Treaty of Waitangi exception is the best possible drafting imaginable, and claims the Waitangi Tribunal endorsed it. In fact the Tribunal said:

“The Crown however goes further and says that nothing in the TPPA will prevent the Crown from meeting its Treaty obligations to Māori. We have some reservations about this. … Our concern is that by qualifying the Treaty exception clause to that aspect of the Treaty relationship which may allow the Crown to adopt or implement measures more favourable to Māori, the full constitutional reach of the Treaty relationship may not be as clearly protected and preserved under the TPPA as it might be.”

A Labour Party that is pitching to reclaim all the Māori seats can, and must, do better.

So far as I can see, Labour has not even called for the government’s new modelling on the TPPA-11 to be made public, despite having pointed to the failings of the initial modelling in its minority report on the original TPPA.

Leadership on record
Labour’s leadership needs to go on record before the election with some more detailed and convincing answers to these questions, and its position on other toxic provisions affecting the right to regulate on state-owned enterprises, government procurement, financial services and taxation.

Above all, Labour needs to commit now to a genuine consultation about what position New Zealand should take on the TPPA-11 (given the massive input into the original select committee hearing that was arrogantly ignored); to publish any future mandate it takes into the negotiations (as the EU does in its negotiations); and to support its position with a comprehensive, independent and public cost-benefit analysis.

Or does Labour intend to retreat behind the same wall of secrecy as National has in these renegotiations?

Jacinda Ardern, Grant Robertson, David Parker, anyone in the Labour leadership – can we know your real position on the TPP-11 before the election please?

Dr Jane Kelsey is a professor of law at the University of Auckland and a prominent New Zealand critic of globalisation. This article is republished from The Daily Blog with permission.

Pacific Media Watch Newsdesk

Leaders from across the Pacific are meeting in Apia, Samoa, this week to discuss the future of the region’s oceans.

Under the theme “The Blue Pacific: Our sea of islands provide for our secure future through sustainable development, management and conservation”, members of the Pacific Islands Forum (PIF) have gathered in Samoa for the 48th leaders meeting opening today.

Proceedings began with the Smaller Islands States leaders meeting, in which proceedings went “very, very well”, said Baron Waqa, President of Nauru.

“There were a number of matters that were discussed and a lot of very healthy interventions from leaders,” he said.

“Climate change was still very, very actively discussed in the meeting,” Waqa said.

Ahead of the meeting, incoming PIF chair and Samoan Prime Minister Tuilaepa Sa’ilele Malielegaoi said the “Blue Pacific” concept – shared stewardship of the Pacific Ocean based on a shared geography, ocean identity and resources – provided the Forum with a unique opportunity to strengthen collective action and subsequently its vision for the region.

“Blue Pacific provides a new narrative for Pacific regionalism and how the Forum engages with the world.

Long-term commitment
“This new narrative calls for inspired leadership by the Forum and a long-term commitment to the benefits of acting together, as one blue continent, has the potential to define a Blue Pacific economy, ensures a sustainable, secure, resilient and peaceful Blue Pacific as well as strengthens Blue Pacific diplomacy to protect the value of our ocean and our peoples,” he said.

Tuilaepa said the concept of the Blue Pacific was integral for the Forum moving forward, as the ocean was crucial for the Pacific and its people.

“Exercising a sense of common identity and purpose linked to the ocean has been critical for protecting and promoting the potential of our shared Pacific Ocean.

“It is this commonality of the fundamental essence of the region which has the potential to empower the region through collective, combined agendas and actions.

“The Blue Pacific will strengthen the existing policy frameworks that harness the ocean as a driver of a transformative social, cultural, political and economic development of the Pacific.”

Tuilaepa warned, however, that implementing the Blue Pacific required “whole Forum commitment”.

“Above all else it will require a different way of working together that prioritises the Blue Pacific as the core driver of Forum policy making and collective action. The Forum political dialogue needs to be informed by the Blue Pacific which in turn supports Forum actions in a manner that empowers the region,” he said.

Climate champions remembered
Forum leaders also held a moments silence for climate change champion Tony de Brum and government minister Mattlan Zackhras of the Marshall Islands, who died on August 24 and August 8 respectively.

Absent from this year’s meeting is Palau’s president Tommy Remengesau.

Pita Ligaiula of PACNEWS reports security issues caused by North Korea’s recent missile tests have forced Remengesau to travel to Japan to speak with US allies.

In his place is Vice-President Raynold Oilouch, who said the ocean was a “very critical component and surveillance of our jurisdictions” for Palau at this year’s meeting, Pacific Note reports.

“This is the time again to reflect on the unfinished business and what needs to be done and how best we can progress,” he said.

Radio Kiribati reports Fiji is again absent at the annual meeting, although it is “back at the table” on a ministerial level, said PIF Secretary-General Dame Meg Taylor.

The PIF meeting continues with an official opening and also the Pacific ACP leaders meeting.

The PIF was established in 1971 by New Zealand, Australia, the Cook Islands, Fiji, Nauru, Tonga and Western Samoa as a trade body. The Forum has evolved and now serves as the primary body for Pacific Island leaders to discuss the political, economic and developmental issues facing the region.

Forum members comprise Australia, Cook Islands, Federated States of Micronesia, Fiji, Kiribati, Nauru, New Zealand, Niue, Palau, Papua New Guinea, Republic of Marshall Islands, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Tonga, Tuvalu and Vanuatu French Polynesia and New Caledonia.

By Kalino Latu, editor of Kaniva News

Tongan interim Prime Minister ʻAkilisi Pōhiva says he suspected his rejection of a proposal by the Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister to spend T$60,000 on the opening celebration of the St George Palace government building had turned the duo against him.

Pōhiva sacked Deputy Prime Minister Siaosi Sovaleni and Minister of Finance Tēvita Lavemaau on Friday before he left for Samoa to attend the Pacific Leaders Forum this week.

His son and personal assistant, Po’oi Pōhiva, told Kaniva News the Prime Minister had submitted the letter of their dismissals to the king on Friday evening.

He said they received a message from the Lord Chamberlain saying that he had handed in the letter to the King.

Po’oi said the Prime Minister was expecting a response from the King yesterday.

Lavemaau and Sovaleni proposed to the cabinet that TP$60,000 be allocated to help fund the preparations for the opening ceremony of the St George Palace on Friday.

Pōhiva said he and some of the ministers who attended a cabinet meeting did not approve the proposal as they thought it was a huge amount of money to be spent on the ceremony.

Parliament dissolved
King Tupou VI, who suddenly dissolved Parliament on August 24 and put Pōhiva and his government in caretaker mode, opened the new multimillion pa’anga St George Government Building on Friday.

He was welcomed by the Prime Minister during the ceremony and they shook hands before the King left the event.

The T$28 million building project was funded by the Chinese government in an agreement signed in 2012.

The fully equipped building with a floor area of around 5745 sq m has housed the Prime Minister’s Office, the Ministry of Finance and National Planning, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Cabinet Chambers.

The interim Prime Minister alleged Sovaleni and Lavemaau knew about the plan of the King and Speaker, Lord Tu’ivakano, to dissolve Parliament, but they did not warn him because they were holding a grudge against him after their proposal had been rejected, he told Radio Tonga Broadcom and Tonga Daily News on Sunday night.

Pōhiva said he was disappointed with Sovaleni and Lavemaau’s action in that they should have warmed him about the dissolution.

He implied that if he had been warned of the plan to dissolve the House he might have approached the King first.

He said he found out when he arrived in New Zealand on his way to Samoa last week some people in New Zealand knew the King was going to dissolve Parliament.

Other concerns
Pōhiva said there were other things he was concerned about towards the two ministers but he did not reveal them.

It appeared the dismissals did not go through cabinet before they were made, as they shocked some of the ministers who only found about the decision from Kaniva News on Saturday morning.

It appeared Pōhiva did not approach Lavemaau and Sovaleni about their dismissals and the Prime Minister did not say whether he had proof the ministers knew about the plan to dissolve Parliament.

The two dismissed cabinet members reportedly said they knew nothing about their dismissals.

Dr Pōhiva Tu’i’onetoa, who was appointed as replacement Minister of Finance, did not know about his appointment.

He said he only knew about it from Kaniva News and he had not received any message about it.

Pōhiva confirmed on Sunday night he had also appointed Lord Ma’afu as Deputy Prime Minister and oasi Tei to the MEIDECC.

Lord Ma’afu told Radio New Zealand he was unaware of his appointment and the reshuffle.

Pōhiva said he would not appoint new ministers from outside cabinet after the dismissals of Sovaleni and Lavemaau.

Acting Attorney-General ‘Aminiasi Kefu told the radio Pōhiva still held the power to dismiss any of his ministers while the government was in caretaker mode.

By Kalino Latu, editor of Kaniva News

Prime Minister ‘Akilisi Pōhiva has fired Deputy Prime Minister Siaosi Sovaleni and Finance Minister Tēvita Lavemaau, says a cabinet spokesperson.

It is understood Sovaleni and Lavemaau were dismissed effective from yesterday at 5pm.

Pōhiva was “very disappointed” with the ministers, the spokesperson said today.

The ministers were allegedly involved in a conspiracy which led to King Tupou VI’s decision to dissolve Parliament and order a fresh general election in November to replace the current MPs and cabinet.

Lord Maʻafu has been appointed the new Deputy Prime Minister while Poasi Tei took over Sovaleniʻs Ministry of MEIDECC.

Dr Pōhiva Tuʻiʻonetoa is the new Minister of Finance.

The dismissals came after state-owned Tongan Broadcasting Commission (TBC) news producer Viola Ulakai asked Pōhiva during a press conference in Nukuʻalofa on Tuesday whether it was true some of his ministers were being investigated.

Investigation denied
The caretaker Prime Minister denied this. Pōhiva said he was satisfied and calm. All the ministers were still in cabinet.

Ulakai told Pōhiva his son-in-law, Police Minister Māteni Tapueluelu, had told TBC News some ministers had been investigated.

Pōhiva said if anything would come up it will be “dealt with accordingly”.

Sovaleni and Lavemaau have been contacted by Kaniva News for comment.

Justice Minister questions Speaker role
Meanwhile, the Minister of Justice has told Kaniva News there was no clause in the Tongan Constitution which said the king could dissolve Parliament on the advice of the Speaker.

Minister Sione Vuna Fā’otusia said this meant there was room to challenge in court the involvement of the Speaker in the decision.

King Tupou VI dissolved Parliament after he had received a recommendation from the Speaker of the Legislative Assembly, Lord Tu’ivakanō, who was Prime Minister before  ‘Akilisi Pohiva.

Acting Attorney-General Aminiasi Kefu had said the decision to dissolve Parliament was part of the king’s royal prerogatives and it could not be challenged in court.

However, Fā’otusia disagreed and said the decision by the king, based on a recommendation from the Speaker, was not a royal prerogative, but was statutory.

“The Acting Attorney-General does not think so. But I think that there is a ground for judicial review as the decision was not royal prerogative, but statutory,” Fāʻotusia told Kaniva News.

“There is nothing in the constitution to allow the king to dissolve the house based on the recommendation of the Speaker.”

Tongan news is republished by Asia Pacific Report with the permission of Kaniva News.

By Victor Mambor in Jayapura

The Indonesian government’s decision to allow one of the world’s largest copper and gold mines to operate in Papua province until 2041 has prompted local indigenous leaders to remind officials that their people never gave up land ownership and want a role in negotiations.

On Tuesday, the US-based firm Freeport McMoran announced it was giving up a majority of its ownership in Papua’s Grasberg mining complex in exchange for being allowed to operate there for up to 24 more years.

“We indigenous Papuans, especially from the Amungme and Kamoro tribe communities, have never released our ancestral lands to any party, neither to the government of Indonesia nor Freeport,” John Gobay, a chairman of the Customary Council in Paniai, a district in Papua province, said.

Two weeks ago, he met with Indonesian President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo in Jakarta, where Gobay expressed concerns about issues involving Freeport’s operations at the Grasberg complex.

He said neither the Amungme nor Komoro were seeking a share of the mine, but they should be valued as the owners of the mountain where Freeport has been operating for decades.

“We own the mountain and the land and the state has recognised it under the state 1945 Constitution and Law No. 21 of 2001 on Papua Special Autonomy,” Gobay said.

Freeport-McMoran agreed to divest 41.64 percent of its Indonesian subsidiary, PT Freeport Indonesia (PTFI), at a fair market price to allow 51 percent ownership by Indonesian interests.

Freeport’s share of the company is 90.64 percent while the Indonesian government holds the other 9.36 percent.

‘Positive for stakeholders’
“Reaching this understanding on the structure of the mutual agreement is significant and positive for all stakeholders. Important work remains on documenting this agreement and we are committed to completing the documentation as soon as possible during 2017,” Freeport chief executive Richard C. Adkerson said in a news release.

As part of the agreement, Freeport agreed to construct a smelter in Indonesia by 2022, thereby lifting a government threat to ban the company from exporting unrefined copper.

The smelter is estimated to cost US$2 billion and is a major concession for his company, Adkerson told the Wall Street Journal.

The government is not likely to have the financing to buy all of Freeport’s share being put on the market, so the divestment could be spread across many potential buyers, analysts told the Journal.

Finance Minister Sri Mulyani Indrawati Energy and Mineral Resources Minister Ignatius Jonan represented the Indonesian government and Adkerson represented Freeport at a news conference in Jakarta on Tuesday where both sides announced the agreement.

Ignatius said Indonesia had agreed to extend Freeport’s licence, which ends in 2021, by 10 years to 2031, and another 10 years to 2041 if the company met the contract’s requirements, including the smelter.

“The negotiation between the government and Freeport began in early 2017. But in the last three to four (days), the talks got intense and the two sides found an agreement,” Ignatius said.

Adkerson said Freeport would honour the agreement.

“We appreciate the leadership of President Joko Widodo and we have been listening carefully to what the government wants and its objectives,” he told the news conference.

Papuans demand role
But because Papuans own the land in and around the mining complex, they should have a role in the upcoming negotiations involving the purchase of company holdings, said Ruben Magay, a member of the Papuan Regional Legislative Council (DPRP).

“This is the time for the government to involve land owners in determining Freeport’s investments,” he said.

“There are three parties, the central government/local government, investors and indigenous people.”

He said discussions regarding Freeport should be clear on what percentage is for investors, what percentage is for the government and how much is for the indigenous people.

“During Freeport’s first work contract in 1967, until the second work contract in 1991, and this most recent one, the position of indigenous people has been unclear. The discussion has been between the central government and the investor, in this case, America,” Magay said.

Gobay expressed hope that Jokowi would hold a special negotiation session attended by the government, Freeport and the representatives of Amungme and Komoro tribes.

“If not, we will report it to the United Nations through the indigenous representatives and we will contest Freeport and the central government for not complying with its own regulation,” Gobay said.

Victor Mambor is a leading Papuan journalist and editor of Tabloid Jubi.

By Kendall Hutt in Auckland

Auckland University of Technology has launched a “first of its kind” Indonesia Centre in a cultural diplomacy initiative.

“This is both a celebration and a step forward into the future,” AUT’s Vice-Chancellor Derek McCormack said at last night’s launch.

“The centre is an acknowledgement of the strong relationship enjoyed between the government of Indonesia and AUT, and the acknowledgement of both parties to strengthen that relationship,” he said.

Significantly, AUT’s Indonesia Centre was also a “world first partnership”.

“This is the first centre of its type in the world. The Indonesian government sees the establishment of this centre at AUT as a significant move in cultural diplomacy and assuming that this pilot is successful…it is likely to be repeated in other cities around the globe,” McCormack added.

This was echoed by Indonesia’s ambassador to New Zealand, Tantowi Yahya, who said:

“The Indonesia Centre is a pilot project for promoting Indonesia in New Zealand…It is quite an ambitious undertaking and if it succeeds it will be replicated in other cities around the world. If it succeeds, it will also be the opening door for Indonesia to work with many countries through culture.”

Centre cultural addition
It was hoped the centre will be an addition to both the cultural life of the university and Auckland, the delegates also acknowledged.

“I’m very hopeful that every visitor to this centre will be enchanted by the richness of Indonesia’s cultural diversity and it is also hoped it will become a window for New Zealanders, for Aucklanders, to know more about Indonesia and will one day get to the point of wanting to visit Indonesia and to learn.

“I’m also hopeful that cultural interactions will also take place so that it will enhance better understanding and deeper friendship between Indonesians and New Zealand people,” Yahya said.

Indonesia’s cultural diversity was on full display at the opening, where dancers performed several traditional Javanese dances and the orchestra took up wooden mallets to play on the full royal Javan Gamelan donated by Indonesia’s Ministry of Education and Culture.

Vice-Chancellor McCormack described the Gamelan as a taonga, or treasure.

“We’re getting something that is extremely special to be housed in, and be a part of, the work and the cultural events at the Indonesia Centre,” he said.

AUT’s Indonesia Centre, dubbed AUTIC, will see people able to learn Bahasa Indonesia and take part in summer schools across various areas, such as culinary art and filmmaking, in an annual program which will continue to be collaborated on, delegates said.

Engage with Indonesia
Vice-Chancellor McCormack also highlighted other AUT engagements with Indonesia, including a Pacific Media Centre partnership.

The PMC will be hosting two weeks of workshops and collaborative research with four Indonesian communication researchers from the Centre for Southeast Asian Studies (CESSAS) at Gadjah Mada University in Yogyakarta early next month.

Centre director Professor David Robie has been selected to visit the Yogyakarta university as part of the Indonesian government’s World Class Professor (WCP) programme later in the month.

Lester Khoo, director of AUT’s International Relations and Development reflected:

“We have to be engaged with Indonesia, we have to be engaged with ASEAN, otherwise we risk being irrelevant. It’s very important that we have this as a first step of a longer-term vision of being connected with Indonesia.”

Pacific Media Centre Newsdesk

A British team is swimming a crushing 30 hours straight across Lake Geneva to deliver a petition calling for self-determination in West Papua to the United Nations.

A message received after more than seven hours into the swim on the live Facebook page today said:

“We, the Swim for West Papua team, want you to know why we swimming. We support the fundamental human rights, including (and especially) the right to self determination for the West Papua.

“Things on the boat are going well. We are 7.48 hours into the swim. The mood on the boat is good. We have been blessed with good weather – 26 degree water and 33 air temperature. Things are good here!

“We are gunning for West Papuan freedom! West Papua never give up your fight for freedom! We stand shoulder to shoulder with you and will support you in the fight for freedom!”

WATCH LIVE: #BackTheSwim

A large campaign in support of the petition has been repressed by Indonesian security forces inside West Papua, with at least one Papuan leader, Yanto Awerkion, remaining imprisoned.

The British group, Swim for West Papua, in collaboration with the Free West Papua Campaign, has been gathering tens of thousands of signatures for months across the globe.

140,000 signatures
The petition has garnered over 140,000 signatories online and an as-yet-unknown number of paper signatories. Avaaz, one of the websites hosting the petition, has been completely banned in Indonesia for its involvement in the campaign.

West Papua, occupied by Indonesia since 1963, has been growing in international stature in recent years.

Over the past year, eight Pacific Island states have joined the Pacific Coalition for West Papua in calling for human rights and self-determination to be upheld in the territory.

In March, seven Pacific island governments called on the UN Human Rights Council to urgently consider the situation in West Papua.

Referencing the swim, the English-language daily The Jakarta Post said in an editorial the “campaign for an independent Papua has been relentless and has made significant gains in past years”.

By Kalino Latu, editor of Kaniva News

The government of dismissed democracy Prime Minister ‘Akilisi Pōhiva has been urged to take legal actions against King Tupou VI’s decision to dissolve Parliament, with a former political adviser to government disagreeing with the Acting Attorney-General’s claim the royal order could not be challenged in court.

Lōpeti Senituli, who was also a former government CEO, was responding to a request from Kaniva News today about a post he made on Facebook last night saying:

“If I had a say in matters, I would advise the Hon Prime Minister to seek an immediate injunction and the judicial review of His Majesty’s proclamation. God Bless Tonga!”

The rest of his response is published verbatim below:

Advice for an injunction
“I stand by my opinion that the Hon Prime Minister and Cabinet should apply to the Supreme Court for an immediate injunction on the dissolution of the Legislative Assembly and for a judicial review of His Majesty’s proclamation to ensure that it is constitutional.

“I say that with the greatest of respect to the Acting Attorney-General and his opinion that His Majesty had exercised his Personal Royal Prerogative which he says is beyond judicial scrutiny.

“I disagree with the Acting Attorney-General. The basis of my disagreement is the decision of the Supreme Court in 2016, (which was later endorsed on appeal by the Privy Council in 2016) relating to His Majesty’s decision to appoint the current Chief of Defence Staff of His Majesty’s Armed Forces to the Hereditary Noble title of Lord Fielakepa.

“The Supreme Court declared His Majesty’s appointment as null and void. Part of their reasoning was that although it was His Majesty’s Personal Royal Prerogative to appoint Nobles of the Realm, he still had to make those appointments according to the law (the Land Act) and the Constitution.

“So I agree that His Majesty in dissolving the Legislative Assembly was using his Personal Royal Prerogative, and is not required by the Constitution or any law to disclose reasons. However, it is my opinion His Majesty must use that Personal Royal Prerogative according to the letter and the spirit of the constitution and laws of the land.

“The Legislative Assembly is the highest democratic mechanism in the Kingdom of Tonga and the current structure was adopted after the reforms in 2010 with the full approval of His Majesty’s predecessor.

“The functioning of the Legislative Assembly therefore should only be disturbed or interfered with in extreme circumstances where the sovereignty and integrity of the country as an independent nation state is being threatened.

“I do not regard the eight reasons that the Hon Speaker had released as good enough to warrant the dissolution of the Legislative Assembly. They do not amount to a threat to the nation’s sovereignty and integrity as an independent state

“I classify the Hon Speaker’s eight reasons into two groups. The first group I have classified as:

Alleged threats to His Majesty’s Royal Prerogatives.
“The draft Bill to review or amend clause 41 of the Constitution which grants His Majesty’s authority to assent to all legislation adopted by the Legislative Assembly before they become law.

“The government’s earlier plans to sign and ratify CEDAW thereby bypassing His Majesty’s authority under clause 39 to make treaties and sign conventions on behalf of the country
The government’s earlier signing of the PACER Plus agreement which is a regional convention without prior authorisation by His Majesty in accordance with clause 39.
The draft Bill to amend the Constitution to remove His Majesty’s authority (clause 31A) to appoint the Attorney General and to appoint the Police Commissioner (under the Police Act) and transfer these powers to the Prime Minister and Cabinet.

“In my view the draft Bills that the Hon Speaker referred to should be allowed to be tabled and discussed by the Legislative Assembly and if necessary the Legislative Assembly should conduct public and community meetings to discuss these proposals so that the whole country can express an opinion on it.

“Dissolving the Legislative Assembly because of the fear of these alleged threats to His Majesty’s Prerogative is an extreme knee-jerk reaction of people who are afraid of the democratic process! We should let the people hear and express their opinion on these proposals through their elected representatives in the Legislative Assembly as well as in public meetings on these proposals.

“In respect of CEDAW and PACER Plus, Hon Prime Minister Pohiva and Cabinet acted in accordance with legal advice it was given by legally qualified people in government. (I know this because I was responsible for the CEDAW initiative.)

“If that advice clashed with advice given by His Majesty than that can be resolved by going to court for a declaration as to which advice is correct. It does not warrant dissolving the Legislative Assembly.

“The second group of reasons I have classified as:

Mismanagement by Hon Prime Minister and Cabinet
“Lying to the Legislative Assembly that Hon Etuate Lavulavu would be punished and not delivering on it.

“Misleading the Leg Ass on the Pacific Games 2019 and continuing to collect the foreign exchange levy though hosting the Games had been cancelled.

“Raising their own salaries in response to a tax increase whilst the rest of the country carry the extra tax burden.

“Petitions of impeachment not worth of the Legislative Assembly’s time and resources.

This second group of reasons I regard as specious. These could have been dealt with by the Hon Speaker as he has considerable powers under the Rules of Procedure of the Legislative Assembly and under the Constitution (clause 70) to punish members who behave in contempt of the Legislative Assembly.

They certainly do not warrant the dissolution of the Legislative Assembly!”

Kaniva News items are republished by Asia Pacific Report with permission.

By Kalino Latu, editor of Kaniva News

The Speaker of Tonga’s Legislative Assembly has broken his silence and delivered a statement on air detailing what advice he offered King Tupou VI before the monarch dissolved Parliament.

As Kaniva News reported, the surprise dissolution last Thursday followed an approach by the Speaker, Lord Tu’ivakanō, to King Tupou VI and a decision made by the Privy Council.

According to the government gazette, fresh elections must be held by November 16.

Acting Attorney-General ‘Aminiasi Kefu said the king’s decision to dissolve Parliament was part of his royal prerogative and could not be challenged in court.

Kefu said when the king proclaimed such a royal command he was not required, according to the constitution, to explain it.

The royal command left the public in a state of limbo with many wanting to know why the king had made such a surprise decision.

However, it is understood the Speaker went public with the grievances he presented to the king on the Tonga Broadcasting Commission (TBC).

Speaker’s grievances posted
Former political advisor and government CEO Lōpeti Senituli has posted the Speaker’s grievances in English on Facebook.

The Lord Speaker said he was concerned “that a Bill had been submitted to the Office of the Speaker that seeks to amend the Constitution so as to revoke His Majesty’s right of assent to legislation approved by the Legislative Assembly before it could become law.

“That the intent of the Bill is in keeping with the Cabinet’s earlier plans to bypass His Majesty’s prerogative to sign treaties and conventions entrenched in clause 39 of the Constitution when they tried to sign and ratify CEDAW without His Majesty’ prior approval.

“That Cabinet had also become party to PACER Plus without His Majesty’s prior approval.

“That another Bill had also been submitted to the Office of the Speaker that seeks to amend the Constitution so as to remove His Majesty in Privy Council’s right to appoint crucial positions such as the Police Commissioner and the Attorney-General.

“That Hon Prime Minister [‘Akilisi] Pōhiva had intervened and prevented the Legislative Assembly from sanctioning former Cabinet Minister Etuate Lavulavu for abuse of office on the understanding that he would punish him instead. It later became apparent that he did not punish Lavulavu as promised.

“That several petitions have been submitted to the Office of the Speaker that seek to impeach various members of the Legislative Assembly and the Speaker feels spending time on these petitions would be a waste of time and resources.

“That Cabinet had deliberately misled the Legislative Assembly regarding the hosting of the Pacific Games in 2019 and after the legislation was passed authorising the collection of the foreign exchange levy tax in order to fund it, Cabinet cancelled the hosting of the Games and yet they continued to collect this tax.

“That Cabinet had recently approved a 5 percent salary increase for all ministers in response to a recent increase in income tax, yet the tax increase applies to the whole country, especially all the civil servants and people in private enterprises.”

OPINION: By Gary Juffa

My advice for Papua New Guinea’s new MPs and their staff, minions, hangers on and supporters …

Some words about the middle bench.

It’s a myth.

I should know. I was there believing that myth for the first two years of the last term of Parliament.

The middle bench IS government.

I attended government caucus from time to time and made critical reviews of government decisions. If you are allowed to attend government caucus…you ARE government.

Why did I not choose the Opposition at that time?

Because I believed the myth of the “Middle Bench” …

Little difference
And I saw little difference in either side at that time…with the government seeming to be a slightly better option. I hoped I could do more to influence government decisions for the better. How wrong I was. The benefit of hindsight has since proved otherwise.

Well at that time both government and opposition seemed like bad choices, just flipsides of the same coin, and I honestly thought there was a special place in Parliament for neutral ground or a Third Way from government or opposition.

Well, I was wrong. I was naive.

FACT: “There is no neutral ground”.

Surprise surprise, there is no middle bench!

Anyway my continued critical review of the decisions made by Prime Minister Peter O’Neill’s People’s National Congress (PNC) government were pissing many off … so eventually I was removed.

That’s right, by the ruling party PNC. As I said, some of their members resented the critical review I provided. They despised my outspokenness on national issues and questioning their self interest in most decisions.

They lobbied hard and when the ruling party met and decided unanimously to kick me out. That’s right. They can do that. Which means they are in control of that part of Parliament.

‘Don’t make trouble’ message
Which means the middle bench is a myth!

Soon after I was quietly asked by a government MP to inform the government I wished to remain and would not make trouble.

If I could do this, I could stay but must remain mute and support all government decisions..good or bad.

So I decided to move to Opposition.

See I felt I was elected to speak for my people. All of Papua New Guinea. Not be a puppet and follow others blindly even when they were wrong.

So I left.

It now dawned on me that the middle bench … was only in my head … not in reality … so if you are there…you are in government..

And if they hold control over that area, they own that territory. You are their territory. You can pretend and be quiet and they will allow that pretence to be projected to the people. But speak up too often … then you will see who has control over that area and you will soon see that you are there at their will and whim.

All the best.

Gary Juffa is an Opposition MP in the Papua New Guinea Parliament and Governor of Oro province. He contributes occasional articles to Asia Pacific Report.

By Dan McGarry in Port Vila

The clock is ticking for the Vanuatu Broadcasting and Television Corporation, operator of Radio Vanuatu and TV Blong Vanuatu.

An interim board of directors met for the first time last week in the conference room of the Prime Minister’s office. The mandate: Fix what ails the VBTC within 6 months or less.

Its first order of business was to receive a recently completed independent Strategic Assessment.

The independent assessment was contracted to the Pacific Group Ltd in an open bidding process.

PGL is a consulting firm owned by former Government Chief Information Officer Fred Samuel. He hired Fiji media veteran Francis Herman and Wilma Vocor, a former executive at ANZ Vanuatu, to provide expert assistance with the study.

Samuel addressed the board members shortly before the meeting began, with the media present. He reminded the attendees that the decision to review and reform the VBTC arose from the government’s so-called 100 Day Plan. It was one of twenty objectives assigned to the Prime Minister’s Office, and one of about 130 overall.

The assessment, he stated, was mandated to review the VBTC’s board and objectives. In the course of its work, though, his team discovered additional issues, including staffing irregularities and “out of control expenditures”, which were also taken on board.

Content not discussed
The board was not willing to discuss the content of the assessment until they had had a chance to review it. Once that review is complete, said board chairman Johnson Naviti, the document would be submitted to the Council of Ministers and only then can public release be contemplated.

The new board was instated by order of the Prime Minister last Monday, and is composed entirely of public servants. They include chairman Johnson Naviti, Director-General of the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO); Letlet August, Director-General of Finance; Gerard Metsan, Government Chief Information Officer; John Jack, also from the OGCIO; and Government Public Relations Officer Hilaire Bule.

The assessment was originally contracted in April, but administrative delays slowed progress, with formal hand-over taking place on Friday.

The team consulted broadly, dealing with the corporation’s creditors, its technical infrastructure, its audience and content, future technological trends and their financial viability.

The assessment itself is comprehensive, looking at the corporation’s business case, its social mandate and its role as a government mouthpiece.

“We’re running against time,” said Samuel, citing a number of factors that made immediate action necessary.

Asked if he was confident that the six months allotted to the current board members was sufficient, the chair said, “Yes”.

PM’s support
He cited the support that they had received from the Prime Minister himself, and added that a task force was also being assembled to action the assessment’s recommendations, which among others would contain one or more Parliamentary Secretaries.

“If they continue to provide the mandate and give us their support, we’ll be able to get everything done,” he said.

Asked if there would be additional budget funding next year, he asked “That’s something we’ll have to take up right away”.

One veteran journalist reacted to the news that the reform process was under way by saying that the company needed to be clear about whether it was a state broadcaster, a public broadcaster or a commercial broadcaster.

Asked about how this new board saw the corporation, chairman Johnson Naviti replied half-jokingly, “Definitely all three”.

“The government has limited resources. While the VBTC provides a service to the public, at the same time it has to meet its own costs.”

Dan McGarry is media director of the Vanuatu Daily Post group. His articles are republished by Asia Pacific Report with permission.

By Kalino Latu, editor of Kaniva News

King Tupou VI has proclaimed ʻAkilisi Pōhiva’s cabinet will continue on as Tonga’s caretaker government, which will run the kingdom until after the upcoming general election in November.

The Lord Chamberlain made the announcement yesterday.

“His Majesty commanded that new representatives of nobles and the people to be elected to enter the Legislative Assembly at elections to be held in no later than November 16,″ the Lord Chamberlain said in a statement.

“Until those elections take place, the present government will continue as caretaker government.

“During this time, the administration of government services, especially Health and Education services to the people, should remain a priority”.

Pōhiva and his cabinet were dismissed on Friday after King Tupou VI had dissolved Parliament.

NZ troops in Tonga come home
Meanwhile, the New Zealand SAS troops in Tonga will be brought home as soon as possible, the New Zealand government announced.

A group of 20 SAS soldiers are in Tonga, where the Prime Minister has suddenly been dismissed by the King.

Foreign Minister Gerry Brownlee told The New Zealand Herald the troops were there for a routine exercise, and yesterday confirmed they would be pulled out of the country as soon as possible.

“Rather than continuing on to do their scheduled training exercise, we’ve concluded this is a time for Tonga to have some clear air, uncomplicated by the coincidental presence of NZDF personnel in the country.”

Pōhiva to stand again
ʻAkilisi Pōhiva plans to run for Parliament again in the November election, his son and personal assistant Poʻoi Pōhiva confirmed to Kaniva News.

The dissolution of the Parliament came after the king was advised by his Privy Council and the Speaker of Parliament.

In an interview with Pōhiva three years ago, the long-time democratic veteran campaigner said he would stand for election one last time in the 2014 general election.

The revelation of Pōhiva’s plan could give his great number of supporters in the kingdom and abroad a sense of relief, after many of them were devastated by his dismissal.

Po’oi Pōhiva did not give further details about his father’s plan but most of ‘Akilisi’s supporters had called on him to stand again for Parliament since his dismissal.

His supporters do not believe there were solid reasons for the king to dismiss the people’s first elected Prime Minister.

The Privy Council has yet to give any reasons why it made the surprising royal command.

ʻAkilisi Pōhiva’s supporters have questioned the Privy Council and the Speaker of the House over their advice to dissolve Parliament given they were only elected to their positions by the king and the only 33 members of the nobility.

By Philip Cass in Auckland

There was disappointment and fears of violence early today in the aftermath of King Tupou IV’s dismissal of Tongan Prime Minister ‘Akilisi Pohiva.

New Zealand Foreign Minister Gerry Brownlee said the possibility of civil unrest was a concern.

A leading Tongan academic said last night there was “a very real fear of violence” following the dismissal of Pohiva.

Dr Malakai Koloamatangi, Pasifika director at Massey University, said Pohiva had a lot of support among the people of Tonga.

Dr Koloamatangi told TVNZ last night that while the kingdom had been moving towards a more democratic government, King Tupou IV’s dismissal of the Prime Minister was ”highly unusual”.

Radio New Zealand described the move as the downfall of Pohiva and noted that his government had been marred by controversy and allegations of incompetence.

As Kaniva News reported yesterday afternoon, the dismissal followed an approach by the Speaker of Parliament to King Tupou VI and a decision made by the Privy Council.

According to the government gazette, fresh elections must be held by November 16.

Former parliamentarian Dr Sitiveni Halapua said the people had high hopes for Pohiva’s government, but had not seen any real fruits from the democratic change.

“It’s a great disappointment all round,” Dr Halapua said.

Tongan publisher Kalafai Moala said the King’s decision was a setback for democracy, but told Agence France-Presse the dismissal had support.

“Pohiva has a core of supporters and they’re out there on social media expressing disappointment,” he said.

“But I think most people are happy and felt like this had been coming for some time.”

Meanwhile, Brownlee said New Zealand SAS troops who were in the kingdom were confined to barracks.

He said it was a complete coincidence the troops were in the kingdom.

Brownlee told The New Zealand Herald the government had had no indication the move was coming.

“We will be trying to work out over the next couple of days what it is going to mean for democracy in Tonga and what the implications will be for New Zealand,” he said.