CoveragePost
July 7, 2025
By Caleb Fotheringham, RNZ Pacific journalist The New Zealand Defence Force (NZDF) is not considering recruiting personnel from across the Pacific as talk continues of Australia doing so for its Defence Force (ADF). In response to a question from The Australian at the National Press Club in Canberra about Australia’s plans to potentially recruit from ... <a title="NZDF not considering recruiting personnel from Pacific nations" class="read-more" href="https://eveningreport.nz/2025/07/07/nzdf-not-considering-recruiting-personnel-from-pacific-nations/" aria-label="Read more about NZDF not considering recruiting personnel from Pacific nations">Read more</a>
CoveragePost
July 3, 2025
By Reinhard Minong in Port Moresby The Catholic Church has strongly warned against Papua New Guinea’s political rhetoric and push to declare the nation a Christian country, saying such a move threatens constitutional freedoms and risks dangerous implications for the country’s future. Speaking before the Permanent Parliamentary Committee on Communication on Tuesday at Rapopo during ... <a title="Catholic Church warns against PNG declaring itself a ‘Christian country’" class="read-more" href="https://eveningreport.nz/2025/07/03/catholic-church-warns-against-png-declaring-itself-a-christian-country/" aria-label="Read more about Catholic Church warns against PNG declaring itself a ‘Christian country’">Read more</a>
CoveragePost
July 1, 2025
Asia Pacific Report The NGO Coalition on Human Rights in Fiji (NGOCHR) has called on Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka as the new chair of the Melanesian Spearhead Group (MSG) to “uphold justice, stability and security” for Kanaky New Caledonia and West Papua. In a statement today after last week’s MSG leaders’ summit in Suva, the ... <a title="Fiji human rights coalition challenges Rabuka over decolonisation ‘unfinished business’" class="read-more" href="https://eveningreport.nz/2025/07/01/fiji-human-rights-coalition-challenges-rabuka-over-decolonisation-unfinished-business/" aria-label="Read more about Fiji human rights coalition challenges Rabuka over decolonisation ‘unfinished business’">Read more</a>
CoveragePost
June 28, 2025
RNZ Pacific The leaders of Bougainville and Papua New Guinea have signed a deal that may bring the autonomous region’s quest for independence closer. Called “Melanesian Agreement”, the deal was developed earlier this month in 10 days of discussion at the New Zealand army base at Burnham, near Christchurch. Both governments have agreed that the ... <a title="Talks result in PNG and Bougainville signing ‘Melanesian Agreement’" class="read-more" href="https://eveningreport.nz/2025/06/28/talks-result-in-png-and-bougainville-signing-melanesian-agreement/" aria-label="Read more about Talks result in PNG and Bougainville signing ‘Melanesian Agreement’">Read more</a>
CoveragePost
June 26, 2025
Asia Pacific Report A West Papuan independence movement leader has warned the Melanesian Spearhead Group after its 23rd leaders summit in Suva, Fiji, to not give in to a “neocolonial trade in betrayal and abandonment” over West Papua. While endorsing and acknowledging the “unconditional support” of Melanesian people to the West Papuan cause for decolonisation, ... <a title="‘Don’t surrender’ to Indonesian pressure over West Papua, Bomanak warns MSG" class="read-more" href="https://eveningreport.nz/2025/06/26/dont-surrender-to-indonesian-pressure-over-west-papua-bomanak-warns-msg/" aria-label="Read more about ‘Don’t surrender’ to Indonesian pressure over West Papua, Bomanak warns MSG">Read more</a>
CoveragePost
June 26, 2025
By Margot Staunton, RNZ Pacific senior journalist Police in Papua New Guinea say the country’s overrun courts and prisons are behind mass breakouts from police custody. Chief Superintendent Clement Dala made the comment after 13 detainees escaped on Tuesday in Simbu Province, including eight who were facing murder charges. Dala said an auxiliary policeman who ... <a title="Papua New Guinea police blame overrun system for prison breakouts" class="read-more" href="https://eveningreport.nz/2025/06/26/papua-new-guinea-police-blame-overrun-system-for-prison-breakouts/" aria-label="Read more about Papua New Guinea police blame overrun system for prison breakouts">Read more</a>
CoveragePost
June 25, 2025
Asia Pacific Report A Fiji-based advocacy group has condemned the participation of Indonesia in the Melanesian Spearhead Group which is meeting in Suva this week, saying it is a “profound disgrace” that the Indonesian Embassy continues to “operate freely” within the the MSG Secretariat. “This presence blatantly undermines the core principles of justice and solidarity ... <a title="Fiji advocacy group slams Indonesian role in MSG as a ‘disgrace’" class="read-more" href="https://eveningreport.nz/2025/06/25/fiji-advocacy-group-slams-indonesian-role-in-msg-as-a-disgrace/" aria-label="Read more about Fiji advocacy group slams Indonesian role in MSG as a ‘disgrace’">Read more</a>
CoveragePost
June 23, 2025
By Scott Waide, RNZ Pacific PNG correspondent Two international organisations are leading a call for the Melanesian Spearhead Group (MSG) to elevate the membership status of the United Liberation Movement for West Papua (ULMWP) at their upcoming summit in Honiara in September. The collective, led by International Parliamentarians for West Papua (IPWP) and International Lawyers ... <a title="Pro-independence advocates urge MSG to elevate West Papua membership" class="read-more" href="https://eveningreport.nz/2025/06/23/pro-independence-advocates-urge-msg-to-elevate-west-papua-membership/" aria-label="Read more about Pro-independence advocates urge MSG to elevate West Papua membership">Read more</a>
CoveragePost
June 17, 2025
ANALYSIS: By Scott Waide, RNZ Pacific PNG correspondent The recent series of high-level agreements between Papua New Guinea and France marks a significant development in PNG’s geopolitical relationships, driven by what appears to be a convergence of national interests. The “deepening relationship” is less about a single personality and more about a calculated alignment of ... <a title="Decoding PNG leader Marape’s talks with French President Macron" class="read-more" href="https://eveningreport.nz/2025/06/17/decoding-png-leader-marapes-talks-with-french-president-macron/" aria-label="Read more about Decoding PNG leader Marape’s talks with French President Macron">Read more</a>
CoveragePost
June 13, 2025
RNZ Pacific The Department of Justice and Legal Services in Bougainville is aiming to craft a government policy to deal with violence related to sorcery accusations. The Post-Courier reports that a forum, which wrapped up on Wednesday, aimed to dissect the roots of sorcery/witchcraft beliefs and the severe violence stemming from accusations. An initial forum ... <a title="Bougainville legal dept looking towards sorcery violence policy" class="read-more" href="https://eveningreport.nz/2025/06/13/bougainville-legal-dept-looking-towards-sorcery-violence-policy/" aria-label="Read more about Bougainville legal dept looking towards sorcery violence policy">Read more</a>
CoveragePost
June 12, 2025
By Don Wiseman, RNZ Pacific senior journalist Reports in Papua New Guinea say the governments of Bougainville and PNG have agreed to table the 2019 independence referendum results in Parliament. While discussions are ongoing, some degree of consensus has been reached during the talks, being held at Burnham Military Camp, just outside of Christchurch in ... <a title="Progress reported out of Bougainville independence talks at Burnham" class="read-more" href="https://eveningreport.nz/2025/06/12/progress-reported-out-of-bougainville-independence-talks-at-burnham/" aria-label="Read more about Progress reported out of Bougainville independence talks at Burnham">Read more</a>
CoveragePost
June 11, 2025
Pacific Media Watch Taieri MP Ingrid Leary reflected on her years in Fiji as a television journalist and media educator at a Fiji Centre function in Auckland celebrating Fourth Estate values and independence at the weekend. It was a reunion with former journalism professor David Robie — they had worked together as a team at ... <a title="Fiji coup culture and political meddling in media education given airing" class="read-more" href="https://eveningreport.nz/2025/06/11/fiji-coup-culture-and-political-meddling-in-media-education-given-airing/" aria-label="Read more about Fiji coup culture and political meddling in media education given airing">Read more</a>
