CoveragePost
November 24, 2025
By Teuila Fuatai, RNZ Pacific senior journalist As Tonga’s 26 newly elected representatives turn to choosing a prime minister among them, one potential candidate is identifying economic development and raising the standard of living as necessary priorities for the next government and its leader. Lord Fakafanua was re-elected as a nobles’ representative for Ha’apai in ... <a title="Potential Tonga PM candidate: ‘Low-hanging fruits available’ to improve people’s lives" class="read-more" href="https://eveningreport.nz/2025/11/24/potential-tonga-pm-candidate-low-hanging-fruits-available-to-improve-peoples-lives/" aria-label="Read more about Potential Tonga PM candidate: ‘Low-hanging fruits available’ to improve people’s lives">Read more</a>
CoveragePost
November 22, 2025
By Sulamanaia Manaui Faulalo of the Samoa Observer Prime Minister La’aulialemalietoa Leuatea Schmidt says international media are “in the dark” about the reasons behind his decision to ban the Samoa Observer from government press conferences, arguing that overseas attention has created “support for one newspaper at the expense of the entire country.” He also addressed concerns ... <a title="Samoan PM takes aim at local journalists, claims overseas media ‘in the dark’" class="read-more" href="https://eveningreport.nz/2025/11/22/samoan-pm-takes-aim-at-local-journalists-claims-overseas-media-in-the-dark/" aria-label="Read more about Samoan PM takes aim at local journalists, claims overseas media ‘in the dark’">Read more</a>
CoveragePost
November 18, 2025
By Renate Rivers of PMN News Samoa’s Prime Minister La’aulialemalietoa Leuatea Polataivao Schmidt has banned the country’s only daily newspaper, the Samoa Observer, from all ministerial press conferences. The move has raised serious concerns among industry stakeholders about media freedom as he faces growing political and legal pressure. La’aulialemalietoa announced the ban on Monday at ... <a title="Samoan PM bans nation’s only newspaper from government access" class="read-more" href="https://eveningreport.nz/2025/11/18/samoan-pm-bans-nations-only-newspaper-from-government-access/" aria-label="Read more about Samoan PM bans nation’s only newspaper from government access">Read more</a>
CoveragePost
November 17, 2025
RNZ Pacific Samoan Prime Minister La’aulialemalietoa Leuatea Schmidt has returned home after an eight-week absence for medical treatment in New Zealand. La’aulialemalietoa departed Apia for Auckland on a private jet just days after being sworn in as Samoa’s eighth prime minister on September 16. The Samoan government had previously said he was expected to return ... <a title="Samoan PM back home as journalist alleges assault outside his residence" class="read-more" href="https://eveningreport.nz/2025/11/17/samoan-pm-back-home-as-journalist-alleges-assault-outside-his-residence/" aria-label="Read more about Samoan PM back home as journalist alleges assault outside his residence">Read more</a>
CoveragePost
February 11, 2025
Jotham Napat has been elected as the new prime minister of Vanuatu. Napat was elected unopposed in Port Vila today, receiving 50 votes with two void votes. He is the country’s fifth prime minister in four years and will lead a coalition government made up of five political parties — Leaders Party, Vanua’aku Party, Graon ... <a title="Vanuatu parliament elects Jotham Napat as new prime minister" class="read-more" href="https://eveningreport.nz/2025/02/11/vanuatu-parliament-elects-jotham-napat-as-new-prime-minister/" aria-label="Read more about Vanuatu parliament elects Jotham Napat as new prime minister">Read more</a>
CoveragePost
January 18, 2025
COMMENTARY: By Lagipoiva Cherelle Jackson and Junior S. Ami With just over a year left in her tenure as Prime Minister of Samoa, Fiame Naomi Mata’afa faces a political upheaval threatening a peaceful end to her term. Ironically, the rule of law — the very principle that elevated her to power — has now become ... <a title="Samoa’s political future hangs in balance with Fiame leadership challenge" class="read-more" href="https://eveningreport.nz/2025/01/18/samoas-political-future-hangs-in-balance-with-fiame-leadership-challenge/" aria-label="Read more about Samoa’s political future hangs in balance with Fiame leadership challenge">Read more</a>
CoveragePost
December 11, 2024
COMMENTARY: By Lopeti Senituli in Nuku’alofa In a highly anticipated session of the Tongan Parliament to debate and vote on the second vote of no confidence (VONC) scheduled for last Monday, December 9, in Prime Minister Siaosi Sovaleni Hu’akavameiliku and the Cabinet, Hu’akavameiliku surprised everyone by announcing his resignation — even before the actual debate ... <a title="Tonga’s PM Hu’akavameiliku throws in the towel – behind the timeline" class="read-more" href="https://eveningreport.nz/2024/12/11/tongas-pm-huakavameiliku-throws-in-the-towel-behind-the-timeline/" aria-label="Read more about Tonga’s PM Hu’akavameiliku throws in the towel – behind the timeline">Read more</a>
CoveragePost
December 10, 2024
RNZ Pacific Parliamentarians in Tonga will meet on Christmas Eve to select the kingdom’s new prime minister, Speaker of the House Lord Fakafanua has confirmed. He told RNZ Pacific that Hu’akavameiliku Siaosi Sovaleni’s resignation on Monday ahead of a second motion of no confidence was unprecedented. However, he said the Tongan constitution was clear on ... <a title="Tonga’s Speaker confirms new PM to be chosen on Christmas Eve" class="read-more" href="https://eveningreport.nz/2024/12/10/tongas-speaker-confirms-new-pm-to-be-chosen-on-christmas-eve/" aria-label="Read more about Tonga’s Speaker confirms new PM to be chosen on Christmas Eve">Read more</a>
CoveragePost
May 2, 2024
By Koroi Hawkins, RNZ Pacific editor Jeremiah Manele has been elected Prime Minister of Solomon Islands, polling 31 votes to 18 over rival candidate and former opposition leader Mathew Wale with one abstention. The final result of the election by secret ballot was announced by the Governor-General, Sir David Vunagi, on the steps of Parliament ... <a title="Jeremiah Manele is new Solomon Islands PM with ‘100 day plan’" class="read-more" href="https://eveningreport.nz/2024/05/02/jeremiah-manele-is-new-solomon-islands-pm-with-100-day-plan/" aria-label="Read more about Jeremiah Manele is new Solomon Islands PM with ‘100 day plan’">Read more</a>
CoveragePost
May 2, 2024
By Koroi Hawkins, RNZ Pacific editor Police in Solomon Islands are on high alert ahead of the election of the prime minister today. The two candidates for the top job are former foreign affairs minister Jeremiah Manele at the head of the Coalition for National Unity and Transformation, which is technically the incumbent government wrapped ... <a title="Zero tolerance – Solomon Islands police on high alert ahead of PM election" class="read-more" href="https://eveningreport.nz/2024/05/02/zero-tolerance-solomon-islands-police-on-high-alert-ahead-of-pm-election/" aria-label="Read more about Zero tolerance – Solomon Islands police on high alert ahead of PM election">Read more</a>
CoveragePost
May 1, 2024
By Koroi Hawkins, RNZ Pacific editor Former opposition leader Matthew Wale has been announced as the second prime ministerial candidate ahead of the election in Solomon Islands tomorrow. He will face off against former foreign affairs minister Jeremiah Manele, who was announced by the Coalition for National Unity and Transformation on Monday. As far as ... <a title="Ready, set, go in Solomons PM race – Jeremiah Manele vs Matthew Wale" class="read-more" href="https://eveningreport.nz/2024/05/01/ready-set-go-in-solomons-pm-race-jeremiah-manele-vs-matthew-wale/" aria-label="Read more about Ready, set, go in Solomons PM race – Jeremiah Manele vs Matthew Wale">Read more</a>
CoveragePost
April 27, 2024
RNZ Pacific The race to form the next government of Solomon Islands could be a tight one, with no single party emerging from the election with enough seats to govern. Caretaker prime minister Manasseh Sogavare’s Our Party did the best, securing 15 out of the 50 seats in the House. The former opposition leader Matthew ... <a title="‘To lead is to serve’ – Governor-General to call PM election in Solomon Islands" class="read-more" href="https://eveningreport.nz/2024/04/27/to-lead-is-to-serve-governor-general-to-call-pm-election-in-solomon-islands/" aria-label="Read more about ‘To lead is to serve’ – Governor-General to call PM election in Solomon Islands">Read more</a>
