NZ’s first Pasifika mayor: Ken Laban makes history in Lower Hutt

Report from LDR by Mary Afemata Fauono Ken Laban has been elected Mayor of Lower Hutt, making history as New Zealand’s first Pasifika mayor. Fauono secured 8704 votes, comfortably ahead of Brady Dyer (6974), Karen Morgan (5529), and Prabha Ravi...

Pasifika Honoured at Auckland Investiture Ceremony this month

John Utanga | Senior Journalist A Fijian Bravery Medal winner and a Former National Party MP were among those to be invested with their honours in Auckland last week. Bravery Medal Winner Meli Balenivalu received his award from the Governor...

The European Union and the Pacific Community boost border security in Marshall Islands with advanced X-Ray technology

Photo: European Union Ambassador Barbara Plinkert and Marshall Islands Minister Anthony Muller, key handover of the Airport X-ray machine The Republic of Marshall Islands (RMI) has received a state-of-the-art X-ray machine to reinforce border...

Moses rushed in as duo ruled out of PM’s XIII vs PNG — Full teams for four-game blockbuster

Mitchell Moses has been rushed into the Australian Prime Minister’s XIII team for their clash with Papua New Guinea after two players were ruled out due to injury. Code Sports reported Moses, who was picked for the Kangaroos Ashes squad, will come...

New Travel Guide for American Samoa Marks Major Leap for Tourism

160+ In-Depth Articles Now Live on AmericanSamoaPocketGuide.com, Providing the Ultimate Encyclopedia for Traveling in American Samoa The tourism industry in American Samoa has taken a leap forward with the launch of American Samoa Pocket Guide,...

New Travel Guide for American Samoa marks major leap for local Tourism

Pago Pago, AMERICAN SAMOA — The tourism industry in American Samoa has taken a leap forward with the launch of the American Samoa Pocket Guide, a comprehensive online travel guide created for the U.S. territory. With more than 160 articles...

Is it ok to take your kids out of school for a holiday?

By Serena Solomon of RNZ When Michael Johnston was nine, his academic father packed the family up for a sabbatical year in London. The experience in 1977 included a six-week campervan trip around Europe, where his impressionable eyes gazed at the...

Pacific atoll nations receive NZD13m boost for critical water security

Representatives from seven Pacific atoll nations gathered in Nadi, Fiji, this June with an urgent message. Rising seas and prolonged droughts are pushing their communities toward a water crisis that threatens tens of thousands of lives. These...

On Road to Belem, Pacific countries raise their voice on 1.5…

Pacific countries at the forefront of the climate crisis, described as a “ticking time bomb”, have vowed that their One Pacific Voice on keeping 1.5 alive, is heard loud and clear at the Thirtieth Conference of the Parties to the UN Framework...

Pacific Growth to Accelerate in 2025 on Resource Strength — ADB

Economic growth in the Pacific is expected to pick up next year, buoyed by strong resource output in Papua New Guinea (PNG), according to the Asian Development Outlook (ADO) September 2025, released on 6 October by the Asian Development Bank...

Toleafoa Motu Tony: A journey of resilience, faith and community

Former star for the Kiwis and the New Zealand Warriors, Toleafoa Motu Tony, is well-known for his resilience and leadership in the sport, carving out a remarkable journey for himself. Born in Saleimoa, Sāmoa, and with family ties to Niue,...

'Put medals around necks': Tauranga coach targets Oceania powerlifting champs

Jones has eight years of powerlifting experience under his belt and has been coaching the sport since 2019. “They’re not letting just anyone do it. I would suggest that I was selected because I’ve had a decent track record and history of coaching...

How to watch Arsenal vs West Ham: live stream Premier League 2025/26 game, TV channels, preview, team news

The Arsenal vs West Ham live stream sees the home side out to win three points and keep the pressure on Premier League leaders Liverpool. Two late goals at St. James’ Park last weekend ensured that Arsenal took full advantage of Liverpool’s defeat...

How to watch Australia vs New Zealand: FREE Rugby Championship 2025 streams, TV schedule, preview

The Rugby Championship 2025 has entered its final week and there is still plenty on the line for New Zealand and Australia. In what has been one of the most competitive tournaments for years, both sides know that a victory in Perth would give them...

Ngahiraka Mai Tawhiti reaches first stop on voyage to Samoa

Navigators from Te Kura Waka have passed Rangitāhuahua (Kermadec Islands), the first stop on their voyage to Samoa, after a week at sea. Nine crew members set sail from Tāmaki Makaurau last week aboard their waka hourua, Ngahiraka Mai Tawhiti, as...

UTOPIA Washington’s MANAFest 2025 creates “home away from home” for Queer and Trans Pacific Islanders

“My hands, my feet; my hands, my feet. My hands and feet, to uplift the village.” Singing in her native language, Phylesha Brown-Acton recited the song written by her uncle about their home and community. Hailing from Niue, a small, self-governing...

The Pacific Tourism Organisation Hosts Two-Week Research Training for PNGTPA to Strengthen Tourism Data Capacity

From 16 to 30 September 2025, the Pacific Tourism Organisation (SPTO) hosted a two-week research training program for the Papua New Guinea Tourism Promotion Authority (PNGTPA), aimed at strengthening PNGTPA’s capacity to manage and deliver...

The Pacific Humanitarian Warehousing Program (PHWP) Monitoring, Evaluation, Research, and Learning (MERL) Journey: What are we doing differently?

The Pacific Humanitarian Warehousing Program (PHWP), being implemented across 15 participating countries1, provided a rare opportunity to reimagine how MERL can meaningfully contribute to ensuring sovereign warehouse storage and response...

Cook Islands dance connects cultures at Te Maeva Nui NZ 2025

The world’s largest Cook Islands festival kicks off in Tāmaki Makaurau this Friday, celebrating culture and heritage for everyone, Kūki or not. Modeled on the original festival in Rarotonga, Te Maeva Nui NZ (TMNNZ) engages communities from across...

Tauranga powerlifting coach joins NZ team

Tauranga powerlifting trainer Mike Jones will be one of 16 coaches wrangling 110 Kiwi athletes at the Oceania Regional Powerlifting and Bench Press Championships in Christchurch from November 17 to 20. Selected to be the assistant coach for the...