Australia

Prime Minister Frank Bainimarama said Fiji was working on a "Bula Bubble", between his country, New Zealand and Australia.

Upon arrival, travellers would have to spend 14 days in Fiji government quarantine facilities and then be required to pass a Covid-19 test to enter the general public.

This would be at their own cost or that of their respective government.

Minister of Infrastructure and Public Utilities, Jay Ngwele, and the Australia’s High Commissioner to Vanuatu, Sarah de Zoeten signed an exchange of letters formalising Australia’s additional assistance of over 117 million vatu.

The assistance is aimed at improving accessibility and providing employment opportunities for ni-Vanuatu.

It will be implemented through the Australian-funded Roads for Development Programme Phase 2 (R4D2) in partnership with the Public Works Department.

The agreement was formalised at a signing ceremony held at the Ministry of Health by Silas Bule, Minister of Health and Sarah de Zoeten, Australia’s High Commissioner to Vanuatu.

They signed a Direct Funding Arrangement to support the Ministry of Health’s response to Tropical Cyclone Harold and COVID-19.

Mr Bule expressed his “sincere appreciation to Australia for its longstanding partnership in health with the Government and the people of Vanuatu on various health development programs to meet the people’s needs.”

The shark bit the leg of the surfer, aged between 50 and 60, off Kingscliff, 800km (500 miles) north of Sydney.

Several "heroic" boarders tried to help the man by fighting off the shark but although he was brought to the beach, he died there of his wounds.

This is the third fatal shark attack in Australian waters this year.

The Sydney Morning Herald said that although police gunmen were deployed to find the shark, they were unable to kill it and it left the area after several hours.

The package, implemented by the Ministry of Finance and Economic Management, is designed to mitigate the economic impact of COVID-19 in Vanuatu.

At a signing ceremony witnessed by the executive of the Ministry of Finance and Economic Management, Minister Koanapo thanked the Australian High Commissioner for Australia’s support.

This vital Forum initiative ensures the passage of humanitarian and medical supplies within the Pacific as we work together to mitigate the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Simon Kofe, Chair of the Pacific Islands Forum Foreign Ministers, welcomed the initiative and said: “Australia’s support will ensure that the Pacific Humanitarian Pathway will be able to deliver much needed humanitarian and medical supplies in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Through its actions, Australia is working to achieve values of familial ties and care for neighbour’s key throughout the Pacific.”

There are calls across the region for travel to be reinstated, possibly before a trans-Tasman bubble with Australia.

Ashley Bloomfield said the Ministry of Health hadn't yet been asked for advice about an arrangement.

"My own view is that the risks can be managed well, especially if we've got countries that have got good testing in place and we know that they haven't got any cases and the arrangements can be put in place for travel to and fro," Dr Bloomfield said.

More than 4,000 people were admitted to hospital due to the smoke, Associate Prof Fay Johnston from the University of Tasmania told the Royal Commission.

The fires burned for weeks, killed more than 30 people and caused air pollution which can be harmful to health.

The inquiry is due to suggest ways to improve the natural disasters response.

Melanie MacFarlane is a migration agent based in Australia, and grew up in Vanuatu as a child.

She has been assisting Pacific islanders stuck in Australia during the pandemic, who are unable to return home because of border closures.

"My concern is that their visas are expiring very shortly," Ms Macfarlane said.

"In fact when I spoke to one just recently his sister's visas actually expired over a month ago...she is unlawful at the moment which is not a good position to be in at all."

The halt in tourism caused by border closures, cuts to remittances and seasonal worker programmes and other effects of Covid-19 have been devastating for many Pacific economies.

The funding will be redirected from the existing aid programme, and the government says it will provide respite for Pacific governments.

A fifth of the money will go to Papua New Guinea, with the rest to be shared among nine other countries.