Cook Islands

Punanga Tauturu works with victims of domestic abuse and says it has come across cases of foreign workers who have been forced to surrender their passports or work 14 hour days.

Its spokesperson, Nga Teinangaro, says it refers cases to the labour and employment relations office but sharing information across organisations would help pinpoint and monitor employers that take advantage of their workers.

His comments come in response to the United Nations new campaign calling for action on homophobia and transphobia in the Pacific Islands.

Puna says the Cook Islands shouldn’t just follow what the UN or the international community is doing.

“We have our own community here, and we need to be guided by our own people as to what we want to do in response to those pressures.”

The UN is hoping governments in the Pacific will adopt active measures to make sure people’s perception of LGBTIs change, for example by working closely with schools and health care facilities.

Papua New Guinea is closest to having deep water mining begin in the Bismarck Sea, while the Cook Islands last week opened up bidding for exploratory licences.

But a principal scientist at New Zealand's National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research, Malcolm Clark, says scientists working with the Secretariat of the Pacific Community are pushing for more collaboration among Pacific Island countries.

Over the next three months, the Cook Islands will be receiving tenders from interested parties seeking to undertake exploratory surveying in the Exclusive Economic Zone.

Finance Minister Mark Brown said estimates placed the value of the seabed minerals in the range of billions of dollars.

Professor Jonathan Gardener from Victoria University Wellington said the big concern with this sort of mining is that no-one knows much about the biological community, or perhaps communities, living in this environment.

Prime Minister Puna arrives tonight ahead of a series of community and official engagements, including a meeting with Key.

“It was my pleasure to attend the celebrations marking 50 years of Cook Islands self-government in free association with New Zealand in Rarotonga last week,” Key said.

“The anniversary is a significant occasion for both our countries and I am pleased to confirm that New Zealand will return that hospitality, and mark the anniversary with a celebration of our own.

Mr Puna says anyone leaving the Cook Islands will now only have to check in and follow the normal security checks before departure.

However, arrival cards will still need to be completed.

Meanwhile, Mr Puna arrives in New Zealand today for a week of events marking the country's 50th anniversary of self government.

It follows gala events on Rarotonga last week.

TIS which has been voicing concern over the purse seine fishing issue for most of the year, has presented an anti-purse seine fishing petition to Parliament bearing 4000-plus signatures.

The organisation’s technical advisor, Kelvin Passfield says TIS is concerned that, in spite of the voting public asking for a ban on purse seining, government has since issued licences to at least two additional fishing companies to fish in Cook Islands waters.

He says this has been done without any disclosure to the public.

Five Pacific teams competed at the last tournament, but only four will make the trip to New Zealand and Australia in 2017.

The president of Cook Islands Rugby League, Charles Carlson, says they still haven't received any confirmation about the date, venue and format for the playoff game.

The 'Cook Islands Helmets Saves Lives' group on Facebook generated about 1000 likes within a couple of days of being created.

One of the groups members, Sue Fletcher-Vea, says the group is upset with the tragedies that have been happening on the roads, especially those involving children.

She says they want to raise awareness and push for change because they don't want to see anymore injuries and deaths.

The group has written a letter to the Minister for Police, Teariki Heather, and other relevant authorities requesting for a meeting to discuss the issue.

The Cook Islands celebrates 50 years of self government in free association with New Zealand next week with gala events and a visit by a large delegation from New Zealand headed by the Prime Minister, John Key.

The decision to grant some autonomy while remaining within the Realm of New Zealand was implemented in 1965.

Professor Angelo of Victoria University of Wellington says it was a novel concept at the time and brought the Cook Islands security.