New Zealand Government

Petition for Dawn Raids apology handed over to New Zealand Parliament

The petition, led by youth advocates Josiah Tualamali’i and Benji Timu, contained more than 7,000 signatures nationwide.

Before the passing of the petition, Timu told members of Parliament who were in attendance he was involved in the petition because he loved Pacific people.

“Right now, a lot of our people don’t want to talk about it, but now you have a new generation of Pacific people that understand this part of the history, which we are only finding out about as we are adults.

Grants on offer for Pacific businesses to rebuild

Border closures and a loss of trade routes has left many countries struggling, with a recent survey finding just under 50 percent of small to medium businesses in the Pacific have closed or expect to close.

The funding will go towards a service run by Business Link Pacific, which will offer concessionary loans and adaptation grants.

Its chief executive, Steve Knapp, said they'll be sent out in two phases, starting with the grants.

New Zealand Government slammed after new COVID-19 cases revealed

"We are reviewing exactly what has happened in these circumstances because they cannot be repeated," Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said.

Yesterday compassionate leave for those in quarantine had been suspended.

In a Facebook message last night, Ardern said that would not change unless testing was "rigorous".

There was an expectation that anyone who came into from overseas was in quarantine for two weeks and would not leave without being tested, she said. "That was where there was a failure in this case."

Vanuatu Lands Minister signs agreement with NZ Govt to improve water security

New Zealand will provide over VT450 million (NZ$6 million) to support the Water Sector Partnership of Vanuatu for the next three years.

The funding will build on the success of an earlier pilot project and will deliver water supply infrastructure and safe water to rural communities across the country.

This will make a major contribution to the Government of Vanuatu’s goal of delivering safely managed drinking water to all people in Vanuatu by 2030.

NZ Govt's secret plan to set up Pacific Islands Super Rugby team

The team would be made up of players from Fiji, Samoa and Tonga, and would play in the Super Rugby competition.

Newshub has learned both New Zealand Rugby (NZR) and the Government have worked on the proposal, meaning a united 'Pacific Force' is now close to reality.

The feasibility study was carried out by Jeremy Curragh, a respected rugby commercial operative, and cost the taxpayer $80,000.

Under the plan, the team would be based in Suva, as Fiji is the biggest country. It would also play some 'home' games in Samoa, Tonga, Auckland and Sydney.

'Poo protest' against New Zealand government

Protesters from the Action Station group launched 50 inflatable poo emojis onto Lake Ohakuri on the Waikato River near to where the ruling National Party was holding a conference, to highlight new standards which it says would mean more contaminants in freshwater, the New Zealand Herald reports.