Dateline Pacific for 12 December 2019

Ninety seven percent of votes cast in the Bougainville referendum have backed independence; there are fears indigenous voices are not being heard at climate talks in Madrid; the Cook Islands Deputy Prime Minister says opponents of chlorination are uninformed extremists; apprehension in New Caledonia amid Vale's plans to restructure and sell its nickel asset; Pacific civil society groups say a conference reviewing women's rights didn't go far enough.