17 Aug 2024

Pacific leaders push for visa-free regional travel

From , 6:01 am on 17 August 2024
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon arrives at Suva airport, inspecting a military forces guard of honour on 5 June, 2024.

Prime Minister Christopher Luxon arrives in Fiji. Photo: RNZ / Giles Dexter

Leaders in the Pacific are seeking freer movement of people within the region.

The matter could be on the agenda when the Pacific Leaders' summit is held in Tonga in two weeks.

Last week the matter was raised at the Pacific Islands Forum Economic Ministers' meeting in Suva.

Fiji's Finance Minister, Biman Prasad, said the "Pacific we need to free ourselves quicker than what we expect Australia and New Zealand and others to do".

The head of the Development Policy Centre at the Australian National University is Stephen Howes, and RNZ Pacific's Don Wiseman asked him what freer movement means for the Pacific.