Pacific Waves

Fiji has a new prime minister, and we look back at the big news and sports in the Pacific for 2022

Fiji's military forces are being deployed to maintain security and stability in the country following reports of threats made against minority groups; The French government says it won't be organising another referendum in New Caledonia during the president's current five-year term.

There are claims of irregularities in the vote to create a new coalition government formed in Fiji. Our guest today is Jon Fraenkel a Professor in Comparative Politics at Victoria University of Wellington and expert on Melanesian politics.

Fiji's kingmaker political party Sodelpa could make a decision soon on who it will be forming a coalition government with.

For this Fiji election special of Pacific Waves we are staring at a Christmas week where the current kingmaker - the Social Democratic Liberal Party or Sodelpa is yet to make a decision on who it will pick to form a coalition with.

Hiroshima survivor backs call to halt Japan's plan to dump nuclear wastewater into the Pacific ocean; We take a closer look at potential reasons for a record low voter turnout in the Fiji elections this year as vote counting continues; Pasifika songs with orchestral music has been brought to life just in time for the festive season.

The New Zealand Government is being urged to take Japan to court over its plans to dump nuclear waste into the Pacific Ocean; Official election count well underway in Fiji provisional results indicate likely return of the ruling Fiji First government; The Cook Islands is out of petrol and some businesses are facing a total shutdown if no fuel shipments arrive this weekend.

A new investigative report has exposed details of a Chinese communist party and triad push for political influence in Palau; Fijians are being urged to come out in numbers and exercise their democratic right to vote on Wednesday; We speak with Aupito William Sio who is one of Two Pasifika government ministers retiring at the 2023 election.

A campaign black out is underway in Fiji as we enter the final countdown to Wednesday's election; NZ Medical team to assist with Covid-19 outbreak in Niue; Christmas has come a little early for some remote islands in Micronesia.

Pre-polling in Fiji comes to an end; Tuvalu plans for next phase of its COVID-19 response before Christmas; Talanoa with PNG Women's football team coach Spencer Prior.

Tensions rise in the lead up to Fiji's election day; UN assistant secretary general in NZ for development strategy talks; New survey shows a decline in smoking rates among Pacific youth

Low turnout for pre-polling in Fiji; How can PNG govt be held to account with few opposition MPs in parliament; Education standards for disabled children in the Pacific needs to be lifted; FIFA World Cup tournament draws in Pacific fans.

Over 8000 Fijians cast their votes in day two of pre-polls; MMR vaccination rates decline in the Pacific; The soaring cost of flying in PNG; Talanoa with US Coast Guard Commander Rear Admiral Michael Day.

The Western and Central Pacific Fisheries Commission meeting in Vietnam wraps up. Independence still seems like a pipe dream for New Caledonia. The Cook Islands welcomes two new flight partnerships.

Tonga's disaster rebuilding woes; Czech Republic establishes embassy in Tonga; Pacific fisheries observers back on purse seiners in January; PNG introduces biggest budget in its history