Palau president weighs in on Trump's deep sea mining push
Palau's president says the executive order issued by US president Donald Trump in April to fast-track deep sea mining is not a good idea.
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Scoop
an hour ago
- Scoop
Law Change Better Protecting Children's Rights In Sexual Violence Cases Welcomed
Chief Children's Commissioner Dr Claire Achmad says legislation passed last night to strengthen protections for young victims of sexual violence is a step in the right direction. The Victims of Sexual Violence Bill amends the law so that children under the age of 12 cannot be questioned about whether they consented to sex. 'It was wrong that this provision was still in our law, so I'm pleased the Government led work to change this. It's positive too, that there was support from many parties across Parliament for this change. When it comes to children and their rights, the best thing the Government and Parliament can do is to work together, putting children first. This is a good example of this,' says Dr Achmad. The Chief Children's Commissioner says that better protections for victims of sexual violence have been a long time coming. 'I've had the privilege of meeting with children and young people throughout New Zealand who are victim-survivors of sexual violence, and they talk to me about the systemic change that's needed to protect their rights and help them heal. 'While there's still much more to do, so that no child experiences sexual violence of any form, I strongly welcome the changes passed last night. They are important steps towards strengthening the rights of children and young people in court processes. 'I acknowledge the immense courage of victims, especially mokopuna survivors of sexual assault, who shared their lived experience to help shape the legislation,' she says. 'The changes to the law that recognise that mokopuna cannot consent to abuse, and that they should not be questioned or challenged about whether they consented to sex, are crucial to keeping them safe from re-traumatisation.' In its submission to Parliament on the Bill, Mana Mokopuna – Children and Young People's Commission supported the Bill's overarching goal to amend the Crimes Act 1961 to give victim survivors of sexual assault more agency in court processes. 'I also advocated for stronger protections for mokopuna aged 12-16 years in these court processes, and training and education for the legal sector and judiciary to ensure they apply the legislation as intended,' says Dr Achmad. 'I hope that the changes passed last night signal continued commitment and action to recognise the rights and wellbeing of children and young people in all court processes affecting them. 'Supporting mokopuna to have agency in these processes and to be recognised as the children that they are is so important – both upholding their rights and in ensuring they can begin their healing journey,' she says.
RNZ News
3 hours ago
- RNZ News
Why most Pacific governments stand with Israel
A supporter of Israel holds an Israeli flag in front of the Israeli Embassy in Washington, DC, on 8 October. Photo: JULIA NIKHINSON / AFP Amid uncertainty in the Middle East, one thing remains clear: most Pacific governments continue to align themselves with Israel. Steven Ratuva, distinguished professor of Pacific Studies at Canterbury University, told RNZ that island leaders are likely to try and keep their distance, but only officially speaking. "They'd probably feel safer that way, rather than publicly taking sides. But I think quite a few of them would probably be siding with Israel." With Iran and Israel trading blows last week, Ratuva said that is translating into deeper divisions along religious and political lines in Pacific nations. "People may not want to admit it, but it's manifesting itself in different ways." Photo: 123RF The United Nations General Assembly adopted a resolution on 13 June calling for "an immediate, unconditional and permanent ceasefire in the war in Gaza", passing with 142 votes, or a 73 percent majority. Among the 12 nations that voted against the resolution , alongside Israel and the United States, were Fiji, Micronesia, Nauru, Palau, Papua New Guinea and Tuvalu. Among the regional community, only Vanuatu and the Solomon Islands voted for the resolution, while others abstained or were absent. Last week, Fijian Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka, in an interview with The Australian , defended Israel's actions in Iran as an act of survival. "They cannot survive if there is a big threat capability within range of Israel. Whatever [Israel] are doing now can be seen as pre-emptive, knocking it out before it's fired on you." In February, Fiji also committed to an embassy in Jerusalem - a recognition of Israel's right to call the city their capital - mirroring Papua New Guinea in 2023. Ratuva said that deep, longstanding, religious and political ties with the West are what ground the regions ties with Israel. "Most of the Pacific Island states have been aligned with the US since the Cold War and beyond, so the Western sphere of influence is seen as, for many of them, the place to be." He noted the rise in Christian evangelism, which is aligned with Zionism and the global push for a Jewish homeland, in pockets throughout the Pacific, particularly in Fiji. "Small religious organisations which have links with or model selves along the lines of the United States evangelical movement, which has been supportive of Trump, tend to militate towards supporting Israel for religious reasons." "And of course, religion and politics, when you mix them together, become very powerful in terms of one's positioning (in the world)." Photo: RNZ/Mark Papalii In Fijian society, Ratuva said that the war in Gaza has stoked tensions between the Christian majority and the Muslim minority. According to the CIA World Factbook, roughly 64.5 percent of Fijians are Christian, compared to a Muslim population of 6.3 percent. "It's coming out very clearly, in terms of the way in which those belonging to the fundamentalist political orientation tend to make statements which are against non-Christians" Ratuva said. "People begin to take in some ways deepens the religious divide, particularly in Fiji which is multi-ethnic and multi-religious, and where the Islamic community is relatively significant." A statement from the Melanesian Spearhead Group Secretariat, released on Wednesday, said that the Pacific wishes to be an "ocean of peace". "Leaders also reaffirmed their commitment to the Friends to All, Enemy to None Foreign Policy to guide the MSG Members' relationship with countries and Development Partners." It bookends a summit that brought together leaders from Fiji, Papua New Guinea, and other Melanesian nations, where the Middle East was discussed, according to local media. But the Pacific region had been used in a deceptive strategy as the US prepared for the strikes on Iran. On this matter, Melanesian leaders did not respond to requests for comment. Israeli rescuers search through the rubble of a heavily damaged building, following an overnight Iranian missile strike in Bat Yam on 15 June 2025. Photo: Gil Cohen-Magen / AFP The BBC reported on Monday that B-2 planes flew to Guam from Missouri as a decoy to distract from top-secret flights headed over the Atlantic to Iran. This sparked outrage from civil society leaders throughout the region, including the head of the Pacific Conference of Churches, Reverend James Bhagwan. "This use of Pacific airspace and territory for military strikes violates the spirit of the Treaty of Rarotonga, our region's declaration for being a nuclear, free peace committed zone." "Our region has a memory of nuclear testing, occupation and trauma... we don't forget that when we talk about these issues." Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Photo: GPO / AFP Bhagwan told RNZ that there is no popular support for Israel's most recent actions in the Pacific. "This is because we have international law... this includes, of course, the US strikes on Iran and perhaps, also, Israel's actions in Gaza." "It is not about religion, it is about people." Bhagwan, whose organisation represents 27 member churches across 17 Pacific nations, refused to say whether he believed there was a link between christian fundamentalism and Pacific support for Israel. "We can say that there is a religious contingency within the Pacific that does support Israel... it does not necessarily mean it's the majority view, but it is one that is seriously considered by those in power." "It depends on how those (politicians) consider that support they get from those particular aspects of the community." For some, the religious commitment runs so deep that they venture to Israel in a kind of pilgrimage. Ratuva told RNZ that there is a significant population of islanders in the region, many of whom may now be trapped before a ceasefire is finalised. "There was a time when the Gaza situation began to unfold, when a number of people from Fiji, Tonga and Samoa were there for pilgrimage purposes." "At that time there were significant numbers, and Fiji was able to fly over there to evauate them. So this time, I'm not sure whether that might happen." Bhagwan said that the religious ties run deep. "They go to Jerusalem, to Bethlehem, to the Mount of Olives, to the Golan Heights, where the transfiguration took place. Fiji also is stationed in the Golan Heights as peacekeepers." "So there is a correlation, particularly for Pacific or for Fijian communities, on that relationship as peacekeepers in that region."
RNZ News
4 hours ago
- RNZ News
PNG hands over majority stakes in BCL to Autonomous Bougainville Government
Panguna open pit copper mine in Bougainville. Photo: 123RF The Papua New Guinea government is preparing to transfer its 36.45 percent ownership in Bougainville Copper Limited (BCL) to the Autonomous Bougainville Government. This transfer, valued at over PGK140.3 million (approx. NZ$56m) at current market rates, is expected to be formally announced by Prime Minister James Marape on Thursday. The transfer includes 146,175,449 ordinary shares in BCL. These shares are currently held by the State through the Department of Treasury and Eda Minerals Limited, a fully-owned subsidiary of Kumul Minerals Holdings. This represents a total of 36.45 percent of BCL's issued capital, in two separate tranches of 19.06 percent and 17.39 percent share respectively. The transfer follows a decision by the National Executive Council for the people of Bougainville to own the shares currently held by the State. This decision also meets a directive from the Joint Supervisory Body (JSB) in its meeting on 12 March 2020 for the State's 36.45 percent shareholding in BCL to be transferred to ABG. "I am pleased to see us making progress in this matter," Marape said. "It is our expressed commitment to transfer the entirety of the 36.45 percent shareholding to the government of Bougainville so the landowners of Panguna and the people of Bougainville can benefit better in the mine." The transfer of shares will result in the ABG and the people of Bougainville assuming ownership of 72.9 percent of BCL's issued capital. This transfer is being carried out at no cost to the ABG. Bougainville Copper Limited is a publicly listed company on the Australian Stock Exchange. Its share price is currently trading at AU$0.39 per share. The current market value of the shares being transferred to the people of Bougainville through ABG is AU$54,742,705. When converted to PNG currency, this is worth PGK140,365,511. Marape commended the ABG leadership of President Ishmael Toroama. He said this is a mutually reached decision on both sides that reflects the work of the two governments.
