Latest news with #Tongan
RNZ News
a day ago
- Business
- RNZ News
Tonga weighs new deep sea mining deal with The Metals Company
The Metals Company is a key player in the deep sea mining industry. Photo: Facebook / The Metals Company Tonga is considering a new deep sea mining contract with Canadian mining group The Metals Company (TMC) - and a local NGO says the government should not sign it. The proposed contract comes at a time of increased uncertainty in the industry, with both the US and the International Seabed Authority (ISA) - the world's deep sea mining regulator - saying they offer a pathway to mine in international waters. The Metals Company has been a key player in that dynamic as it has sought to undertake mining activity under both jurisdictions. Civil Society Forum of Tonga's Drew Havea said the organisation had been invited by the Tonga government to consult on the proposed contract from TMC. Under international oceans law, Tonga has special rights in an area of the Pacific Ocean that has deep sea minerals. The country's existing contract with TMC covered mining activity for Tonga's block of that area, known as the Clarion Clipperton Zone (CCZ). That contract was signed in 2021 by then Prime Minister Pohiva Tu'ionetoa through the ISA framework. Havea, who had not yet seen the proposed TMC contract, expected it would provide a path for Tonga and TMC to mine through the US as well as the ISA. Just last month, the company announced it had signed a new contract with Nauru, another one of its Pacific partners. That agreement detailed potential payment amounts to Nauru should mining occur through the US pathway. Nauru, like Tonga, has special rights in the CCZ under international oceans law. Havea said Tonga should use the current climate as a way of getting out of deep sea mining entirely. His organisation has been a long-standing opponent to Tonga's involvement in the industry. "We are the sponsor country, and sponsor country will be responsible for any damages to the ocean," he said. "It's not the will be responsible. And I think from that perspective, we are quite concerned that we will be liable." Havea believed TMC was already committed to mining through the US pathway - an observation backed by a previous statement from the company that it would only be seeking to mine commercially through the US pathway. Havea said that pathway did not feature in the current Tonga-TMC contract and therefore it would have to be set it out in a new contract "I know TMC has made the application to be part of the US [pathway]. So, from Civil Society [members], we hope that the Tongan government [doesn't] do anything. "Because once [TMC is] into the US mining [pathway], that means they are out of the ISA, and the contract that we have signed has binded us into the ISA." International environmental lawyer Lori Osmundsen said the existing TMC-Tonga contract raised a range of legal concerns for Tonga. In 2023, Osmundsen was commissioned by the Civil Society Forum of Tonga to evaluate the country's legislative framework for ocean issues and ocean management. That comprehensive review covered the existing Tonga-TMC contract and the circumstances of its signing in 2021. To this day, the organisation had not received a clear answer on whether the contract had been approved by Cabinet before it was signed, as required by the country's laws. "Now, there's a new sponsorship agreement between Nauru TMC subsidiary, which is called NORI, and the government of Nauru…that was signed at the very end of May," Osmundsen said. "That is publicly available. And….if that's the recipe for a similar proposed new agreement between Tonga and TMC, it sort of continues on the problems, the legal risks and hazards of the current agreement, and then adds a whole new set." Osmundsen said the major risk for Tonga in signing a TMC contract like Nauru's was that it opened itself up to being involved in a commercial mining arrangement under the US pathway. That pathway would sit outside international laws, and any activity undertaken by Tonga through it would breach the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea, she said. The ISA has also announced it is investigating contractors that hold mining exploration permits under its jurisdiction to ensure they haven't breached the terms of their ISA contracts. That includes TMC and its partnerships with Tonga and Nauru. Notably, no commercial deep sea mining has occurred, and the ISA was still finalising a mining code. Osmundsen has urged Tonga to consider its next steps carefully. "The contract that resulted [in 2021] is quite disadvantageous for Tonga, and we don't need to repeat that," he said. "So greater scrutiny, greater awareness, availability to Tongan public stakeholders, all of governments to evaluate and weigh in on these incredibly important issues."
RNZ News
2 days ago
- RNZ News
Mormon Church responds to allegations against American missionary accused of abusing Tongan boys
An 1835, first edition of the Mormon scripture, "Doctrine and Covenants", revelations from Mormon Church Founder Joseph Smith, is displayed at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints Church History Library. Photo: AFP Content warning: This story discusses the sexual abuse of children. The Mormon Church claims it is unclear whether an American missionary - who allegedly sexually abused boys in Tonga - did so under their roof. William James Purdy was indicted by a federal grand jury in Utah on 16 July on charges related to the exploitation of 14 boys outside the United States. The United States Department of Justice said court documents revealed Purdy travelled to the Tongan capital, Nuku'alofa, in 2017 for a one-year mission with The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. The then 20-year-old allegedly preyed on multiple male victims during his year with the church before returning to the US. "Purdy returned to Tonga in late 2019 to teach at a school in Nuku'alofa, where, for years, he groomed and sexually abused numerous male students, some of whom lived with him," court documents showed. "Purdy allegedly provided gifts, including electronic decives and access to the internet, food, toys and money, in exchange for the performance of sexual acts." He is believed to have secretly recorded young boys in his bathroom at his various apartments in the capital. He was arrested by Tongan police in October 2022, after an eight-year-old school boy disclosed that Purdy sexually assaulted him during their tutoring sessions. However, he continued to offend after being released on bail from prison and in March 2023, with a trial looming, fled the country using a fake passport. Richard Hunter, the Mormon Church's spokesperson for the Pacific area, said the organisation was taking the allegations "very seriously". "It is unclear at this stage if he was involved in abuse as a missionary with us, my colleagues in Tonga were unaware of this until now," said Hunter, who is based in Auckland. However, he admitted that it was "absolutely possible" that offending did occur while he was working with children on his mission. "If our mission leaders in Tonga were aware of this, he would have been sent home immediately for breaking both the law and the commandments of God." "We feel very sad for those whose lives have been impacted so horrendously. I'm hoping there will be opportunities in Tonga for victims to receive love and support from our congregations. He said the church was co-operating with the police in Tonga and the US in all aspects of their pre-trial investigations. Homeland security investigations and diplomatic security service are investigating the case, with the help of Tongan police and the Tongan department of public prosecutions. The investigation has so far identified 14 victims throughout Tonga. "The defendant chose to travel abroad under the guise of good intentions and then sexually exploited and abused children who had been trusted to his care," said acting assistant attorney-general General Matthew Galeotti of the US justice department's criminal division. "When foreign authorities sought to hold him accountable, he fled back to the US. The US will not export child exploitation. The department is committed to securing justice for children exploited overseas when these heinous acts are committed by Americans." Galeotti said. Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) in Philadelphia special agent in charge Edward Owens said Purdy's actions represented a "profound betrayal of trust and have caused immeasurable harm to the young lives he was supposed to protect and nurture." "Our global reach and partnerships are crucial in our relentless fight against child predators, ensuring that those who exploit and abuse children, no matter where they are, are brought to justice," Owens said. In Tonga In New Zealand
Scoop
2 days ago
- Politics
- Scoop
Pacific News In Brief For 29 July
Palau - refugees A proposal from the United States to temporarily host asylum seekers in Palau has been met with resistance in the country's National Congress. The Pacific Island Times reported the proposal, presented on 18 July, sought Palau's agreement to temporarily host people who were seeking asylum in the United States but cannot be returned to their country of origin. Just one day after the proposal was presented, the leaders of both houses of the Olbiil Era Kelulau, or Senate, sent a joint letter to President Surangel Whipps Jr advising him not to proceed. The letter said while Palau is a strong US ally, it cannot afford to overpromise or commit to something it cannot fulfill. The Council of Chiefs, which advises the president and includes traditional leaders from Palau's 16 states, has echoed the congressional stance. Palau does not have a legal framework on accommodating asylum seekers or refugees. Tonga - travel Allegations have been made of excessive travel spending by Tongan politicians. Former Cabinet Minister Etuate Lavulavu, who also operates a newspaper, sayid he has evidence that one minister received up to $5 million Tongan pa'anga, another received $2m, and a third received $1m in their travel packages. Kaniva Tonga reported Lavulavu expressed concern not only about the alleged spending of taxpayers' money, but also about the financial struggles many people are facing. Deputy Prime Minister Taniela Fusimālohi said the government's travel budget has often doubled or exceeded the allocated amount, as shown in official budget documents. Papua New Guinea - transparency Transparency International Papua New Guinea (TIPNG) has welcomed the government signing a United Nations Transparency Pledge. The UN Convention Against Corruption's Transparency Pledge is a voluntary commitment to meet minimum standards of transparency. PNG signed it earlier this month in Vienna. TIPNG helped develop the pledge and its chairman, Peter Aitsi, said by signing PNG is committing to continuing to include civil society in implementing and reviewing the country's progress on meeting its international obligations to address corruption. He said this commitment builds on previous collaboration between Government and civil society. Tonga - arrest The US Department of Justice has announced the arrest of an American missionary to Tonga. The accused was indicted by a federal grand jury on 16 July, on charges related to the exploitation of minors outside the United States. According to court documents, the man traveled to Tonga for his mission with The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and while there, he allegedly sexually abused minor boys. Homeland Security Investigations and the Diplomatic Security Service are investigating the case, with the help of Tonga Police and the Tongan Department of Public Prosecutions. Fiji - aerobridge A Fiji Airways Boeing 737 MAX was damaged by an aerobridge at Brisbane's International Airport on Saturday. The Brisbane Times reported that an aerobridge - the enclosed walkway which allows passengers into the plane - smashed into the cockpit's left-hand windscreen after the aircraft arrived from Nadi late at night. All pasengers safely disembarked via the forward stairs. A month ago, a Qantas Boeing 737 was damaged in similar circumstances at Brisbane International Airport, two months after an Air New Zealand Boeing 777 struck an aerobridge as it was being pushed back on the tarmac. Papua New Guinea - mining Investors in Japan have been invited to Papua New Guinea to explore mining opportunities. The National newspaper reported 'OK Tedi Mining Limited' CEO Kedi Ilimbit saying at a seminar in Japan that this marks a new chapter in PNG's relationship with the country. Prime Minister James Marape was also at the event. The agenda included talks on PNG's so-called untapped mining and infrastructure along with social impacts and inclusive growth.
The Age
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- The Age
The viral fish burger might catch your eye, but it's not our critic's go-to order at Edita's
Can we all rally around the return of the great Australian dim sim? Along with other long-maligned or diminished food items such as the salad sandwich, the humble dimmie is seeing a resurgence in recent years. Of course, these things never went out of style in certain country cafes and school canteens, but recently everyone from trendy pubs to inner-city cafes has been re-embracing the dim sim, putting their own spin on the golden-fried meat pucks (none of the newer iterations I've seen have been steamed), and leaning into the collective nostalgia we have for the tuckshop greasiness of our childhoods. In Rathdowne Village, Edita's is taking that nostalgia and going one step further. Yes, there's a next-gen dim sim, which I'll get to in a minute. But Edita's is a full-fledged fish-and-chip shop, inspired by the all-Australian chippie but imbued with freshness and creativity, as well as the Polynesian background of the family that runs it. The small storefront, which was also a fish-and-chip shop under previous ownership, has been brightened and modernised, the main wall across from the counter covered in a large colourful mural of the restaurant's namesake, Edita, the grandmother of owners (and siblings) Tima and Stan Tausinga. Edita's face is everywhere: rendered in neon signage and also as a stamp on the takeaway boxes. This is a business built around family in every way, from its recipes to the various family members working in the shop every day. It's Tima and Stan's father's affection for a McDonald's Filet-O-Fish that inspired the shop's most popular (and somewhat internet-famous) item, the Edita's burger, which sees fried fish drenched in house-made tartare sauce with American cheese on a toasted potato roll. It's a glorious mess of a sandwich, but the fish is fresh, not out of the freezer, battered just before going in the fryer, and the quality of the ingredients make it more than just a tawdry jumble of fried, sweet and gloopy things. The fried fish sandwich has achieved some level of viral status, likely because of its nostalgic appeal, but my heart belongs to the coconut prawn roll. A brioche roll is filled with prawns in a creamy coconut dressing, with flying fish roe and crisp lettuce (which, as a kind of lining for the prawn filling, helps this sandwich avoid the fall-apart sloppiness that plagues the fish burger). The Tongan and Samoan influence shines through in the sweetness of the bread and the tropical flavours of coconut and seafood, and it gave me happy, beachy, summer vibes on a freezing July day in Melbourne. Tonga and Samoa are also represented in the chop suey spring rolls, a mashup of Chinese take-out staples with a Polynesian spin. The basics, too, are done far better than average. The chips are hand cut and thrice fried, finger-like logs of crispy goodness. Given all of this, you might expect Edita's to be pricier than your average chippie, but that's not the case. The packs in particular are fantastic value – $19 gets you a piece of fried flake, a potato cake, dim sim, chips and a can of soda. A family pack, which feeds four, is $70. The coconut prawn roll gave me happy, beachy, summer vibes on a freezing July day in Melbourne. About those dim sims, which are a family-specific take: the filling is a pork sausage that's based on grandma Edita's recipe, and the result is like a rissole encased in a golden-fried wrapper. It almost has more in common with a Scotch egg than a traditional dimmie, albeit one with no egg at its centre. Regardless, it's true to the spirit of the dim sim, in that it's a delicious Melbourne take on food that's influenced by many and diverse populations. The next time I'm asked what, exactly, Australian food is, Edita's will be top of mind. It's an example of the beauty that can happen when cultures collide, when a Pacific Islander family share its own traditions and combines them with our broader collective nostalgia and love for fried and battered meat, seafood and potatoes.
Sydney Morning Herald
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Sydney Morning Herald
The viral fish burger might catch your eye, but it's not our critic's go-to order at Edita's
Can we all rally around the return of the great Australian dim sim? Along with other long-maligned or diminished food items such as the salad sandwich, the humble dimmie is seeing a resurgence in recent years. Of course, these things never went out of style in certain country cafes and school canteens, but recently everyone from trendy pubs to inner-city cafes has been re-embracing the dim sim, putting their own spin on the golden-fried meat pucks (none of the newer iterations I've seen have been steamed), and leaning into the collective nostalgia we have for the tuckshop greasiness of our childhoods. In Rathdowne Village, Edita's is taking that nostalgia and going one step further. Yes, there's a next-gen dim sim, which I'll get to in a minute. But Edita's is a full-fledged fish-and-chip shop, inspired by the all-Australian chippie but imbued with freshness and creativity, as well as the Polynesian background of the family that runs it. The small storefront, which was also a fish-and-chip shop under previous ownership, has been brightened and modernised, the main wall across from the counter covered in a large colourful mural of the restaurant's namesake, Edita, the grandmother of owners (and siblings) Tima and Stan Tausinga. Edita's face is everywhere: rendered in neon signage and also as a stamp on the takeaway boxes. This is a business built around family in every way, from its recipes to the various family members working in the shop every day. It's Tima and Stan's father's affection for a McDonald's Filet-O-Fish that inspired the shop's most popular (and somewhat internet-famous) item, the Edita's burger, which sees fried fish drenched in house-made tartare sauce with American cheese on a toasted potato roll. It's a glorious mess of a sandwich, but the fish is fresh, not out of the freezer, battered just before going in the fryer, and the quality of the ingredients make it more than just a tawdry jumble of fried, sweet and gloopy things. The fried fish sandwich has achieved some level of viral status, likely because of its nostalgic appeal, but my heart belongs to the coconut prawn roll. A brioche roll is filled with prawns in a creamy coconut dressing, with flying fish roe and crisp lettuce (which, as a kind of lining for the prawn filling, helps this sandwich avoid the fall-apart sloppiness that plagues the fish burger). The Tongan and Samoan influence shines through in the sweetness of the bread and the tropical flavours of coconut and seafood, and it gave me happy, beachy, summer vibes on a freezing July day in Melbourne. Tonga and Samoa are also represented in the chop suey spring rolls, a mashup of Chinese take-out staples with a Polynesian spin. The basics, too, are done far better than average. The chips are hand cut and thrice fried, finger-like logs of crispy goodness. Given all of this, you might expect Edita's to be pricier than your average chippie, but that's not the case. The packs in particular are fantastic value – $19 gets you a piece of fried flake, a potato cake, dim sim, chips and a can of soda. A family pack, which feeds four, is $70. The coconut prawn roll gave me happy, beachy, summer vibes on a freezing July day in Melbourne. About those dim sims, which are a family-specific take: the filling is a pork sausage that's based on grandma Edita's recipe, and the result is like a rissole encased in a golden-fried wrapper. It almost has more in common with a Scotch egg than a traditional dimmie, albeit one with no egg at its centre. Regardless, it's true to the spirit of the dim sim, in that it's a delicious Melbourne take on food that's influenced by many and diverse populations. The next time I'm asked what, exactly, Australian food is, Edita's will be top of mind. It's an example of the beauty that can happen when cultures collide, when a Pacific Islander family share its own traditions and combines them with our broader collective nostalgia and love for fried and battered meat, seafood and potatoes.
