Spoke with Nicola Willis about the budget.
Despite looming cuts, Foreign Affairs and Defence will see boosts to both capital and operational spend on May 30. Defence spend will grow further in future budgets following June's Capability Plan.

gleninnesexaminer.com.au/story/8618221/…

Global Citizen Prize awarded to Pacific Island Students Fighting Climate Change (PISFCC) Campaign Director, Vishal Prasad of 🇫🇯 excellent recognition of work 👏

bit.ly/3Qud3Ka

American Samoa joining deep sea mining race, claiming 40b tons of seabed minerals lie within a 1600 km radius of Pago Pago, making it ideal for mineral refinery
pacificislandtimes.com/post/deepsea-m…

Warm Pacific greetings, come and work with a talented team of journalists who are passionate about Pacific issues in the region, and Aotearoa.

rnz.careercentre.net.nz/job/journalist…

Dr Tracy Westerman AM It’s against the law in the NT to expose a kids past. Hope the gvmt prosecutes Sky News and Stefanovic.

Letters to Editor. The former Prime Minister writes that this is not the Australia he knew five years ago. buff.ly/3JLr7uZ

First Ministers announced. Soga may be the Minister of Finance. Lots of former Independents with portfolios.
Tovosia retains Mines, Kuma to Commerce and Labour. Seleso retains Rural Development
#SolPol

Dr Tess Newton Cain Anna Powles Terence Wood Marion Crawshaw

📣 Gaza and the Pacific on the agenda with Germany

beehive.govt.nz/release/gaza-a…

🇳🇿 🤝 🇩🇪

Villages are banding together in the Solomon Islands to show that carbon credits can have multiple benefits, reports Jo Chandler inside.org.au/selling-the-fo…

Doing the rounds on social media today is Vanuatu's Govts latest policy on LGBTQIA+ rights, which invokes 'Christian principles & Melanesian values' but risks discrimination. Caution & dialogue are crucial. #HumanRights #Vanuatu '

Everyone's excited for this game despite the heavy rain 🌧 😊

Taboos on Abortion: Unveiling Silence in the Pacific'
In the Pacific region, discussions about abortion are rare due to societal taboos. However, a few courageous individuals are breaking the silence.
abc.net.au/news/2024-05-0…

In a flying visit to Hawai’i, US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin will meet with leaders from Australia, Japan and the three Micronesian Compact states.
defense.gov/News/News-Stor…

First Foreign leader, PNG, Deputy Prime Minister, Hon John Rosso to land and congratulate 🇸🇧 newly elected Prime Minister in person. 🇵🇬connected to 🇸🇧 by culture, blood and geography expressing solidarity between the two closest neighbors. Wantoks, one solwara, one family.

Excellent piece for this World Press Freedom Day & good to see Stefan Armbruster included in the byline

It’s a sad coincidence that #Vanuatu today celebrates placing #1 on the Happy Planet Index on the same day this shocking report is released by ABC Pacific. As the report notes, 60%+ of ni-Vanuatu women have been abused by a male partner.

Aa a sign of Germany’s growing interest in the region, Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock will visit Australia, NZ and Fiji this week. In Suva, she’ll visit the Black Rock peacekeeping camp and meet Fiji PM Rabuka and Forum Secretary General Henry Puna.
auswaertiges-amt.de/en/aussenpolit…

Tongan King questions government decisions to close Parliament session
rnz.co.nz/international/…

World Press Freedom Day celebrations in Honiara! A meaningful breakfast event bringing together peers and stakeholders. Huge thanks to BBC Media Action for their invaluable support to MASI! #PressFreedom MASI Jeremy Gwao

Wishing all of our journalists in Fiji and the Pacific a Happy World Free Press Day.
#WorldPressFreedomDay