- Tony Abbott, Australia’s former prime minister, was in PNG last week, where he gave a talk at an Anglicare fundraising dinner, hung out with the AFP, and had an informal meeting with Prime Minister Peter O’Neill.
- A Guardian report on Grasberg mine in West Papua, the world’s largest gold mine and third largest copper mine, discusses the environmental effects on the island and how little impact it has had on the development of West Papua.
- Shadow Foreign Minister Penny Wong visited PNG in late October, and has written on the importance of Australia investing in all elements of its relationship with its closest neighbour.
- The acting speaker of PNG’s parliament Aide Ganasi has passed away from a heart attack.
- Fiji has entered a bid to preside over next year’s UN Climate Change Conference (COP23), a move welcomed by the deputy director-general of the Pacific Community.
- As the cyclone season begins in Fiji, many are still residing in tents following Cyclone Winston, and are in a highly vulnerable position if another cyclone strikes.
- Fiji’s police commissioner is taking a year off to attend a military training college in Malaysia, prompting criticism from Fiji’s opposition leader.
- Provincial leaders in Solomon Islands have agreed to adopt a federal constitution.
- Palau has recorded its first case of the Zika virus.
- American Samoans are electing a governor and a lieutenant-governor (as well as twenty House of Representatives members).
- The Samoa Victim Support Group has won the With and For Girls Award, recognising its work to eliminate violence against women and girls.
- EMTV has aired the first episode in a series highlighting gender-based violence prevention and response in PNG:
Photo: Getty Images/Bloomberg
