New Zealand

Ten containers of watermelons were scheduled to be shipped to New Zealand on 5 December.

However, the trucking companies assigned to transport the melons to the wharf in Tongatapu did not arrive to the growers' farms to pick up the produce, as RNZ Pacific Correspondent Kalafi Moala explained.

"The government, in particular the Ministry of Agriculture had organised for the trucks to come pick up the melons and so the fact that it didn't happen over the weekend, the responsibility falls back on them," he said.

Labour force data indicates Pacific workers are the lowest paid across the country and the pay gap between Pākehā men and Pacific women in the public sector is 27 percent, the commission says.

Its new report, Talanoa: Human rights issues for Pacific peoples in Aotearoa New Zealand, heard from Pacific workers who said they were "often overlooked for upskilling opportunities and promotions. These workers also fear retaliation in raising concerns with their employers", the commission said.

The first seedlings are now in the ground along the salt-laden and sunny slopes of Kēkerengū - just north of Kaikōura.

The ocean-side plantation run by research and development and cultivation company Puro will eventually cover the equivalent of 10 rugby fields.

Fresh out of quarantine, US-based cultivation technician Max Jablonski was last Friday focused on planting the prized seedlings into freshly furrowed, chocolate coloured soil.

 The issuance came yesterday afternoon, provisionally lifting the suspension of such produce which came after the discovery of live fruit fly at the New Zealand border in a shipment of Tongan watermelons nearly two months ago.

In a statement, Peter Thomson from Biosecurity New Zealand, said approval had been given to Tonga to implement corrective actions and improved processes for exporting watermelons.

"It is critical that MPI [Ministry of Primary Industries] has confidence that these processes are fully implemented before we fully reinstate the pathway.

Growers had complained that without these workers, some produce would rot unpicked.

The government has however imposed strict conditions.

The workers would have to be paid the living wage, of at least $22.10 an hour.

Their quarantine costs would have to be paid by their employer and workers would be paid for at least 30 hours a week while in quarantine.

Recruits would come from island nations in the Pacific, but the government has not specified which countries will be chosen.

Conservation officers said they were notified about the incident on Sunday but by the time they reached the location, Waitangi West Beach, few of the animals were still alive.

In total, 97 whales and three dolphins have died.

It is unclear what caused the stranding on the islands, which are 800km (500 miles) east of New Zealand.

The ministry said the crew member had been retested and returned another positive result, so was now a confirmed case, but all of the tests for the person's 11 contacts had returned negative.

The person had seven close contacts and six casual contacts, the ministry said.

It said only 10 people were recorded as having signed in at Animates Manukau between 1.22pm and 2.11pm when the person had been there, after the ministry sent a push notification to them.

The Australian Federal Police (AFP) said the operation was one of Australia's most significant efforts targeting child exploitation.

Investigators identified links through the online forums to alleged child sex offenders residing in Europe, Asia, United States and Canada, and New Zealand, with 146 international referrals made as a result of this investigation, AFP said.

Sefita Hao’uli who is a spokesperson for RSE workers says the next flight is on the 19th of this month with a confirmed limit of only 40 seats.

“This would be our fourth repatriation flight. Just over 300 workers out of 1300 workers that are in New Zealand ​have been able to return home​.

“It’s quite clear that we’re unable to meet the demands."​

Hao'uli say many workers have decided to stay and work throughout the holiday season due to the tight border restrictions.

The flight from New Zealand is scheduled for 19 November and the one from Australia is due to arrive on 24 November.

According to a travel advisory only Tongan citizens and permanent residents can enter Tonga at this time.

Most international flights have been cancelled, and options to leave are extremely limited.

A state of emergency is in force and activities are restricted to prevent the spread of Covid-19.

Meanwhile 251 repatriated passengers that arrived from Australia and New Zealand last week have tested negative for Covid-19.