Australian Government

Australian Deputy High Commissioner Donald Mortimore presented the first donation including eight tranformers, power poles, cables and a large generator.

The donation contributes to the Kingdom's response and recovery from January's volcanic eruption and tsunami.

ADB is providing US$2 million and Australia US$390,000 (in equivalent AUD$500,000) in additional financing to the program which was established in June 2020 to support the Cook Islands, Fiji, Kiribati, Niue, Samoa, Tonga, and Tuvalu.

“The additional financing from the Government of Australia is highly appreciated and will be used to expand the scope of the assistance to Fiji where reforms will focus on strengthening public financial management practices in Fiji,” said Regional Director of ADB’s Pacific Subregional Office in Fiji Masayuki Tachiiri.

The vessel was delivered during a ceremony held at Henderson in Western Australia.

It was accepted by High Commissioner to Australia Princess Angelika Lātūfuipeka Tuku’aho and Armed Forces’ Lieutenant Colonel Tevita Siu Fifita on behalf of Tonga.

This is the second boat delivered to Tonga and the eighth Guardian-class vessel that was delivered under the Pacific Maritime Security Program.

In June last year, Australia delivered the first Guardian-class patrol boat to Tonga to help address regional maritime security threats in the Pacific region.

Australian Awards is piloting a new Australia Awards short course that aims to help build the capacity of women to trade.

The ‘Australia Awards: Women Trading Globally’ course is offered to Pacific women with their own business who have the potential to become ‘export ready’. 

It will cover international trade and how one might be able to embark on the pathway of growing their business into new international markets.

He has called on the Australian Government to return those allegedly involved in the rape of a local, for investigations.

Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull over the weekend announced the one-off refugee resettlement deal between Australia and the US for people on Manus Island and Nauru to be moved to the United States.

Turnbull, alongside Australian Immigration Minister Peter Dutton, over the weekend said the deal would only apply to those currently on Nauru and Manus Island. 

The on-grid project will become the first utility scale solar energy generation facility in Ha’apai.

Tonga Power staff and Governor Mo’ale Finau were pleased to welcome the Minister at Ha’apai during her visit to the solar facility which is located at the power station in Pangai. The senator is in Tonga on an official visit to strengthen Australia’s bilateral relationships with its Pacific partner countries.