Fiji's High Court finds nine men guilty in country's biggest drug bust
Fiji's High Court has found nine men guilty of various charges stemming from the country's biggest drug bust.
Pacific countries spring into tsunami action plans following the massive eight point eight magnitude earthquake in Russia
Tuvalu's Prime Minister visits Canberra following the first Tuvaluans being selected to migrate to Australia under the Falepili Migration Pathway
Concerns around the skyrocketing rates of sexually transmitted diseases among PALM scheme workers
Vanuatu marks 45 years of and celebrates the landmark advisory opinion passed down by the International Court of Justice.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
ABC News
an hour ago
- ABC News
UN urges Australia to halt deportation of man to Nauru while complaint investigated
The United Nations has urged Australia to halt plans to deport a man to Nauru while it investigates the human rights implications of his case. Australia is seeking to deport three people released under the NZYQ decision to the tiny Pacific nation in exchange for an undisclosed payment but their removal has been stalled since February due to court challenges. The men, one of whom has a prior murder conviction, were among a group of hundreds released into the community following the High Court's dramatic 2023 ruling that their indefinite detention was unlawful. The United Nations' Human Rights Committee wrote to the Australian government last week requesting the deportation of one of the trio be halted while they consider his complaint to the body, which was submitted days earlier. It cannot compel the government to follow its direction, which it issued as an interim measure while the matter is under investigation. "The principle is simple; if your visa is cancelled, you have to leave Australia," Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke said in a statement. "That's a pretty consistent principle, applied in every functioning immigration system around the world." But the Human Rights Law Centre, which is representing the man, argues the government has an international legal responsibility not to deport people to places where they might be killed or suffer inhumane treatment. Their complaint to the United Nations on behalf of their client argued that sending him to Nauru breached this obligation because he would not be able to access adequate medical treatment, would be separated from his family, could face violence or discrimination and there is no guarantee the Nauruan government would not deport him back to Iraq, where he faces the risk of persecution. "This insidious plan affects more than just three people. It shows the Albanese government believes that some people in this country deserve fewer rights than others, and deserve repeated, lifelong punishment," associate legal director Josephine Langbien said. "These deportations would set a dangerous new baseline for how all migrants and refugees can be treated. We must demand better from our political leaders." In February, the government announced it had struck a deal with Nauru, which offered to grant visas to members of the NZYQ cohort in exchange for payment. The group — many of whom were convicted of violent offences but have served their sentences — were previously being kept indefinitely in Australian immigration detention because they had failed character tests but also had no reasonable prospects of deportation. That was until the high court's landmark decision in the case of one man, identified only as "NZYQ", triggered the cohort's release into the community. The judgement sent the government scrambling to find an alternative solution, which included attempts to monitor the cohort using ankle bracelets and curfews. But that too had to be reworked when the High Court ruled the cohort could not be treated punitively. Announcing the deal with Nauru, Mr Burke said he expected that more than the three men would eventually be deported after the initial legal challenges were cleared. It is the first test of the new laws that the government passed last year to strengthen its powers to send people without a visa to a third country for resettlement. In the interim, the government has promised the High Court that the man would not be removed from Australia until his case was resolved. Court documents show he was convicted of a crime and sentenced to a total of five years' jail before being released on parole and taken into immigration detention. His lawyers argue the ruling about his visa was not made lawfully. It is unclear when the High Court will make a judgement in the case. "The Albanese government claims to respect international law and urges other countries to do the same," Ms Langbien said. "It must demonstrate that respect by following this direction from the UN Human Rights Committee and halting these deportations."
West Australian
11 hours ago
- West Australian
Billions of dollars and thousands of jobs for WA in defence industry manufacturing
Billions of dollars and thousands of jobs will bolster and diversify WA's economy when manufacturing begins on the Royal Australian Navy's new frigate fleet at Henderson, according to the Premier. The State-owned Australian Marine Complex, south of Perth, will become home to a Commonwealth Defence Precinct to manufacture the eight Mogami-class frigates, and serve as a hub for continuous naval shipbuilding. 'This is the single biggest defence agreement ever struck between Japan and Australia and Western Australia is at the heart of it,' Premier Roger Cook said. 'We know that what we will see with the engagement of the Japanese in relation to this construction program is that they will seek to integrate Western Australian companies into their overall supply chains. 'Not only will you see great outcomes in terms of ship construction, you'll see great outcomes in terms of allied companies, which can feed into that overall supply chain.' Defence Industries Minister Paul Papalia said the AMC was already equipped to deliver the new frigate fleet, and there was a skilled workforce capable of delivering the project. 'Austal are building in Western Australia the evolved Cape-class and Pacific patrol boats. Civmec are building the offshore patrol vessels, and we have people engaged in similar tasks for maintenance of naval ships. 'All of that workforce are highly skilled and capable of doing very similar jobs, similar roles that they'll be required to do for building frigates.' The Cook Government is investing into the Department of Training and Workforce Development to ensure a pipeline of skilled workers will be available to meet future demands for the defence industry. 'In the near term, there's a workforce that is capable and available,' Mr Papalia said. 'We've got to grow the scale of what we have in terms of numbers over time. We're talking tens of thousands of more jobs.' In addition to ship manufacturing, the Navy's soon to be acquired conventionally armed, nuclear-powered submarines will be maintained and housed in WA. The Federal Government has committed about $8 billion towards expanding HMAS Stirling including wharf upgrades and construction of maintenance, logistics and training facilities. About 3500 jobs are expected to be generated over the next decade from the project.
ABC News
20 hours ago
- ABC News
New Caledonian President says it's time for 'democracy to do the talking' after historic Bougival Accord
New Caledonian President Alcide Ponga hopes the new Bougival Accord, which emerged after 10 days of gruelling talks in France, could offer a path to stability after what has been a political "rollercoaster ride" for the country. Since violence erupted across the French territory in May 2024 and claimed the lives of 14 people, the damage done is estimated to have cost New Caledonia two billion euros ($3.6 billion). Mr Ponga last spoke with ABC Pacific in March, as French Minister for Overseas Manuel Valls flew in and out of the French territory, attempting to get pro-independence and French loyalists to agree. Four months later, the Bougival Accord was signed on July 12 at a meeting called by French President Emmanuel Macron. The French president met with New Caledonia's elected officials and state representatives in Paris to discuss an agreement aimed at granting the island more autonomy. ( AP: Pool Reuters ) By February 2026, a public referendum must be held. But it won't be a question of independence, but rather a vote to endorse the Accord. Mr Ponga told ABC Pacific it was "essential to reach an objective" and for the group of pro-independence and French loyalists to leave France with a plan. "Now is the time to let the democracy [do the] talking," he said. "It is our duty to do that because people in New Caledonia; they're waiting for us." While Mr Macron dubbed the proposed agreement "historic", Mr Ponga views it more as a "compromise" document than an agreement. "For me, if I was to put a title around this document, I would say that it's not [an] agreement from Bougival, it's compromised from Bougival." The Bougival Accord One of the headlines to come out of the proposed agreement was granting New Caledonia more autonomy. Creating a 'State of New Caledonia' within the French Republic, to be enshrined in the French Constitution Creating a 'State of New Caledonia' within the French Republic, to be enshrined in the French Constitution Introduce a Caledonian nationality, allowing Caledonians dual nationality Introduce a Caledonian nationality, allowing Caledonians dual nationality A special organic law (Loi Organique), will define the conditions for implementing the agreement A special organic law (Loi Organique), will define the conditions for implementing the agreement A fundamental law, which would be adopted by the Congress of New Caledonia, will outline New Caledonia's capacity for self-organisation A fundamental law, which would be adopted by the Congress of New Caledonia, will outline New Caledonia's capacity for self-organisation The provisions of the 1998 Noumea Accord that are not contrary to the Bougival Accord will remain in force The provisions of the 1998 Noumea Accord that are not contrary to the Bougival Accord will remain in force New Caledonians will vote on the Bougival Accord Under the agreement, France and New Caledonia's shared authority over foreign affairs would be handed over to the Government of New Caledonia. "We [are] talking about the relation, international relations, we can have more responsibility in New Caledonia to have agreements with regions here in the Pacific," Mr Ponga said. The agreement outlines that New Caledonia will conduct its diplomatic work "in accordance with the international commitments and the interests of France". "We will have to work on that with France to say, 'Ok guys, we [are] still French, but in some areas, New Caledonia can sign some relationship or some agreement'." The issue of voter eligibility was also pressure point when the deadly violence erupted last year. The Accord proposes to expand eligibility to those who have lived in New Caledonia for 15 years to the date of the next election will be eligible to vote. Mr Ponga believes expanding voter eligibility will help New Caledonia rebuild. "If we want to build [a] country, we need people, we need consumers," he said. "We need produce. We need people to pay tax. We need people to plant yam or salad, tomatoes, potatoes. "You need people to make [the] economy great again; I'm not American guy. Make [the] economy in New Caledonia great again." Mr Ponga made his early career in the nickel industry before going into politics, and believes the industry will also play a key role in rebuilding New Caledonia's economy. The Accord outlines an economic pact that would facilitate the export of nickel ore as part of a "renewed nickel doctrine". The President told ABC Pacific that New Caledonia needed to create a "good atmosphere" for investment rather than relying on France for money. "If we put on the table the good regulatory, you can make investors want to come to New Caledonia and put money on nickel, money on energy, put money on blue economy." But Mr Ponga recognises that there is some convincing to do for the Accord to be passed. "We are different community, but we have to create one country and to make our country improve economically."
