Now for our weekly wrap up of global politics with Dr Stephen Hoadley Associate Professor of Politics and International Relations at the University of Auckland’s Faculty of Arts.

Russian military was threatening neighbouring Ukraine.  

U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan.

Turkey and China accused of genocide.  

Pasifika politics, updates on Samoa, New Caledonia and Marshall Islands?.   

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Dahlia Malaeulu is a New Zealand born Samoan who is a passionate educator at heart.  She is the author of the ‘Mila’s My Gagana’ series, and now Teine Samoa- fiction and ebook about four junior high school student's journey of cultural identity and discovery as teine Sāmoa living in New Zealand. 

Ultimately, Dahlia wants to enable tamaiti to confidently and proudly succeed as Pasifika. She is working towards creating accessible quality Pasifika stories and resources that reflect Pasifika values, languages, cultures and most importantly tamaiti

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Fiji is in its third day of a 14 day containment strategy to arrest the spread of Covid19 amongst the community as more cases are confirmed.

The country’s Permanent Secretary of Health Dr James Fong says Fijians should be on alert given reports from countries like India where a second wave of Covid19 has become a tsunami overwhelming their health system.  Dr Fong said yesterday that there were 42 confirmed cases now in isolation but stressed that the number of actual undetected cases is likely higher.

To give us an update on the latest in Fiji we have on the line Tanya Waqanika a 47 year old Member Parliament with the opposition Social Democratic Liberal Party Party. She is a lawyer and Principal at Waqanika Law Firm and a former Head of Content and Local Production at Fiji One News.

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An eLearning project focussed on enhancing science teaching to Year 10 students in the Pacific Islands is being piloted this year through a programme created by partners Catalpa International, Nanogirl Labs and Wintec, and funded by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade (MFAT).

The programme will develop co-designed science teaching programmes for Sāmoa, Vanuatu, Solomon Islands and the Cook Islands.

Catalpa, a global development organisation specialising in person-centred design and technology, are spearheading the project. Wintec will be responsible for developing pedagogical and professional development to support teachers in delivering STEM teaching material, and Nanogirl Labs will provide STEM teaching material content.

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The tragic story of a Tongan man who killed his partner and then himself in Pukekohe last week has once again shone the spotlight on family violence.

Family harm is one of the most significant social issues facing New Zealand today and while it’s a difficult topic to talk about, it’s a very important one as every year around 13 women, 10 men and 9 children die through domestic violence.

To help us have that conversation today we have on the line Ala’imoana Lua Maynard of Safe Man Safe Family, an organisation that works to help men break the cycle of violence.  Talofa lava i lau afioga Ala’imoana and thank you very much for making time to have a chat with us this morning. 

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More new cases of Covid-19 have been confirmed in Fiji.  The Central Division including the capital Suva is in lockdown effective for 14 days.

A restricted movement order issued on the main island of Viti Levu.  To give us more context into the situation in Fiji we cross over live to Fiji to talk with 

 

Lice Movono is a freelance journalist whose work  has featured on ABC Australia, The Guardian, Al Jazeera, Radio NZ, SBS, Newstalk ZB, Agence France-Presse.  She also owns her own company Today Media Fiji.  

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Rugby league has played a significant part in New Zealand sport for over 100 years.  The NZ Rugby league is the governing body for the sport of rugby league charged with the growth, development and delivery of the code in Aotearoa.

 

The playing population of Maori and Pasifika players in the NRL continues to grow.  This week the Pasifika Aotearoa Collective have a Pacific Rugby League launch event.  

We have the Pasifika Aotearoa Collective Coordinator - Phillip Tasmania joins us this morning to talk more about the launch event and significant contribution of Pasifika players to the sport.

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Jioji Ravulo made history last month when he became the first professor of Pasifika heritage in Australia after he was appointed Professor and Chair of Social Work and Policy Studies at Sydney University.

His research areas of interest include mental health and well being, alcohol and other drugs, youth development, marginality and decoloniality.  Jioji Ravulo’s father Jovesa was born and raised in Suva Fiji and moved to Australia in the 1970’s where he met Jioji’s mother a school teacher and together they raised their five children in public housing in south-west Sydney

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Every Tuesday on Pacific Days, we’re joined by incredible Pasifika business owners/entrepreneurs, to share the journey of their journey in business. 

Today, we’re joined by Landscaping service director of Leafa Lawns, Gerard Leafa. Leafa Lawns specializes in the up-keeping and maintenance of front to backyard plots. Offering lawn services that boasts both sustainability and affordability without waning on the level of quality provided. 

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The Samoan Electoral Commissioner’s appointment of an additional woman MP after the country’s general elections two weeks ago has been called “unconstitutional” by the opposition FAST party.

Samoa’s Electoral Commissioner, Faimalomatumua Mathew Lemisio on this programme yesterday said the extra woman MP was required to fulfill the minimum 10% of women in Parliament as set out by the constitution.  

However the leader of the FAST party Fiame Naomi Mata’afa says the constitution stipulates 5 women and that minimum requirement was achieved after 5 women won their seats at the elections.

 The FAST party was poised to win the elections after independent Tuala Ponifasio earlier this week chose to join the opposition party to break the deadlock, with both FAST and HRPP having 25 seats each.  However the Electoral Commissioner’s recommendation to Samoa’s Head of State for the appointment of the HRPP woman candidate has meant the both parties now have 26 seats each and the deadlock continues.

To tell us more about the FAST party’s petition to the Supreme Court we have on the line with us and live on our 531PI Facebook feed Taulapapa Brenda Heather-Latu, a Wellington born educated trained Samoan lawyer who worked for the Crown Law Office in Wellington as Crown Counsel, and was subsequently (after moving to Samoa on a NZ Aid Scheme) appointed Samoa’s Attorney General from 1997 for almost ten years – the longest holder of that post to date.

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