News

Academic calls for Australian Minister for Pacific Island Affairs

Posted 20 Feb 2013

University of Melbourne researcher Jonathan Schultz is reported to have called for the appointment of an Australian Minister for Pacific Island Affiars, arguing that Australia's relationships with its Pacific island neighbours is marked by short-term thinking, neglect and stagnation.

Democracy clamp down in Fiji faces legal challenge

Posted 20 Feb 2013

All the major parties in Fiji, led by the Fiji Labour Party, are reported to be supporting a legal challenge to a military government decree that restricts political activities in Fiji.
Rowan Callick, writing for The Australian, reports that political parties were given 28 days to meet stringent new rules for registration - including recruiting at least 5000 registered members divided between the country's four geographic divisions, and paying a $2650 fee.

Call for Solomon Islands Truth and Reconciliation Report to be released

Posted 18 Feb 2013

The Prime Minister of the Solomon Islands, the Hon Gordon Darcy Lilo, is being urged to make the 5-volume report of the Solomon Islands Truth and Reconciliation Commission public without delay.
Section 17 of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission Act 2008 provides that the Prime Minister, 'on receiving the report of the Commission, shall cause it to be laid before Parliament and the report be made available to the public'.

USP Professional Diploma in Legislative Drafting

Posted 14 Feb 2013

The 2013 Professional Diploma in Legislative Drafting (PDLD) course, conducted by the University of the South Pacific (USP) School of Law, will commence on Monday, 1 April 2013.
Applications for the course close on 10 March 2013.
A brochure containing relevant information about the PDLD program, and an application form for entry into the course is available by clicking the attachments.

Employment opportunity – PILON Secretariat, Apia Samoa

Posted 14 Feb 2013

The PILON Secretariat is currently advertising for an Assistant Coordinator to join the office in Apia, Samoa.
The Assistant Coordinator will be responsible to the Secretariat Coordinator for legal policy and research tasks, and providing administrative assistance for the functions of the Secretariat.
Candidates should be from a PILON member country and have experience working in the areas of law and justice and/or public policy.
The salary range on offer is equivalent to $AUD 20,000 - 30,000 per annum and will be paid in Samoan Tala.

Trade capacity building project in Tuvalu

Posted 14 Feb 2013

The United Nations Development Program (UNDP) is managing a $1.1 million, 3-year project with the Trade Department of Tuvalu, designed to boost trade capacity and the economy.
Deputy Prime Minister, the Hon Kausea Natano, launched the project in February 2013.
The private sector wil also be involved in the capacity-building and institution-strengthening project.
Read more

Judges in Solomon Islands rap lawyers

Posted 14 Feb 2013

The Solomon Star and The Global Legal Post report that High Court Justice Stephen Pallaras told staff in office of the Solomons Islands Public Solicitor that a continuing failure to file agreed facts and a witness list could lead to a contempt of court finding.
It is reported that a staff lawyer had taken leave to visit his ill mother and had extended his leave, leaving an accused person in discomfort.

Indonesia in bid for WTO leadership

Posted 14 Feb 2013

Indonesia's former trade minister Mari Pangestu is one of the nine candidates vying to succeed Pascal Lamy  as Director-General of the World Trade Organisation.
Progress in the Doha Round of world trade negotiations stalled years ago, as the domestic politics cut against the WTO's goals for an open and equitable global trading system.
Mari Pangestu is said to be confident the agreement can be revitalised, and refers to Indonesia's experience in using trade to power growth and reduce poverty.

Access to remaining tuna stocks under negotiation

Posted 12 Feb 2013

A United States' negotiating team is seeking continued access to tuna stocks for US-based purse seiners after June 2013 based on treaty rights rather than national legislation, but governments in the South Pacific are reported to be insisting that their laws apply in the sector.
Read more

 

PNG Parliament votes back to the future

Posted 08 Feb 2013

Firmin Nanol reports for ABC Radio Australia that the PNG Parliament has repealed the controversial  legislation that was enacted during the Constitutional crisis of 2011 that was designed to prevent former Prime Minister Somare from retaining office.
The legislation affected by the rollback includes the Prime Minister and National Executive Council Act 2011 which set an age limit of 70 for a Prime Minister, and the Judicial Conduct Act 012 which included broad provisions dealing with bias and conflicts of interest.