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Pacific Island links: Nauru Files, Olympics, ExxonMobil, rice in PNG and more

Pacific Island links: Nauru Files, Olympics, ExxonMobil, rice in PNG and more
Published 10 Aug 2016   Follow @harrietrsmith

  • The Guardian has published 2000 documents leaked from within Australia's offshore detention centre on Nauru. Labeled 'The Nauru Files', they detail the abuse of refugees, with data showing that more than half of the incidents involve children.
  • Australia's Human Rights Commissioner Jillian Triggs has responded: 'We really need to public's attention to ensure that our politicians change the policy. This is unsustainable, and of course extremely expensive to the Australian taxpayer.'
  • The Supreme Court of PNG will determine on 22 August whether Australia is legally responsible for the refugees and asylum seekers on Manus Island.
  • ExxonMobil is urging a resolution to the dispute between the government of PNG and landholders around a project site in PNG's Highlands. Landowners are protesting the $19 billion PNG LNG project over failed royalty payments, and have threatened to close down the site if their demands are not met. The government is due to meet with landowners today.
  • Australian rice growers could lose nearly a third of their revenue if a plan by the PNG government to place protectionist restrictions to foster the local rice industry moves forward.
  • More than 200,000 people still require food aid in the PNG Highlands as crops have yet to recover from one of the worst droughts in the country's history.
  • Former Lowy Institute intern Sally Andrews visited Port Moresby as a New Colombo Plan Scholar to intern with GE. She reports on her work on a maternal health project in collaboration with local researchers and organisations.
  • As a result of Cyclone Winston, nearly half a million people in Fiji could fall below the poverty line, despite government assistance to cyclone victims.
  • Vanuatu is losing a projected $1 million a week as a result of issues with the runway at the main international airport, according to the chair of Airports Vanuatu.
  • One of the last surviving Australian World War II veterans of the Solomon Islands campaign, 92-year-old William Quinn, has returned for the first time to mark the 75th anniversary of the Battle of Guadalcanal.
  • The Fijianas, the women's Rugby sevens team, have been knocked out of the Olympic competition, but their impressive performance is bound to impact the development of the women's game back in their homeland.
  • The Fiji's men's Rugby sevens team remain undefeated at the Rio Olympics, and are guaranteed their place in the quarter-final after beating Argentina.
  • Tongan flagbearer, Taekwondo competitor Pita Taufatofua, stole the show at the opening ceremony of the Rio Olympics.

 

 



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