Tonga’s Supreme Court has issued urgent interim orders restraining the Prime Minister and his officers from refusing journalists from the Tonga Chronicle (Kalonikali Tonga) and 88.1 FM Letio ‘a e Kakai (People’s Radio Tonga) admission to Government press conferences.
Lord Chief Justice Malcolm Bishop KC issued the orders on 4 September 2026 following an urgent ex parte application by ‘Etuate Lavulavu, Chief Executive Officer of the Tonga Chronicle and 88.1 FM, a station operated by Takiama Companies Limited.
The Prime Minister of Tonga is named as the first defendant/respondent and the Kingdom of Tonga as the second defendant/respondent in the civil proceedings, CV 45 of 2026.
Court intervenes ahead of press conference
According to the two-page order, Lavulavu sought urgent interim orders without notice to the respondents.
The application was supported by an affidavit sworn by Lavulavu on 3 September 2026, together with an affidavit from Amanda Amiafolau Loamanu (née Vaipulu) sworn on 2 September.
The Chief Justice said he was satisfied the matter was urgent because a Prime Minister’s Office press conference was to be held imminently.
The Court issued the orders after Lavulavu also gave an undertaking as to damages.
The first and central order restrains the Prime Minister, his officers, servants and agents from refusing Lavulavu and journalists and staff from the two media organisations admission to:
“any press conference held by or on behalf of the Prime Minister’s Office or the Government of Tonga”
They must be admitted on the same terms and conditions applied to journalists from other news organisations, according to the order on page one.
Access to Government building
The Supreme Court went further by ordering that Lavulavu and journalists and staff from the Tonga Chronicle and 88.1 FM be admitted to the St George Government Building under the same terms and conditions applying to other members of the public and news media.
The order requires Lavulavu to immediately serve the respondents with a sealed copy of the interim order, together with the Writ of Summons and Statement of Claim.
However, the orders are interim rather than a final determination of the dispute. The Prime Minister and the Kingdom of Tonga have been given liberty to apply to the Court to have the orders set aside or varied.
The case is scheduled to return to court for a hearing on 11 September 2026, with costs reserved. The orders were signed by Lord Chief Justice Bishop in Nukuʻalofa on 4 September.
Underlying dispute yet to be determined
The interim orders represent an immediate court intervention concerning access by journalists to Government press conferences and the St George Government Building.
However, the document does not set out the full circumstances that led to the alleged refusal of access, nor does it contain the Government’s response to Lavulavu’s allegations.
Because the application was made ex parte — without notice to the respondents — the interim ruling should not be interpreted as the Court having made a final finding against the Prime Minister or the Government.
Those substantive issues are expected to become clearer as the proceedings continue and the respondents have an opportunity to present their position.
