New Zealand athletics icon Dame Valerie Adams has been elected as World Athletics Athletes’ Commission chair following the first meeting of its membership this week.
The double Olympic shot put gold medallist and eight time world champion (four outdoors and four indoors) is serving her third term on the World Athletics Athletes’ Commission. In 2019 she was elected as deputy chair.
The election of Dame Valerie further cements her rising influence in global athletics. She also currently serves as chair of the Oceania Athletics Athletes’ Commission and was formerly chair of the Athletics NZ Athletes’ Commission.
Elected to the World Athletics Athletes’ Commission as chair will ensure Dame Valerie will also continue to be one of two athlete representatives on the World Athletics Council.
Both the chair and deputy chair of the World Athletics Athletes’ Commission are full voting members of the sport’s decision-making body.
Canadian 3000m steeplechase record-holder Matthew Hughes was elected as deputy chair of the World Athletics Athletes’ Commission.
The 26-member Council also includes a second Kiwi, former Athletics NZ Board Chair Annette Purvis, who secured election in Budapest in August.
Dame Valerie Adams said after serving as deputy chair of the Athletes’ Commission during her previous term, she was honoured and excited to have been elected as chair by her peers.
“The Commission plays a vital role in representing the voices and interests of athletes in our sport, and I am committed to continuing the work done by my predecessor.
“With the support of the Commission and the entire sporting community, we will strive to create a positive and empowering environment for athletes to thrive.
“I look forward to working closely with my fellow Commission members to make a lasting and beneficial impact on our sport world-wide.”
Athletics NZ chief executive Cam Mitchell said the election of Dame Valerie as chair was testament to the respect and status she held within the global sport.
“We are confident Dame Val will be a terrific chair of the Athletes’ Commission and an outstanding voice for athletes in the sport.
“Meanwhile, we are also excited and proud that not only Dame Val, but her fellow New Zealander Annette Purvis will be a part of the World Athletics Council, ensuring a strong Kiwi presence on the pivotal decision-making body within the sport.”
There is just one change to the All Blacks starting fifteen to take on South Africa in the Rugby World Cup final with Brodie Retallick starting ahead of Sam Whitelock in the second row.
Retallick resumes his quarterfinal combination with Scott Barrett while Whitelock will be used from the bench.
Whitelock, the most-capped player in the team’s history with 152 appearances, is in the reserves.
He will become the first men’s player in history to make three World Cup deciders. He is also one of six World Cup winners in the match day 23.
There is one additional personnel change to the reserves bench with 52-Test tighthead prop Nepo Laulala replacing Fletcher Newell.
With 1387 Test caps, this is the All Blacks’ most experienced team to play a Rugby World Cup final.
“It is an honour to fly our nation’s flag in the World Cup final once again,” said head coach Ian Foster. “We are proud of what we have achieved so far in this tournament, but the job is not done yet and we know full well the challenge that lies ahead.
“Of the seven World Cups that have been held outside of New Zealand, the All Blacks have only managed to win one. It goes to show just how hard it is to do but this group is determined to work hard for each other, as we have done all year.”
“Once again we have felt the support of an entire nation behind us,” added Foster. “We will definitely carry that with us when we go to Stade de France on Saturday.
In the 10th edition of the tournament, the All Blacks will mark their fifth appearance in the decider.
Kaniva commentary: As the delay in confirming the appointment of Cabinet Ministers stretches into another month, some citizens may fear they are being punished for wanting to live in a fully functioning democracy.
The delay in the appointments has the potential to disrupt the smooth functioning of government.
It is now several months since Prime Minister Hu‘akavameiliku submitted his list of Cabinet Ministers to King Tupou VI for approval.
One Cabinet post has been vacant for a year.
The law stipulates that the Prime Minister must nominate his Cabinet ministers and submit their names to the king to have their appointments confirmed. There is no timeframe for the king to sign off on the positions.
We asked the Prime Minister last week if he had received any response to his submission on July 6 and are awaiting a response.
The Prime Minister is currently filling in as Police Minister while he awaits approval for his nomination.
The Minister of Fisheries post has been vacant since former Minister Sēmisi Fakahau died in October 2022.
The apparent lack of action at the palace reflects the king’s uneasy relationship with previous governments.
In 2017, the king dissolved the Parliament in an attempt to oust Prime Minister ‘Akilisi Pōhiva and his Cabinet, but it became clear that he had no power under the constitution to dismiss the Cabinet. According to the constitution, his power is restricted to the Legislative Assembly only. He had the power to close Parliament, but the government continued to function.
The late Prime Minister Pōhiva Tu’i’onetoa claimed in an interview with Kaniva News that the king did not meet regularly with Prime Minister ‘Akilisi Pohiva because he was unhappy with ‘Akilisi.
In 2021 the king shocked the nation by questioning the honesty of the members of parliament and their ability to run the government. He also chastised the Tu’i’onetoa government for its involvement in businesses and failing to complete its annual ministerial reports on time.
The delays highlight the unfinished nature and often controversial of the 2010 democratic reforms. Constitutional expert Peter Pursglove, who was brought in to look at the kingdom’s constitution by the Commonwealth Secretariat, submitted a report in 2014 recommending ways to update and improve the political system.
As we reported in 2018, nothing was ever done.
Had the constitution been fully revised and all the recommended changes caried out, we might have avoided the current situation.
Tropical Cyclone Lola has intensified to a category 5 super cyclone with winds close to its centre of 215 km/h, the Vanuatu Meteorology and Geo-hazards Department says.
Vanuatu’s National Disaster Management Office said red alerts have been issued for two more provinces as the category 5 cyclone Lola approaches the eastern islands.
The Provinces of Penama and Malampa, like Torba and Sanma are on red alert – the highest alert level in Vanuatu – signalling a cyclone is imminent and that people need to stay in a secure shelter or other safe place.
At 8am local time on Tuesday, the cyclone was 190km east of Sola and 180km northeast of Maewo, moving in a south direction at 4 km/hr.
The Vanuatu Meteorology and Geo-hazards Department said heavy rainfalls with flash flooding were expected over low lying areas and areas close to river banks, including coastal flooding over Vanuatu group, on Tuesday and continuing on Wednesday.
Very rough seas with heavy to phenomenal swells were expected over all Vanuatu waters.
A Vanuatu Red Cross representative on Santo island, Shirley Johnson, told Morning Report at 5.30am local time they were so far experiencing some strong winds but said “it takes time for the strong winds to come in”.
However she said on Monday 20 to 30 people from flood prone areas were already being evacuated and people in the Banks Islands group in Torba Province and Penama Province were already experiencing very strong winds.
“They also evacuated people to the evacuation centre just to make sure they’re safe.
“This morning I was not able to reach them, I will try to reach them to hear what the situation is because yesterday already they called and they said they were already experiencing very, very strong winds and also they have heavy rain.”
The National Disaster Management Office has convened an inter-agency briefing to plan the emergency response.
The person who died on Auckland’s Southern Motorway after they were struck by a vehicle on Saturday 15 has been identified.
Napole Noa. Photo/Supplied
Napole Noa, 43, was the victim of the crash at the northbound lanes of the motorway from Princes Street, Otāhūhu.
His family have confirmed the news on social media saying he would be laid to rest tomorrow, Wednesday 25 at a Papatoetoe cemetery.
Reports shortly after the fatal incident said the northbound lanes were blocked following the incident, which happened at about 5.20am.
“The initial indication was there were serious injuries but police have since confirmed a pedestrian was struck by a vehicle and died at the scene”, the New Zealand Herald reported at the time.
The Serious Crash Unit is investigating, and the driver is assisting police with enquiries.
It is understood Noa’s family reported him missing shortly after he failed to return on the night of the crash.
A statement purported to have come from the Tonga Rugby Union (TRU) in response to complaints about players chasing their pay from authorities has been criticised as adding fuel to the fire.
‘Ikale Tahi number eight Vaea Fifita went public on social media since yesterday and revealed he and others have yet to receive their payments for the World Cup tour. In response, winger Solomone Kata agreed and gave Fifita his full support on social media.
Press release
The Ikale Tahi team was eliminated from the tournament after facing consecutive defeats from Ireland, South Africa, and Scotland – three of the top five nations in the rugby world.
However, they finished their Rugby World Cup 2023 campaign on a high with an entertaining 45-24 Pool B victory over Romania in front of 45,000 fans at Stade Pierre-Mauroy in Lille.
The TRU has released a statement today on what appeared to be its official Facebook account saying it apologised for any inconvenience caused by its handling of the players’ payments.
It claimed all players had been paid while a few had been experiencing issues.
“We have been working closely with our bank to determine the cause of the issue and get payment to where they need to be”, the release said.
“This has taken much longer to resolve than anyone would have liked and we sincerely regret any inconvenience that this may have caused to players and their families”.
The tone of the TRU statement did not sit well with many on social media.
The press release did not include a signature to identify who sent it. And this has been criticised as unprofessional and treating this serious issue as unimportant.
It also failed to clarify claims by Halaleva Fifita that TRU gave him “different versions of unreliable information” about his payment issues.
Commenters on TRU’s Facebook post’s comment section accused the release as out of touch with reality.
“That last paragraph shows the lack of empathy and lack of education of these officials”, a commenter wrote.
“ You would never hear the NZRU or RFU say that to their supporters. What a weird and arrogant flex. They basically blamed the bank and then blamed the fans”, one commenter wrote.
“… there is nothing “political” about players asking for what they deserve and to get it when they are supposed to get it. It is your ethical duty as the union to ensure this doesn’t happen. Just once, I’d love to see an Ikale Tahi campaign take place where there is no word of players not getting their proper dues. Don’t apologise for the “confusion”, apologise for not doing your jobs that you obviously get paid for…. On time I presume. You’ve confirmed yourselves there are players who were not paid. Do better! Kaume’a fakahela tama ko moutolu!!
Some commenters made fun of the bank issue claims being mentioned in the release and said this was and old excuse.
“Same story different year”, another wrote.
“Come on, especially this year big players choose to play for our little nation and this is how they get treated we are treating our on ppl like this it’s a disgrace.
‘Same story, you feel for the players. TRU will never change their rubbish ways.
“It’s so sad. Not only is it a distraction to their performance, these guys still have bills to pay at home, and likely would have been paid more in wages, if they stayed home. Sad how we only hear this kind of news from our PI Nations. Hope the remaining few get their allowance asap
“We need to do better TRU!! We have a lot of young stars that want to play rugby in the future & if this is going to be an ongoing problem then everything will be chaos in the next coming years or so. Do not be frauds. Our Tongan people are known to be big in this & it’s already an embarrassment to the world! Do better!! We are in 2023, times of disorganisation and poor governance should be over!!! Do better Tonga! Very appalling from a professional perspective.
‘2023 and we still run it like we in 1923.I seen local badminton clubs run better and no one plays that sport.Can IRB just pay the players direct seems like the so called bank/board always get there pay on time
“The Union does not engage on social media debate”, then why posting this letter up on your FB page? . “Ko e lahi ange e fute ‘a e kosi ‘a ‘Isope, ko e lahi ange ia ‘ene ‘efihia” – Aesop’s Fables.
“Why isn’t there a person signing off on this letter ? Tuku e toitoi bro you guys are accountable to the people and the people deserve an explanation. Just looks like everyone’s ducking this letter take responsibility let me tell you something. You have a track record of mishandling funds & not paying players.
“So while you have provided this, if you were transparent enough, we wouldn’t be discussing this non payment issue.
‘The last paragraph. you’re so out of touch. If it were not for the social media outcry, demanding answers – you wouldn’t have released this letter and you surely wouldn’t have been held accountable- like you have been getting away with it the last couple of years!”
However, some people stood by TRU and accused the Fifitas of lack of patience.
The Tongan economy is rebounding strongly according to the International Monetary Fund. However, the IMF said the economic outlook was uncertain and urgent improvements needed to be made.
The IMF said Tonga had suffered from a major double shock in early 2022. After an estimated contraction of two percent, real GDP was estimated to have expanded by 2.6 percent in the financial year from July 2022-June 2023.
The support measures deployed in response to the Hunga Tonga‒Hunga Ha’apai volcanic eruption and tsunami and the local COVID-19 outbreak in January-February 2022, together with aid from the international community, reduced the impact of the socioeconomic fallouts. Recovery after the eruption was driven by strong domestic demand and a pickup in tourist arrivals following once the border was re-opened in August 2022.
However, the kingdom still faced economic pressures. Inflation peaked at 14.1 percent in September 2022, but dropped to 6.6 percent in May 2023. The flow of remittances was expected to drop from an estimated 44.2 percent of GDP in FY2023 to 39.7 percent in FY2024. Average inflation is projected to be 5.8 percent in FY2024.
The tsunami has also caused soil contamination.
The medium-to-long-term growth prospects are weak. Tonga’s long-term growth is projected at 1.2 percent, reflecting its exposure to increasingly frequent natural disasters, persistent loss of workers to emigration, and limited economies of scale due to geographical barriers.
Tonga’s limited productive capacity and strong foreign demand for Tongan workers have significantly increased inflation risks. A sharp increase in global commodity prices could reduce households’ real purchasing power.
The IMF has warned that Tonga is at high risk of debt distress . Without additional grant commitments to IMF staff’s baseline projection, the present value of public debt-to-GDP ratio is projected to remain above the 70 percent debt-distress benchmark starting in FY2033. This reflects significant development spending needs to achieve its climate resilience and Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Debt obligations are largely external, with over half to China Exim Bank. Debt repayments are expected to surge in FY2024, and stay elevated at over three percent of GDP until FY2027.
The IMF has warned that delays in reconstruction and persistently high inflation will incur substantial welfare costs, especially for low-income households and small businesses. The IMF said the Tongan government’s monetary policy should focused on safeguarding price stability and providing ample financial support to the vulnerable, while postponing non-urgent spending.
The government has phased out most pandemic- and volcano-related tax exemptions and plan to gradually normalize current spending, including by limiting the public sector wage bill. The government should also prioritize on the execution of budgets related to reconstruction and social protection.
To achieve the necessary fiscal adjustments, the government needed to reform revenue administration, spending efficiency, and transparency. Reducing tax exemptions, setting clear eligibility criteria and allowing the Minister of Finance to have the ultimate authority to grant exemptions would help deliver significant additional revenues and ensure that exemptions are adequately aligned with national strategic objectives.
Enhancing resilience to natural disasters and climate change is a top reform priority . The Disaster Risk Management Act of 2023 marked an important step forward in this regard. It aims to pivot the focus of Tonga’s disaster management frameworks to risk mitigation and preparedness, including by improving coordination across relevant ministries and management of scarce. Expanding the classification of climate change-related spending and strengthening the social protection system were other priorities. Stricter enforcement of the Building Code, especially for residential properties, and facilitating relocation to safer grounds would significantly contribute to enhancing disaster resilience, which should be supported by allocation of adequate fiscal resources.
Developing the private sector was critical to boost Tonga’s growth potential. Other important reform priorities included increasing government spending on education and training, especially to reduce the skill mismatch in the domestic labour market; reducing gender inequality in the labour market, by enacting the Employment Relations Bill which would help better protect women in vulnerable work environments and cutting red tape hindering private sector investment, especially by improving the efficiency of land leasehold administration.
Supporters of ‘Ikale Tahi national rugby team have been outraged after reports that players had yet to be paid for recent rugby union World Cup tours.
‘Ikale Tahi
Tonga was eliminated from the tournament after facing consecutive defeats from Ireland, South Africa, and Scotland – three of the top five nations in the rugby world.
However, it exited the competition on a high note by scoring seven tries in total in the game against Romania.
A post on Facebook this afternoon which tagged ‘Ikale Tahi number eight Vaea Fifita and others alleged the players were chasing their payment from Tonga Rugby Union (TRU) authorities.
TRU could not be reached for comment.
“When could this be stopped,” a commenter asked in Tongan referring to several similar incidents of broken promises in the past following ‘Ikale Tahi previous tours.
The post by the person who went by the name Halaleva Fifita claimed the players had received “various unreliable versions of information” about when will they be paid from TRU.
It also alleged some players were furious about the incident.
Commenters blasted TRU officials about the allegations with some calling on ‘Ikale Tahi players to come forward and share their disappointment on social media.
As Kaniva News reported recently, Rugby World Cup star Charles Piutau opened up on how he and his Tonga team-mates had been forced to wash their own kits and practice with replica rugby balls ahead of the tournament in France, dramatically highlighting the stark contrast in resources between teams.
A vessel has been reportedly departing Tonga’s Vava’u island group this morning Sunday 15.
MV Papa Mau. Photo/Vava Lapota
Neiafu Town Officer Vava Lapota has questioned whether the departure had breached Tonga’s Sabbath laws.
“Ko e mavahe atu eni a e vaka uta koniteina mei he uafu vahefonua Vavau ni pongipongi sapate fefe ae ngeia moe molumalu oe lao Sapate”, Lapota posted on Facebook in Tongan.
He also posted photos of the vessel, MV Papa Mau to Facebook.
Authorities could not be reached for comment.
According to the website vessel finder, the current position of Papa Mau is at South Pacific Ocean in the last two weeks.
The vessel is en route to Tonga’s main island Tongatapu, and expected to arrive there on Oct 15, 7am, it said.
“The vessel is a General Cargo Ship built in 1999 and currently sailing under the flag of Antigua & Barbuda”.
The kingdom’s Sabbath laws stipulate that transport services are not allowed to operate on Sunday.
In 2004 the Legislative Assembly rejected a submission that it drop a planned measure to allow some transport services to operate on Sunday, RNZ reported.
The bill was intended to allow aircraft flights, work in the Marine Department, and other related activities, on Sundays.
Seven church leaders presented a petition opposing the bill.
The Court of Appeal has dismissed an appeal by Etuate Lavulavu to have charges against him dismissed because they constituted an abuse of process.
(L-R) ‘Etuate Lavulavu and ‘Akosita Lavulavu
The appeal was heard by Judges Randerson, Harison and Dalton .
In summarising the background to the case, the court was told that in 2003 Lavulavu and others founded a private education institute in Tonga. He was its president and, at all material times, his wife, ‘Akosita, was its director. From 2013-2015 the Institute obtained grants from the Ministry of Education and Training. The grants were later audited by the Office of the Auditor-General and irregularities were found. It was recommended that $553,800 be reimbursed to the Ministry and that the case be referred to the police for possible further investigation.
In March 2018 the Lavulavus were charged with three counts of obtaining money by false pretences contrary to Section 164 of the Criminal Offences Act. They were convicted after a trial before Judge Cooper. In July 2021 they were each sentenced to six years imprisonment with the final year of Mrs Lavulavu’s sentence suspended for two years on conditions. They remained in custody until bail was granted in September 2022.
Mr and Mrs Lavulavu successfully appealed against their convictions. On October 10, 2022 the Court of Appeal quashed their convictions and ordered a retrial. The Court of Appeal said there was ample evidence to support findings of apparent bias on the part of the Judge, that the trial was unfair and that the verdicts could not stand.
However, the Court was satisfied that there was sufficient evidence to support convictions on a correct application of relevant legal principles. In November 2022 former Lord Chief Justice Whitten KC set a trial date, for May 8, 2023 if the Department of Public Prosecutions wanted to proceed with the retrial. Shortly before the trial date the DPP filed an amended indictment which, among other things, invoked Section 8 of the Criminal Offences Act against Mr Lavulavu, alleging that he was guilty as a party rather than as a principal offender.
Mr Lavulavu then applied to have the charges against him dismissed on the grounds of abuse of process. In consequence, the proposed trial date was cancelled. On May 19, 2023, Lord Chief Justice Whitten dismissed Mr Lavulavu’s application. Etuate Lavulavu was given leave to appeal. His wife did not appeal.
If a new trial is to be held it is scheduled to proceed before a Judge sitting alone commencing next Monday, October 16, 2023.
In their summary of Etuate Lavulavu’s latest appeal, the judges said the appeal centred round two main questions, which were whether amending the indictment amounted to an abuse of process and whether there were any other grounds amounting to an abuse of process.
Mr Lavulavu submitted that the amended form of indictment constituted an abuse of process on several grounds, including that it amounted to a completely different charge.
However, the judges said that Lord Chief Justice Whitten had made it clear that the amendments did nothing more than give effect to the Court of Appeal’s decision, not changing the nature of the offence to be considered. The requisite element of section 164, for both Defendants in each count, of false pretences, remained unchanged.
Mr Lavulavu also raised numerous other grounds in support of his contention that there had been an abuse of process such that a fair trial could not be held. These included complaints that there had been an unjustified delay since he was first arrested; there had been improper manipulation or misuse of evidence; that evidence had been lost or destroyed and that there had been adverse publicity in the media.
However, the judges ruled that while the delay since the arrest of Mr and Mrs Lavulavu had been significant, none of the matters raised was so significant as to preclude a fair trial or to justify the allegation of abuse of process.
“Finally, we also reject the allegation that the Lord Chief Justice’s ruling was unfair and constituted apparent bias,” the judges said in their report.
“There is nothing in the extensive materials before us to suggest that the Lord Chief Justice was unfair in any way to Mr Lavulavu or exhibited any favouritism to the prosecutors. We have found his careful and thorough ruling to be correct in law in all respects.”
