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The story of Naomi Ballantyne: From growing up poor to selling her business for $1 billion

By
Kaniva Staff
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UPDATED: Naomi Ballantyne has sold her Partners Life insurance company to Japanese life insurer Dai-ichi Life Holdings last year for around $1 billion.

Naomi Ballantyne – founder/chief executive of the life insurance company Partners Life Photo: Bruce Jarvis

That’s after starting ClubLife and sold it to ING in 2009.

She built three of the largest life insurance companies in New Zealand and founded two of them over the past 39 years.

She is the longest-serving chief executive in the New Zealand life insurance industry, which she entered nearly 40 years ago, Businessdesk.co.nz reported.

In the 2017 New Year Honours, she was made an officer of the New Zealand Order of Merit for services to business.

She was born in Glenfield, Auckland to a religious mother who was born in Tonga and an alcoholic Canadian father.

“When I was born, it was that new subdivision that all the really poor first-home buyers built. It was the “wop-wops” back then; we were completely surrounded by horse paddocks and bush”, she was quoted by the Businessdesk as saying.

“I’m naturally happy, and that’s my mother’s nature, and it didn’t matter how hard her life got and how difficult dad was.

“She was the most magnificent, loving, funny mother and dad was very smart, but he had real alcohol problems that resulted in anger and moodiness”. 

 Ballantyne started working at 13.

“I’ve never stopped. I worked strawberry picking, then in a dairy, I worked in Farmers menswear,” she told Newstalk ZB.

“My parents never paid a single cent for me, not school things or clothes.”

Her father was very keen on her going to university though.

She said she didn’t see herself as an entrepreneur. She just saw herself as a do-er.

“Whenever anything needed doing or fixing, it would be given to me. What I didn’t understand is that is what entrepreneurship is.  When Sovereign sold to ASB, I just left because I couldn’t lead staff who were trusting me into something I didn’t believe in.

“Then I couldn’t get a job, because I had been “that girl” who upset everyone in the market. So, I had to start my own company. There is a degree of self-confidence to say, “I know I can do it. It’s not what I would have chosen to do but now I have to do it, so I’m going to.” 

“If you are prepared to do those things, then anyone can be an entrepreneur. The biggest problem is that most people who think they want to own their own business don’t want to do any of those things.

“I built three of the largest life insurance companies in New Zealand and founded two of them over the past 39 years. That’s careers for people, it has supported advisers, it has changed the industry in terms of products and services that are offered, and paid out a huge number of claims with products that didn’t exist before we hit the market.

“That’s something I am really proud of.   It doesn’t mean I am not terrified at times, because there are a whole bunch of people following me and depending on me.

“But each time you overcome a hurdle, you have more confidence that you’ll make it over whatever the next hurdle is. You don’t need to be the smartest person in the room, and you won’t have all the answers.

“If you’re the boss, you have the luxury of calling the last shot. It is okay to seek ideas and opinions, then take the best one and give credit for it. Because there is no risk to your position, or mana, or your status”. 

EDITOR’S NOTE:

This story was edited to reflect the fact that Ballantyne was not the first Tongan billionaire as previously claimed in the first version. Ballantyne contacted us about our story and made the correction. She said: “I sold Partners Life for just over NZ $1b but I am not a billionaire as there were many other shareholders, including our majority shareholder Blackstone. All previous reporting of the transaction has been accurate in this regards, so I would really appreciate your correcting this too. I have done very well, but definitely am not in the billionaire league”

First mission to the Pacific since Covid-19 to be led by Deputy Prime Minister Carmel Sepuloni

By
Kaniva Staff
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‘Oku taupotu ‘i lalo ha fakamatala fakaTonga

Deputy Prime Minister Carmel Sepuloni will lead the first mission to the Pacific since Covid-19 broke out.

Photo: RNZ / Samuel Rillstone

Sepuloni, who is also the Associate Foreign Affairs Minister for the Pacific, will leave for Solomon Islands, Fiji and Tonga on Sunday.

It would be an invaluable opportunity to strengthen New Zealand’s relationships and reaffirm the commitment to working alongside Pacific whānau to respond to challenges, Sepuloni said.

The region was the government’s “foreign policy priority”, Sepuloni said.

“We proudly take a Pacific-led approach to solving the issues facing the region, not least to mention, climate change.

“Tackling climate change together, which has become a harsh reality here in Aotearoa New Zealand, continues to be of urgent importance. It’s more important than ever that we all take collective action to combat its effects, especially alongside our Pacific whānau.

“Our shared Blue Pacific Continent also faces a range of challenges including institutional and economic fragility, social and demographic issues, and increasing geo-strategic competition.”

Sepuloni will be accompanied by the Minister for Pacific Peoples Barbara Edmonds and the Climate Change Minister James Shaw as well as other community leaders.

FAKAMATALA FAKATONGA

‘E tataki atu ‘e he Tokoni Palemia Nu’u Sila Carmel Sepuloni ‘a e misiona ki he Pasifiki talu ‘eni mei he to ‘a e Koviti 19.

Ko e Sepuloni foki ‘oku tokoni Minisita  Foreign Affairs Minister ki he Pasifiki pea ten au mavahe atu ki  Solomon Islands, Fiji mo  Tonga he Sapate.

Ko e faingamalie mahuinga ‘eni ke toe fakafefeka’i ‘a e va’ mo toe fakapapau’i ‘a e tukupā ‘a Nu’u Sila mo fengaue’aki  mo e fanau ‘a e Pasifiki.

‘Oku fakamu’omu’a ‘e Nu’u Sila ‘a e lisione’ ‘i he’ene ngaahi polisī ki muli’.

Oku polepole ‘a  Nu’u Sila ke ne tataki ‘a hono solova ‘a e ngaahi palopalema ‘a e feitu’u ni hange ko e feliuliuaki ‘a e ‘ea’.

E kau fakataha atu ki he folau ni ‘a e Minisita ki he  Pacific Peoples Barbara Edmonds mo e Minisita ki he  Climate Change Minister James Shaw mo ha taki mei he ngaahi komiunitii’.

Australian employee bailed after alleged gruesome kidnap plot involving Tongan rapper

By
Kaniva Staff
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By  Miklos Bolza, AAP, edited by Kaniva Tonga News

A Sydney woman who allegedly supplied information used in the gruesome kidnapping which involved six Tongan suspects has been granted bail.

Sira Elkheir was granted bail at Burwood Local Court on Thursday. (Nine)

Sira Elkheir, 21, appeared at Burwood Local Court on Thursday, one day after the NSW government agency employee was arrested for aiding the alleged kidnappers.

Police claim that Peter Vuong was snatched from his home in Smithfield on March 9, forced into a vehicle and held for nearly a week and tortured as ransom demands were made, Sydney’s 9News reported.

The 26-year-old was rescued from a home in Belmore by tactical police officers on March 14.

Elkheir was arrested on Wednesday in Greenacre after an investigation by detectives and police officers under Strike Force Kkuoa.

The Yagoona woman has been accused of illegally accessing Traffic for New South Wales data and then passing these details onto the alleged kidnappers prior to Vuong being abducted.

She has been charged with kidnapping for the intent of ransom, causing an unauthorised computer function to commit a serious indictable offence, accessing restricted computer data, and participating in a criminal group.

Her bail conditions include the surrender of her passport, the imposition of a nightly curfew, and the payment of a $300,000 surety which will be forfeited if she skips court.

Police in March described the kidnapping as a “very serious crime” involving an “extreme” level of violence.

During the ordeal Vuong, who was not known to police, was bound and had his teeth forcibly removed.

Six other Tongan men – Sunia Tu’ineau Junior Siasau, John Totau Fahamokioa, Viliami Siasau, high profile Tongan rapper Valeli Tonga, Lolo Liavaa and Kiteau Tatafu – were arrested in March over the alleged plot and are currently before the courts.

Elkheir will next appear at Parramatta Local Court on June 8.

Infrastructure Minister alleges roading contractors falsified records to obtain TP$1m

By
Kalino Latu
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Minister for Infrastructure, Sevenitiini Toumo’ua, has accused contractors who supply rocks for government road maintenance of forging records to obtain millions of pa’anga a month.

Minister of Infrastructure and Civil Aviation Seventeen Toumo’ua

The Minister did not name the companies allegedly involved.

The Minister’s claims come just before the latest court hearing over the years-long saga of the kingdom’s ill-fated roading project, which was started by the previous government of the late Prime Minister Pōhiva Tu’i’onetoa.

The claim has sparked a huge public reaction on social media.

The Tu’i’onetoa government contracted three quarry companies to provide rocks at $70 per truck load.

Hon. Tu’i’onetoa said at the time the contracts were offered to these companies because they bid the lowest prices which were affordable for the government.

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The announcement of the successful bidders at the time sparked public outrage after it was revealed the contractors were close friends and families of some of the then Cabinet ministers.  

The contractors were the Island Dredging Ltd quarry a company operated by former Minister of Police Lord Nuku’s children, another contractor was City Engineering and Constructions Ltd which belonged to a member of the former Prime Minister’s political Party, Saia Moehau. The other contractor, Inter-Pacific Limited belonged to convicted former Minister and fraudster ‘Etuate Lavulavu.

The Minister for Infrastructure claimed yesterday that records of loads carried under the roading contract were falsified to obtain TP$1 million in one month.

He alleged that trucks transporting rocks for the roading site used two different registration plate numbers.

He said TP$18 million of taxpayers’ had already been paid. He described this as “imprudent.”

Companies with strong government, family, connections awarded road building contracts. (L-R) Saia Moehau, Lord Nuku and ‘Etuate Lavulavu

Kaniva News contacted Hon. Toumo’ua to clarify his comments.

Hon. Toumo’ua was asked to identify the company or companies that allegedly falsified recording of the number of rocks transported to the roading site.  

He was also asked to clarify whether claims, which were made on Facebook, referred to the  three contractors appointed by the former government to supply rocks.

We asked him to explain what he meant by saying the TP$18 million that had been paid was “imprudent” and to whom it was paid.

The Minister was also asked to clarify what he meant when he said trucks used to transport rocks used two different registration plates. 

Hon Toumo’ua’s claims follow a recent statement by City Engineering and Constructions Ltd boss Saia Moehau to a local news outlet that the Minister did not tell the whole truth in a recent interview when he claimed that a contractor – understood to be Moehau, – submitted an invoice of $1.9 million, but the Ministry’s auditors decided to pay only TP$900,000.

Moehau took the Ministry to court, which ruled in the Ministry’s favour and said it only had to pay TP$860,000.

Moehau also reportedly said the government paid his lawyer TP$15,000 and he was expecting to seek compensation of about TP$14 million from the government through the courts.

PTOA Democratic supporters said the TP$18 million paid to the contractors had been a waste of money as all roads which had been filled and constructed under the project had been completely damaged shortly after their maintenance or construction.

Former Opposition Leader Semisi Sika said at the time the project should be stopped as Tonga could not afford that TP$400 million allocated for the construction and maintenance of all roads in the country within three years.

The former government also facilitated and guaranteed the contractors’ loans from the Tonga Development bank to buy new equipment for the job.  

Covid isolation rules easing ‘not a clear-cut decision’ – PM

By
Kaniva Staff
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‘Oku taupotu ‘i lalo ha fakamatala fakaTonga

The Government’s decision on whether to relax one of New Zealand’s last Covid-19 rules is not “clear cut”, Prime Minister Chris Hipkins says.

Covid-19 Response Minister Chris Hipkins said the new measures are in response to a growing number of cases worldwide. Source: 1 NEWS

Later today, ministers are reviewing whether to keep or modify the country’s last remaining public health restrictions on Covid-19 — including the mandatory seven-day isolation for people who test positive. A decision will be announced soon after.

Speaking to Breakfast, Hipkins also confirmed that a minor Cabinet reshuffle would happen today, with the fate of Stuart Nash’s portfolios to be announced.

On health, he said the Government’s decisions around Covid-19 would continue to be “finely balanced” as the virus receded into the background for many Kiwis.

When asked, Hipkins did not rule out dropping mandatory isolation and instead replacing them with health recommendations.

“It’s a finely balanced issue,” he said.

“One of the pressures we had last year was that a number of kids went to school with Covid-19 and gave it to their teachers.

“We ended up short of teachers, which means kids ended up being at home for longer, which means parents couldn’t go to work.

“All of these things are the sorts of things that we have to work our way through. It’s not a clear-cut decision.”

He said Cabinet would consider case numbers, impacts on the health system, and the disruption to people’s ability to participate in the economy when making its decision.

The Ministry of Health is also expected to release its latest week-to-week report of Covid-19 case numbers today

Daily figures up until yesterday showed a relatively stable trend of new cases being reported to authorities in the past week.

Otago University epidemiologist and public health expert Michael Baker told Breakfast that there were “big gains” for New Zealand if Kiwis stayed home when they were sick.

Benefits included reducing the strain on the health system and killing fewer people prematurely from preventable infections like Covid-19, but also the flu.

“When you have those symptoms, you should stay at home and I think that’s one of the big lessons from the pandemic.”

Baker said New Zealand had already had a “very vigorous response” to Covid-19, but that he is reluctant to support an easing of isolation rules.

“The core of that is vaccines and boosters being freely available. And hopefully, all eligible New Zealanders will take advantage of that.

“But we have to think about the other measures as well. One of the big things we’ve learned from Covid-19 is that if you have a respiratory illness, you shouldn’t go to work, go to school, go to social events, and spread that infection around.

He said the legal requirement to self-isolate added “considerable weight” to people’s judgment calls about whether to stay at home.

“It does add considerable weight to know that this is an expectation. In many ways, it’s just how we treat the roads. To make roads safe, we have laws and regulations and that way, we can share roads in relative safety.”

FAKAMATALA FAKATONGA

Ko e tu’utu’uni ‘a e pule’anga pe ‘e fakangaloku ‘a e taha e ngaahi tu’utu’uni fakamuimui ‘a Nu’u Sila ‘oku kei toe mai ma’a e Koviti 19 ‘oku teeki ke mahino ‘aupito.

Pehe ‘e he Covid-19 Response Minister Chris Hipkins ko e ngaahi fakangatangata fo’ou ko e tali ia ki he kei fakalalahi fakamamani lahi ‘a e ngaahi keisi’.

Anenai ange he ‘aho ni na’e liviu ‘e he kau minisitaa pe ‘e tauhi ai pe pe ko hano liliu ‘a e toenga fakangatangata ‘a Nuu Sila ki he Koviti 19 – kau ai ‘a e ‘aho ‘e fitu pau ki he fakamavahe ma’a e kakai tesi positivi’.

‘E toki fakamahino ‘a e tu’utu’uni ko ia taimi si’i mei heni.

‘I ha’ane lea ki he Breakfast ne fakapapau’i  ‘e Hipkins  ‘e ‘i ai ha ki’i liliu si’i he ngaahi lakanga kapineti’ kau ai ‘a e iku’anga ‘o e ngaahi potungaue ‘a Nash.

I he mo’ui, na’a ne pehe ko e tu’utu’uni ‘a e pule’anga ki he Koviti ‘e hoko atu pe ke fakapalanisi he kuo holo ‘a e vailasi ki he tokolahi ‘o e ka Kiwi.

Na’a ne pehe ‘e ‘ikai pehe ke to’o ‘ a e fakataputapui ki he fakamavahe’i kae fetongi’aki ha fale’i ki he mo’ui.

Na’a ne pehe ‘e fakakaukau’i ‘e he Kapineti ‘a e fika ‘o e ngaahi keisi, ene uesia ‘a e sistemi ‘a e potungaue mo’ui, mo ‘ene hoha’asia ‘a e ivi malava ‘o e kakai ke kau ki he ki he ngaahi me’a ekonomika he taimi ‘oku fai ai ‘a ene ngaahi tu’utu’uni ki ai.

Oku ‘amanaki foki ke tuku ange mai ‘e he Potungaue Mo’ui ‘ene lipooti  fakamuimui taha fakauike ki he lahi ‘o e keisi Koviti ‘i he ‘aho ni.

Ko e ngaahi fika faka’aho ne tuku ange mai he uike ni ne ha ai ‘oku ki’i tu’uma’u ‘a e hu mai ‘a e ngaahi keisi fo’ou.

Pehe ‘e Michael Baker ko ha ‘epitemolosisi mei he ‘univesiti o Otago ko e ikuna eni ki Nu’u Sila kapau ‘e nofo ‘i api ‘a e kakai he taimi ‘oku nau puke ai.

Ko e lelei ‘e ma’u ai ko e si’i ange fakakavenga ki he potungaue mo’ui pea si’i ange mate kei iiki ‘a’ e kakai mei he mahaki ko eni oku lava pe malu’i kau ai mo e fuluu’.

Pehe ‘e Baker ka kuo ‘i ai ha fak’ailonga sai ange ke ke nofo ‘i api.

Covid skyrockets to third leading cause of death in Australia

By
Kalino Latu
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‘Oku taupotu ‘i lalo ha fakamatala fakaTonga

Covid-19 has skyrocketed to become the third leading cause of death among Australians in 2022, raising a dire warning from experts who insist the pandemic is not over despite widespread messaging to the contrary.

Over 20,000 more people died last year than would have if there was no pandemic, according to figures released by the Actuaries Institute on Thursday.

The number of people dying from Covid-19 is much higher now than at any other point during the pandemic, following the scrapping of most prevention measures at the end of 2021.

Raina MacIntyre, head of the biosecurity research program at the University of NSW’s Kirby Institute, said a key issue now is the relaxed approach most people are taking towards getting booster vaccinations.

“Covid is worse than ever, and we’re doing less than ever about it,” Professor MacIntyre said. “So-called experts, media and government have disseminated the message since early 2022 that Covid’s over, ‘it’s just a cold, it’s nothing’.

“When you say that to people why on earth would they go out and get a vaccine?”

She said everyone should be getting the ATAGI-recommended bivalent vaccine, which protects against new strains of the virus.

“The original vaccines only covered one strain of the virus and that was the one that caused the outbreak in Wuhan,” MacIntyre said.

“Bivalent vaccine has an Omicron strain in it and the original strain so it gives you much better protection.”

Australia recorded 10,300 deaths directly attributed to Covid-19 in 2022, compared to 1400 deaths in 2021, when it was listed as the 34th leading cause of death, according to the Actuaries Institute.

On top of those directly attributable to the virus, 2900 deaths were considered to be Covid-19 related with the virus contributing along with other factors, and 7000 deaths where Covid-19 was not officially listed as a factor but could have played a role in mortality risk.

It makes the virus third only to ischaemic heart disease and dementia as causes of death in Australia, outstripping stroke, lung and colon cancer, lower respiratory disease and diabetes.

MacIntyre is part of the expert group OzSage, which released its own findings about Covid-19 becoming the third leading cause of death earlier this year.

The group is calling for measures including vaccinating children under the age of five, increasing testing rates and mask use, and better ventilation in buildings and shared spaces.

FAKAMATALA FAKATONGA

Kuo fana he ‘ataa’ ‘a e Koviti 19 ‘o hoko ko e tupu’anga fika tolu lahi taha ia ‘o e mate ‘i ‘Aositelelia ‘i he 2022, tupu ai ha fakatokanga lahi mei he kau mataotao ‘a ia ‘oku nau taukave ‘oku te’eki mahili ‘a e panatemiki neongo ‘a e lahi hono talaki ‘oku pehee’.

Laka ‘i he kakai ‘e toko 20,000 nae ikai tonu ke nau  mate ‘i he ta’u kuo osi kapau na’e ‘ikai ha panatemiki fakatatau ki he ngaahi fika mei he  Actuaries Institute he Tu’apulelulu.

Oku lahi ange ‘a e fika ‘o e kau mate mei he Koviti he taimi ni ‘i ha toe taimi lolotonga ‘a e panatemiki’, hili ‘a hono ta’ofi ‘o e ngaahi fakangatangata malu’i lahi ‘i he faka’osinga ‘o e 2021.

Na’e pehe ‘e Raina MacIntyre, ko e ‘ulu ‘o ha polokalama biosecurity research mei he  University o e NSW’s Kirby Institute, ko e ‘isiu kovi taha he taimi ni ko hono fakangaloku ‘a e founga ke ma’u ai ‘e he kakai tokolahi ‘a e huhu malu’i pusitaa’.

Kuo kovi ange ‘a e Koviti ‘i ha toe taimi pea ‘oku si’i ange ‘etau me’a ‘oku fai ki ai ha toe taimi ko e lau ia ‘a Professor MacIntyre.

Ne hanga ‘e he mitia mo e pule’anga ‘o tufaki ha fekau hili ‘a e konga ki mu’a 2022 o pehe kuo ‘osi ‘a e Koviti pea ko e momoko pe.

Ko ho’o lea pehe pe ki he kakai ko e ha ha toe ‘uhinga ke nau o ai ‘o huhu malu’i.

Na’a ne pehe ‘oku totonu ke ma’u ‘e he taha kotoa ‘a e huhu malu’i ATAGI-recommended bivalent ‘a ia ‘oku ne malu’i ‘a e fotunga fo’ou ‘o e vailasi’.

Oku malu’i pe ‘e he vekisini ‘olisinolo ‘a e situleini ‘o e vailasi pea ko ia naa ne fakatupu ‘a e tō ‘a e Koviti ‘i Wuhan, Siaina, ko MacIntyre ia.

Kuo lekooti ha toko 10,300 ‘i ‘Aositelelia kuo mate he Koviti ‘i he 2022, fakahoa ia ki he kau mate ‘e toko 1400 he 2021, taimi ‘eni ne lisi ai ko e mate’anga lahi taha fika 34 e Koviti fakatatau ki he Actuaries Institute.

‘I ‘olunga ‘ia kinautolu mate mei he vailasi, ko e toko 2900 ‘o e mate na’e fakakaukau’i ko e tupu mei hano fakatupunga ‘e he Koviti ‘a ia ne kau ki ai mo ha ngaahi fakatupunga kehe, pea ko e mate ‘e 7000 ne ‘ikai faka’ofisiale hano pehe ko e Koviti 19 ne tupu mei ai ka ne ‘i ai ‘ene kaunga ki he mate’.

Oku hoko ai ‘a e vailasi ko e fika tolu ia ki he mahaki mafu ischaemic heart disease mo e taimenitia ‘a e tupu’anga ‘o e mate lahi taha ‘i ‘Aositelelia laka ia ‘i he pa kalava, kanisa ‘o e koloni mo e ma’ama’a, mahaki’ia ‘a e ma’ama’a mo e suka.

Pehe ‘e ha kulupu ‘a  MacIntyre mo ha kau mataotao kuo taimi ke ‘i ai ha tu’utu’uni ki he huhu malu’i ‘a e fanau ‘i lalo he ta’u nima mo hono ngaue’aki’o e masaki.

Oku nau toe ui foki ki he fakalahi ‘a e tu’utu’uni ki he tesi, venitileisini ‘oku sai ange ‘i he ngaahi fale pea mo e ngaahi shared spaces.

Girl,15, boy,17, get suspended sentence after Nuku‘alofa store robbery, assault  

By
Kaniva Staff
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Two teenagers have avoided ending up in jail after their 12-month sentence was fully suspended.

Miss June Folau, 15, and Sione Tu’ifua, 17, pleaded guilty to one count of robbery contrary to section 154 (1 ) Criminal Offences Act the maximum sentence for which is 10 years imprisonment.

Court heard Folau and Sione Tu’ifua used to work at a Chinese owned shop in Nuku’alofa’s Pahu town. On the day in question the till was manned by Mr. Konyan Lin.

They had started their work there on September 12, 2022 and on the 14 Tu’ifua turned up late for his shift and was dismissed. He stayed in the area of the shop and mid-morning, he went back into the shop where Mr. Lin was sitting on the shop counter.

He punched Lin to the head and held him around the throat to overpower him while shouting to Miss Folau to grab the money before they took off with TOP$2,000.

They both went to an aunt’s home in Ngele’ia before the police later found Folau. Tu’ifua handed himself in the following day.

The pre-sentence report showed Tu’ifua, who is 18 this year, was of hitherto good character.

“This is described as being totally out of character. He felt wronged by his summary dismissal for lateness and feelings of regret and resentment spun out of control within him. He is genuinely remorseful”.

Folau, who is 16 this year and at the time of her sentencing acted spontaneously. She was remorseful and noted to be a good person in general. She tried to have the money restored to the victim by Mr. Tu’ifua.

“Both are of low risk of re-offending”, a court document said.

In sentencing the duo, Judge Cooper said: ‘For their early guilty pleas, I take off 30%. That gives 12-month sentence.

‘This I fully suspend for 12 months on conditions that:

“Neither commit an offence punishable by imprisonment during that time, and . Abide by the directions of their probation officer.

I must impose a community punishment order to mark a punitive element to this sentence so set each to complete 40 hours’ community punishment order”.

Siutaisa To‘ia sentenced after stealing $35,000 from father’s bank account to feed drug habit

By
Kaniva Staff
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The woman who systematically stole $35,000 from her father’s bank account to feed her and her husband’s drug addiction habit, has avoided going to jail.

The offending was only discovered when the father contacted Tonga Development Bank in February 2022.

Appearing before Judge Petunia Tupou in Nuku’alofa Supreme Court recently, Siutaisa Tutoe To’ia, 27, pleaded guilty to six counts of forgery, six counts of knowingly dealing with forged documents and one count of obtaining money by false presences.

She was charged for making a false document on 14 December, 2021 by signing a withdrawal slip for $3,500 with the intention to deceive the Tonga Development Bank (“the Bank”) into acting on it as if it were genuine;

for making a false document on 28 December, 202 l by preparing an authorization letter in the name of Pelenato Tutoe authorizing herself to withdraw $2,500 from Mr. Tutoe’s account with the intention to deceive the Bank into acting on it as if it were genuine;  

for making a false document on 4 January 2022 by preparing an authorization letter in the name of Pelenato Tutoe authorizing herself to withdraw $9,000 from Mr. Tutoe ‘s account with the intention to deceive the Bank into acting on it as if it were genuine;

for making a false document on 17 January 2022 by preparing an authorization letter in the name of Pelenato Tutoe authorizing herself to withdraw $8,000 from Mr. Tutoe’s account with the intention to deceive the Bank into acting on it as if it were genuine;  

for making a false document on 24 January 2022 by preparing an authorization letter in the name of Pelenato Tutoe authorizing herself to withdraw $7,000 from Mr. Tutoe ‘s account with the intention to deceive the Bank into acting on it as if it were genuine;

for making a false document on 31 January 2022 by preparing an authorization letter in the name of Pelenato Tutoe authorizing herself to withdraw $5,000 from Mr. Tutoe ‘s account with the intention to deceive the Bank into acting on it as if it were genuine;

for submitting the withdrawal slip prepared on 14 December, 2021 to the Bank with the intention that it acted on it, knowing it was forged;

for submitting the authorization letter prepared on 28 December, 2021 to the Bank with the intention that it acted on it, knowing it was forged;

for submitting the authorization letter prepared on 4 January 2022 to the Bank with the intention that it acted on it, knowing it was forged;

for submitting the authorization letter prepared on 18 January 2022 to the Bank with the intention that it acted on it, knowing it was forged;

for submitting the authorization letter prepared on 25 Janua1y 2022 to the Bank with the intention that it acted on it, knowing it was forged;

for submitting the authorization letter prepared on 31 January 2022 to the Bank with the intention that it acted on it, knowing it was forged;  

for obtaining a sum of $35,000 from the Bank by submitting false documents to the Bank that purported to authorize her to withdraw monies from Mr. Tutoe, knowing the said documents to be false and causing the Bank to give her a total of $35,000 from the said account from December 2021 to January 2022.

To’ia is the only daughter of the victim, Mr. Pelenato Tutoe of Tonga’s Tungua, Ha’apai island.

In July, 2020, Mr. Tutoe left his bank account with To’ia and authorised her to withdraw $2,500 from his account.

In February, 2022 Mr. Tutoe found out from his daughter that she had used up all of the money held in his account. Mr. Tutoe called the bank to confirm and discovered it was true .

Tūtoe told the court “he was very hurt”.

He said “his daughter had apologized to him and he has since forgiven her and asks on her behalf for mercy and a lenient sentence”.

“He confirmed that his daughter’s husband had a serious illicit drug problem and his money was used to fuel their illegal drug use. She has separated from him and he is now providing for her and her children”.

The bank summoned a special internal audit which uncovered the forged withdrawal slips, letters of authorization and withdrawals totalling $35,000 between the periods of December, 2021 to 31 January, 2022.

The auditor recommended the Bank to repay the entire $35,000 to Mr.Tutoe because the bank was partially responsible for not following bank policies on withdrawals. In sentencing the accused the court heard the bank has yet to pay Mr Tūtoe’s money.

Judge Tupou said To’ia’s pre-sentence report showed she was separated from her husband since June 2022 and that “Alcohol and drug abuse is the cause of her problems”.

“At one point she was prepared to stop but her husband objected which eventually led to domestic abuse.

“She currently has a protection order against him”.

The court was told To’ia has quit drinking alcohol and taking drug .

“She accepts her bad behavior and intends to make amends. She has showed real remorse and although slow in taking her Priest’s advice, his support is available to her”.

Judge Tupou convicted To’ia and sentenced her to four years and eight months.

“‘The full sentence is to be suspended for a period of two years on the following conditions, namely, that during the said period of suspension, the Defendant is to:

a) not commit any offence punishable by imprisonment;

b) be placed on probation;

 c) enroll in a drug rehabilitation and counseling course as directed by her Probation Officer.

Failure to comply with any of those conditions may result in the suspension being rescinded, in which case, the Defendant may be required to serve the balance of her sentence”.

Tornado hits East Auckland as storm strikes country

By
Kaniva Staff
-

By RNZ.co.nz

There are reports of a tornado in East Auckland tonight as severe thunderstorm watches have been issued for much of the central and upper North Island.

Damage to Erne Cres in East Tamaki after a tornado struck tonight. Photo / Alanna Santoso

Fire and Emergency New Zealand said they were responding to multiple calls for assistance after a tornado was reported in Auckland.

The calls include roofs lifted off houses and fallen trees, mostly in an area from Flatbush to Tamaki.

Fire crews are responding to calls and Urban Search and Rescue crews are being mobilised.

As of 9.30pm Fire and Emergency had received about 15 calls.

Severe thunderstorm watch

Metservice has issued a severe thunderstorm watch for the Bay of Plenty and Rotorua between 10pm tonight and 5am Monday.

Meanwhile, Auckland and Northland could possibly see squally thunderstorms in the coming hours, with hail possible in Northland.

A full list of current MetService warnings can be found on their website.

Forecaster Aidan Pyselman said there could be small localised tornadoes.

“(There is) that band of heavy rain, so there may be embedded thunderstorms which could have your squally wind and downpours, so I guess people need to be aware of driving conditions and potential of flash flooding and things like that.”

An orange rain warning is also in place for Taranaki and Tasman, north of Motueka.

Metservice said the band of heavy rain and squally thunderstorms is expected to move south-eastwards over the northern and central North Island overnight.

It says there is a risk that that some could be severe in the Bay of Plenty and Rotorua from about 10pm tonight until 5am tomorrow.

Rainfall could reach up to 40 millimetres an hour, causing flooding and slips.

There could also be hail, wind gusts reaching 100 kilometres an hour and tornadoes mainly near the coast.

Satellite images showed the front over the Tasman Sea, approaching the country.

MetService earlier said there was a moderate risk of thunderstorms affecting Northland and Auckland from mid or late afternoon.

Northern parts of the South Island could also be affected, but the risk of thunderstorms could be close to moderate near Golden Bay.

An orange heavy rain warning is in place on Sunday from 4pm to Monday 4am for Mount Taranaki, with 80 to 100mm of rain expected to accumulate.

A warning was also in force for Tasman District northwest of Motueka from 5pm until Tuesday noon, with 80 to 120mm of rain expected.

Heavy rain watches will also be in place on Sunday night and Monday for Bay of Plenty ranges east of Ōpōtiki, Tararua Range, the Richmond Range including the Rai Valley, and Westland from around Otira southwards.

MetService said the thunderstorms were expected to be quite squally, with localised heavy rain of 10-25mm/h, hail, and wind gusts of 90-100km/h.

Warnings have been lifted for Gisborne and Hawke’s Bay where heavy rain battered the regions on Saturday.

Wairoa’s mayor said the region dodged a bullet as the Easter weather hasn’t turned out to be as bad as forecast.

The Hawke’s Bay town is still recovering from the aftermath of Cyclone Gabrielle.

Craig Little said it is painful as the wet weather keeps everything damp. He said repairs are ongoing but not fast enough.

People are frustrated that it is taking so long to get builders or insurance problems sorted out, he said.

Little said the priorities in Wairoa include clearing damaged houses and fixing roads.

Former Tonga Power staff accused of embezzling $47,000 says she has ‘moved on with my new job’

By
Kaniva Staff
-

A woman who previously worked at Tonga Power company is expected to face a criminal trial following her arrest over embezzlement allegations, local media reports said.

Pou BJames Tahilanu

Tupou Seluini Tahilanu, 29, from Sopu ‘o Tāufa dishonestly made off with TOP$47,521.00, the reports allegedly said.

The accused was working at Tonga’s sole electricity supplier’s office in Tofoa from February to April 2022 when the allegations emerged.

A person by the Facebook name Pou BJames Tahilanu told Kaniva News the source who leaked the news was investigated.

She described the source’s actions in English as ‘illegal’ and it is allegedly misleading the public.

 “It’s almost a year now I have moved on with my new job”, Tahilanu, the messenger, said.

She denied the news and asked to pull down the story as it affected her family.

In Tongan she said: “kole fakamolemole atu pe e lava nai ke tukuhifo post koia kataki pee ,he oku uesia hoku ki famili pea moe tokotaha’ ni he feaveaki holo ikai ke mooni”.

The news came amid electricity consumers’ ongoing complaints on social media about the electricity costs which they deemed it as ‘extremely expensive’.

There were also questions over what appears to be customers being asked to pay for the government’s electricity subsidy. As we previously reported extra reversal charges appeared on power bill invoices for consumers to pay had been made after the government apparently failed to pay its promised subsidy to Tonga Power.

This followed with the Ministry of Finance saying last month the government continued paying the subsidy to Tonga Power.

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