Claims that the Eke government intends to petition Parliament to overturn the 2010 reforms and reinstate the King’s former powers have been vehemently denied.
Minister for Customs and Revenue, Mateni Tapueluelu, dismissed the allegations, stating that he had not heard of any such proposal in Cabinet.
He told Setita Miller of RTTI that he was unaware of any Cabinet petition.
The Minister’s response is the latest development in the ongoing concerns pertaining to the democratic status in Tonga.
It follows Teisa Cokanasiga, the daughter of the late Tongan Defender of Democracy title holder, Akilisi Pohiva, who stated that the government must prioritize implementing further democratic reforms during last month’s national summit in Nuku’alofa.
The summit sought people’s feedback and proposals for the next 10-year government plan.
Cokanasiga told the meeting that Tonga could continue pursuing its development plans; however, at some point, these efforts would stall due to constitutional limitations—an argument advocated by her father.
While Tonga’s 2010 transition to democracy was a significant step toward political reform, it encountered serious structural and constitutional challenges.
The reforms initiated after King George V agreed to cede most of his executive powers to create a more representative government, with most parliamentary seats elected by the people.
However, the first democratically elected government under Prime Minister Lord Tuʻivakanō (2010–2014) quickly discovered flaws in the new system.
They hired constitutional lawyer Peter Pursglove, who criticized the reforms poorly implemented, leading to governance difficulties, including unclear separation of powers and legislative inefficiencies.
According to the Peter Pursglove report:
Tonga’s 2010 constitution does not uphold democracy
The Privy Council lacks any democratic composition or accountability
The judiciary lacks accountability and transparency.
Changes to the judiciary are inefficient, ineffective, unaffordable and possibly illegal.
No public discussions were held regarding the reforms to the judiciary or why they were considered necessary.
“The present Constitution of Tonga can lay claim to being the most poorly structured and drafted Constitution of any Country in the Commonwealth,” the report says.
Officials Urge Stricter Anti-Doping Measures as Student Athlete Safety Comes Under Scrutiny
Tonga’s Police Minister made a surprise appearance at the opening of the 98th Inter-Collegiate Sports Competition in Nuku’alofa this morning, as concerns over doping and student-athlete safety took centre stage.
The high-profile visit comes amid growing calls from officials for stricter anti-doping measures, with fears that performance-enhancing drugs could jeopardize the integrity of the games and the well-being of young competitors.
Tonga is grappling with a growing methamphetamine crisis, with its devastating impact on children and families becoming increasingly evident.
Police have intensified crackdowns on drug networks—ranging from individual parents to organized crime groups like the Comancheros—as reports of drug sales near schools spark public outrage.
Authorities warn that the scourge of meth is not only fueling crime but also putting youth at risk, prompting calls for urgent action to protect vulnerable communities.
Approximately 100 police officers have been deployed to Teufaiva National Stadium to oversee and monitor the sporting events.
Anti-Doping workshops
Last week, the Tonga Sports Association and National Olympic Committee (TASANOC) conducted Safeguarding and Anti-Doping workshops for high school students across Tongatapu, preparing them for the annual intercollegiate sports competition.
Participating schools included Apifo’ou College, Liahona High School, Tonga High School, and Queen Salote College, with the initiative to promote athlete welfare and sporting integrity.
“This workshop equips students with the knowledge to uphold safety and well-being in sports,” TASANOC reportedly said.
“Protecting our athletes is a top priority.”
At Apifo’ou College, officials praised students and staff for their active engagement, noting that the sessions “reinforced the importance of clean sports, fair play, and safeguarding young athletes.”
TASANOC emphasized that the program is part of broader efforts to educate athletes on the dangers of doping and ethical sporting conduct.
TASANOC pledged to continue supporting schools to ensure a “safe and fair environment for all competitors.”
Previous workshops
Last year, Tonga Police’s Drug Team partnered with the Salvation Army and the Women and Children Crisis Centre (WCCC) to lead drug awareness programs in local villages.
The campaigns aimed to educate youth and communities about the harsh realities of Tonga’s current drug crisis, with a strong message: “Drug Awareness – Know What’s Happening Right Now in Tonga.”
Through lived experiences and eyewitness testimonies, the program revealed how children’s lives have been devastated by illicit drug abuse. Many participants described the sessions as “an eye-opener and scary,” highlighting the urgent need for action.
Security and hygiene measures will be implemented at the Fāua fish sale spot to allow fishers to temporarily return to the trading area.
It follows complaints from fishermen abruptly barred from their usual selling spot due to congestion and sanitation concerns.
The temporary approval comes with strict hygiene measures, including prohibiting the placing of fish on the ground and increasing security to ensure cleanliness.
This arrangement will remain in place until the new small vessel port at Popua is operational.
This evening, the Deputy Prime Minister of Tonga announced his appreciation on Facebook for the Ports Board and the Minister of Public Enterprises.
He acknowledged their decision to permit fishers from Hahake, Eua, and the outer islands to continue selling their catch at Faua Wharf.
A recent directive from the Ports Authority of Tonga (PAT) prohibited fish sales at the spot.
The fishermen disagreed with the new directive and reportedly expressed dissatisfaction on social media.
PAT chief executive ‘Alo Maileseni reportedly said the fishermen were informed beforehand about the restrictions.
He said that the designated area is meant for vessels to load and unload cargo and passengers, not for selling fish.
Maileseni said trading in this zone contributes to operational congestion and unsanitary conditions.
National and New Zealand First are on the rise in the latest 1News Verian poll, with the coalition having the numbers to again form a government.
Neither of the two main party leaders’ ratings are high, but it is a better result for National’s Christopher Luxon than Labour’s Chris Hipkins. (Source: 1News)
Labour on the other hand has fallen by 1% in the poll, which surveyed 1000 eligible voters and ran from March 29 to April 2.
If an election were to be held today, the right bloc of National, ACT and New Zealand First would have 64 seats, enough to form a coalition, while the left bloc of Labour, the Greens and Te Pāti Māori would have 58 seats.
That’s a turnaround on February’s poll, which put Labour and the left bloc in the driving seat.
(Source: 1News)
National is up 2% to 36% today compared to their February result, while Labour has slipped 1% to 32%.
New Zealand First hits new heights – up 2% to 7%. This is the highest the party has been in our polls since September of 2017.
The Greens and ACT are steady on 10% and 9% respectively.
Te Pāti Māori continue to slide, down by a further 1% to 3%. As recently as December they were on 7%.
The public also appears to be feeling a bit better about the economy.
Economic optimism is up by 3% to 39% on our last poll, while economic pessimism has gone down from 25% to 21%.
(Source: 1News)
Today’s numbers mean National would have 44 seats in Parliament, down 5 on their current allocation, Labour would have 40, up 6, The Greens would have 12, down 2, ACT would have 11, the same number as they have at present.
New Zealand First would have 9, up 1, and Te Pāti Māori would also have 6, as they do at present. There would be an extra two seats in a 122-seat Parliament as a result of an overhang, assuming that Te Pāti Māori held on to their six electorate seats.
‘Making good progress’
Luxon responded to the results, saying: “There’s a lot of polls. I don’t comment on them. I’m focused very much on making sure I get things done and deliver for New Zealanders. We’re making some good progress. We’re turning the corner. It’s good to see economic growth coming back. But there’s a lot more for us to do.”
Hipkins said polls “bounce around at this point in the electoral cycle”. He added: “We’ve still got a lot of water to flow under the bridge before the next election. We’re only halfway through the Parliamentary term.
“The polls are showing that Labour’s support is rebounding from the last election, but we know we’ve got more work to do. We haven’t started announcing major policies yet. We will be doing more of that, certainly in the second half of this year and heading into next year.”
Meanwhile, New Zealand First leader Winston Peters said, “I never talk about polls because I don’t trust them.” He added that “real” polls to him were the packed public meetings that his party held.
Te Pāti Māori leader Debbie Ngarewa-Packer said: “Our polling, we always say this, is actually out on the ground. Our polling is who turns up to support kaupapa. How it is that advising and interacting with us, whether it be at the marae or whether it be on social media.”
Luxon and Hipkins trending up
(Source: 1News)
In the preferred prime minister stakes, neither Christopher Luxon or Chris Hipkins are particularly popular, but both are trending in the right direction.
Luxon is up by 1% to 23%, while Hipkins has climbed 3% to 20%.
Winston Peters is now the third preferred option, going up 2% to 7%, in line with his party’s numbers.
Chlöe Swarbrick has fallen from 6% to 4% and the public seems to be going cold on David Seymour too. He’s down from 6% to 3%.
Rounding out the honourable mentions on 1% are former PM Jacinda Ardern, Te Pāti Māori’s Hana Rawhiti Maipi-Clarke, Finance Minister Nicola Willis, Education Minister Erica Stanford, Labour’s Kieran McAnulty and a new entrant – Health Minister Simeon Brown.
ACT leader Seymour reacted to today’s numbers, saying: “When we were down, I said people are voting on the economy today. I think the economy is just starting to cautiously improve, and maybe these polls reflect that as well.”
On his preferred PM rating he added: “I suspect it’s what they call statistical noise … If Chris Hipkins has gone up, I’d say that’s probably the voters taking pity on him.”
Green co-leader Chlöe Swarbrick said: “I’ve said, since time immemorial, since I first became a politician, that our job is not to watch the polls, but to realise that we are the polls, to do absolutely everything that we can, to mobilise our communities to claim power so that we get an economy that works for people and planet, as opposed to exploiting and exhausting both.”
India trip, school lunch troubles
The poll comes after the Prime Minister’s trip to India, where negotiations began in another attempt to secure a free trade deal, and the Government’s school lunch programme remained prominent after one of the providers went into liquidation.
More recently, the story of Green MP Benjamin Doyle’s alternative social media account that was criticised by NZ First Leader Winston Peters made headlines.
One factor not captured in the poll is the effect of US President Donald Trump’s tariffs announcement last week, which has had a negative impact on the markets worldwide and came after this survey was carried out.
Between March 29 and April 2 2025, 1000 eligible voters were polled by mobile phone (500) and online, using online panels (500). The maximum sampling error is approximately ±3.1%-points at the 95% confidence level. Party support percentages have been rounded up or down to whole numbers, except those less than 4.5%, which are reported to one decimal place. The data has been weighted to align with Stats NZ population counts for age, gender, region, ethnic identification and education level. The sample for mobile phones is selected by random dialling using probability sampling, and the online sample is collected using an online panel. Undecided voters, non-voters and those who refused to answer are excluded from the data on party support. The results are a snapshot in time of party support, and not a prediction.
A Samoan national has been sentenced to four years in prison and ordered to pay $4,000 in reparations after admitting to multiple immigration and exploitation offences in Auckland District Court today.
The individual, whose name remains suppressed, pleaded guilty to five representative charges of aiding and abetting visa breaches, six counts of exploiting unlawful migrants, and one representative charge of corrupting a public official.
The defendant is scheduled to reappear in court next month to determine her application for permanent name suppression. She is currently in prison after being sentenced last week.
The crimes took place between 2014 and 2021, when the defendant, with the help of an associate, illegally employed Samoan nationals in New Zealand and facilitated visa breaches.
The offending also involved bribing an Immigration New Zealand (INZ) official in Samoa to secure visas and preferential treatment for workers.
The scheme exploited vulnerable migrants, who were paid below minimum wage, denied employment rights, and forced to remain in the country unlawfully after their visas expired.
Michael Carley, Acting General Manager Immigration Compliance & Investigation says the individual would frequently travel to Samoa to recruit people to their painting business.
“Workers were lured to New Zealand under the offer to make money that they can send to their families in Samoa,” he says.
“The individual would then either directly or indirectly through extended family or friends, sponsor a worker’s visitor visa and manage the process of applying for visas through Immigration New Zealand. Even paying for related visa fees and airfares”.
The individual would also direct employees, while in Samoa, to place cash in papers when attending the Samoa Immigration New Zealand office, in order to influence their treatment by officials.
The individual knew the workers were not lawfully entitled to work in New Zealand and some employees would also remain unlawfully in New Zealand at the expiry of their visitor visa.
The individuals’ employees would regularly work more than 40 hours per week and were paid a daily rate of NZD $100, less than the adult minimum wage. They did not pay their workers holiday or sick pay entitlements and failed to provide them with payslips or an individual employment agreement.
The individual provided monetary payment to the associate for providing accommodation for many of their workers and assisted with applying for the visitor visas of at least two people by sponsoring some of them at the individual’s direction. The associate knew these visas did not allow the recipient to work in New Zealand and knew that the purpose of their entry was to work for the individual illegally.
When the individual travelled out of New Zealand to Samoa, they would also transfer money to the associate and direct them on how much to pay the workers.
This sentencing concludes a 5-year Immigration investigation, initiated in 2020 after being alerted to the individuals offending following a complaint received through Crimestoppers.
Mr. Carley says this sentencing sends a clear message that Immigration fraud, migrant exploitation and corruption will not be tolerated.
“The callous exploitation of vulnerable migrants and the corruption of public officials, is not just unethical – it’s criminal and we will work with our partner agencies both onshore and offshore to take all necessary action to hold those responsible to account” he says.
“Maintaining and protecting the integrity of our Immigration system is critical to protecting both migrants and the wider public. Therefore, we expect applicants to be honest about their intentions when entering New Zealand and follow the conditions of their visa”.
“I’m also incredibly proud of our investigations team who undertook a lengthy and complex investigation, working closely across Ministry of Business Innovation and Employment (MBIE) and Immigration New Zealand (INZ) Integrity teams, to bring these serious charges before the court”.
MBIE places significant emphasis on the integrity and professional standards expected from our staff and any subsequent breach to the Immigration system by officials will be investigated thoroughly.
We encourage anyone with any knowledge of Immigration fraud or exploitation to come forward. To make a report, contact the MBIE reporting line on 0800 200 088. To report an issue anonymously, call Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.
Moana Pasifika loose forward Semisi Tupou Ta’eiloa celebrates his try with captain Ardie Savea. (Source: Photosport)
Coach Dan McKellar is lamenting his “bored” players after the NSW Waratahs produced another embarrassing defensive display to suffer a 45-28 Super Rugby Pacific capitulation to Moana Pasifika in Auckland.
An attacking masterclass from Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii had the Waratahs on track for an elusive first away win of the season before the hosts piled on 38 second-half points to run away with victory yesterday.
McKellar was unable to hide his frustrations after the Tahs defied his orders to man up in defence after a similar surrender last week in a 57-12 loss to the Hurricanes in Wellington.
“A very poor second half, it’s as simple as that,” McKellar said.
“I thought at the halftime break we’d executed our plan nicely and it builds a lead.
“The second half, we just we fell away.”
After taking a 21-7 lead to the interval, then again stretching their advantage to 14 points with a Teddy Wilson try, the Waratahs collapsed at North Harbour Stadium.
The Pasifika ran in five tries in a devastating 15-minute spell, with prop Feleti Sae-Ta’ufo’ou completing his hat-trick before flyhalf Patrick Pellegrini, fullback William Havili and replacement Fine Inisi added to the Waratahs’ humiliation.
Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii is brought down by Moana Pasifika. (Source: Photosport)
With powerhouse prop Taniela Tupou also failing to deliver at set piece after being dropped to the bench and thrust into the fray in the second half, McKellar conceded the Waratahs had plenty of “work-ons” ahead of their next game.
“Just executing what was working (in the first half) and not getting bored with it,” the coach said of his team’s plan for a turnaround after three losses on the road to go with an unbeaten four-match start in Sydney.
“That’s the reality. We’ve got a couple of tidy-ups in and around line out there.
“We had a nice centre-field scrum that we got penalised for collapsing, so there’s the set piece to start with.
“Then just not going away from what we’re good at. That’s the challenge for us at the moment.
“We’re producing it for periods, but we’ve got to produce it for 80 minutes.”
The defensive abomination overshadowed another eye-catching performance from Suaalii, who looked to have inspired the Waratahs with three telling touches.
All three ended in tries, with winger Triston Reilly bagging a double and halfback Wilson also benefiting from the cross-code superstar’s silky skills.
Returning to fullback after making his comeback from a foot injury last week in the centres, Suaalii’s decisive contributions earned the Waratahs their handy halftime lead.
When he burst through to set up Wilson in the 57th minute to go up 28-14, the Waratahs appeared odds-on to claim their first win away from Sydney in 2025.
But then they crumbled.
McKellar’s charges have now conceded 105 points in their past two starts.
Moana Pasifika, on the other hand, are celebrating back-to-back Super Rugby Pacific wins for the first time after also putting 45 points on the Crusaders in Christchurch last week.
Coach Tana Umaga said he couldn’t be prouder.
“It’s just about the actions and, as we saw, those actions were all over the show today,” he said.
“We were having a bit of cramp and injuries and people lying on the ground but everyone just kept getting back up.
“There were a lot of deep breaths, but they could see what was happening and just kept getting back up for each other – and that’s all you can ask for.”
A town officer in Vava’u is investigating after discovering a cooler and a pile of rotten sea cucumbers.
Suspected sea cucumbers discovered in Hōleva, Vava’u. Photo/Uele Moala
Holeva Town Officer Uele Moala said he would file a complaint with the Police.
He cautioned the suspect about their interactions with the police.
He took photos of the stuff and shared them on Facebook.
The discovery follows reports last week that Tonga might extend its ban on sea cucumbers to give them more time to restock.
The ban has existed since the 2010s, with the latest being 2022.
Local media have reported Fisheries Ministry CEO Dr Sione Matoto as saying the expected lift in the ban was uncertain, citing a recent survey.
Matoto reportedly confirmed that the ban on harvesting currently remains in place.
The government’s decision to continue suspending the harvesting of this resource, which is considered a delicacy in parts of Asia, will allow stocks to recover following overfishing.
Concerns about this highly priced species have arisen since the beginning of their fishing practices in the 1980s, particularly after several fishers died while using scuba hookah diving equipment.
The government later announced that sea cucumbers must only be collected by wading and free diving.
It also banned using artificial breathing apparatus, including SCUBA and hookah, to harvest sea cucumbers.
The law states that anyone possessing sea cucumbers in a boat carrying artificial breathing apparatus is committing an offence.
The Eke government faces mounting challenges in its bid to privatize the national airline,
Officials are working out ways to help repay millions of dollars in loans from retirement funds and other government accounts, including an Australian grant allocated to the airlines by the previous administration, before any sale can proceed.
The controversial airline has been a point of contention since its inception in 2020, with critics warning it would plunge the government into debt, as happened with Royal Tongan Airlines, which collapsed with $30 million in debt after being forced to cease operations in 2004.
The Minister of Public Enterprises Piveni Piukala announced yesterday that the government is reviving the airline, ensuring its fleet becomes operational in an effort to cover costs and position the carrier for potential buyers.
He warned that if the government sold Lulutai Airlines in its current state, there would be no way to recover any costs, forcing a complete write-off, including the retirement funds loaned to the carrier.
The aircraft has received various investments, including $21 million from the government and extra funding from Australian aid.
Piukala has announced that Lulutai has recently applied for a quick government subsidy to assist its recovery efforts.
He argued that the subsidy would be less costly to taxpayers than leaving Lulutai to fend for itself.
“Hopefully by next week all three aircraft, including the Twin Otter, Saab 340 and Y12, will operate”, he said.
The Saab was immobile after striking a cement block in December last year while on wet lease, and the attempt to claim insurance had been stalled.
The Y12 was a gift from China, but it faced significant mechanical issues and stopped operating.
The Lulutai purchased the Twin Otter, which was commissioned in December 2023. It also encountered several mechanical issues.
The former Hu’akavameiliku government borrowed approximately $4.5 million from the Retirement Fund to purchase the Twin Otter.
Auditor reports
The Minister said the Auditor General’s report for 2022/2023 was expected to be released soon, which can assist the government in its final decision about Lulutai Airlines.
One issue that previously drew significant attention to Lulutai was last year’s revelation that the government did not own the airline, despite having invested over $20 million in it.
As Kaniva News previously reported, the Auditor General stated he could not locate the share certificate to prove government ownership of Lulutai.
“These certificates are to be completely kept and filed. They are to be consistent with the independent confirmations from the Ministry of Public Enterprises” according to its original Financial and Compliance Audits reports for 2020/2021 and 2021/2022, the Auditor General’s office made this comment on Lulutai Airlines.
“Audit issue still outstanding from previous years – No confirmation of government shares from the companies listed above. The Audit has no proof of the government ownership of these companies”.
Former Prime Minister Hu‘akavameiliku previously stated that the Ministry of Finance had received the certificate, but he did not respond to our request for a copy.
A homicide investigation is underway after a man found with “critical injuries consistent with stab wounds” died at a property in Auckland’s Manurewa overnight.
Police at the scene on Marr Road in Manurewa. (Source: 1News)
Police were called to a property on Marr Road shortly after midnight following a report that a person had been injured.
“Police and Ambulance attended and located a man with critical injuries consistent with stab wounds who, despite medical attention, died at the scene,” a police spokesperson said.
An investigation was launched to determine the circumstances of the man’s death.
“Residents in the area can expect to see an increased Police presence in the area today.”
Police said it wanted to hear from anyone who witnessed the incident or had information to assist the investigation.
An Auckland woman has been sentenced to home detention after diverting company funds into her personal account to evade PAYE deductions owed to Inland Revenue.
Victoria Sabrina Kalapa, a 36-year-old Auckland woman, has been sentenced to 12 months of home detention for serious tax offences stemming from her management of Gold Standard Scaffolding Ltd (GSSL).
The sentencing took place on April 2 at the Auckland District Court.
Kalapa was found guilty of aiding her company in failing to remit Pay As You Earn (PAYE) deductions to Inland Revenue, despite overseeing substantial financial transactions that led to significant personal gains.
As the sole director and shareholder of GSSL, which operated from 2019 until its liquidation in 2023, Kalapa was responsible for managing the company’s finances alongside her husband, who acted as the operating manager.
An investigation by Inland Revenue, initiated in July 2023, uncovered troubling evidence. Records revealed that GSSL had received deposits totaling $4.5 million over four years, with nearly equal amounts being withdrawn.
Shockingly, more than $2 million in “drawings” was transferred to Kalapa’s personal bank accounts, alongside reported “wages” totaling almost half a million dollars.
Documents presented to the court highlighted that from November 2019 to April 2023, GSSL failed to transfer any PAYE payments to the Inland Revenue, except for a minimal payment of $500.
Despite the company’s substantial bank balance, Kalapa prioritized personal withdrawals over fulfilling her company’s tax obligations. Inland Revenue’s investigation revealed that the total unpaid PAYE tax assessed against GSSL stands at $558,884.58, with additional late fees pushing the total liability over $560,000.
Although Kalapa sought an instalment arrangement with Inland Revenue, the agreement collapsed due to missed payments, further complicating her legal issues.
The court not only imposed home detention but also ordered Kalapa to pay reparations of $13,000 at a rate of $50 per week, reflecting the seriousness of her financial misconduct.
This case serves as a stark reminder of the legal responsibilities business owners hold in managing tax obligations and the consequences of failing to comply with these requirements.
