Guests in rapture as Mate Ma’a Tonga defeats the Kangaroos 16-12. Video / Leima Tu’atonga
Guests at a wedding celebration in Sydney erupted in cheering and dancing on Saturday as Tonga Invitational XIII rugby league team triumphed 16-12 over Australia in their final match in Auckland.
The victory was
certainly a celebration for all Tongan fans and supporters. But the Kau To’a, as the invitational team was
also known in Tongan, have become more than just a Tongan team,
with people across New Zealand celebrating the first tier two team to
have beaten world’s best.
It was also the first
time the Kangaroos have been beaten by anybody except New Zealand or the UK
since succumbing to France in 1978.
The historical triumph has also silenced the critics after some Tongans led by Tonga National Rugby League interim board have dismissed the Invitational side as a palagi team established by the palagi authorities at the Rugby League International.
They also said the Tongan players were born in New Zealand and Australia like Andrew Fifita and Jason Taumalolo.
Because of the bitter dispute that has wracked rugby league in Tonga, the Tonga team played under the banner of Tongan invitation XIII, not the Mate Ma’a, a solution brokered by the international rugby league authorities.
Majority of people who spoke to Kaniva news said they still supported the Tongan team and rejected the interim board and what they saw as its attempts to discredit the Tongan players
The drug dealer who attempted to export 1.9 kilograms of methamphetamine to New Zealand was found guilty and will be sentenced next week.
Viliami Mangisi, 59,
was convicted of two counts relating to
the seizure of the methamphetamine in May 2018.
The Tongan-US passport
holder attempted to export the drugs from Tonga to New Zealand. Police said the
meth had an estimated street value of around $2 million pa’anga.
The court heard Mangisi arranged with an airport cleaner, Samuela Fonua, to smuggle the illicit drugs into the airport and conceal it at the departure lounge. Mangisi would pick it up later on his way to the plane.
The plan was unfolded after a shift leader at the airport spotted Fonua acting suspiciously at the entrance to the security area, the court was told.
Asked what he was doing
Fonua told the woman it was something for Mangisi to come and pick up later.
The shift leader reported
the incident to the manager and police were called.
Police arrived and Fonua was
arrested and interviewed. The court was told Police advised Fonua to go ahead
with the plan so they can have a chance to arrest Mangisi.
Fonua pleaded guilty
while Mangisi pleaded not guilty.
Mangisi will be sentenced on November 15 after he was convicted by jury.
Jason
Taumalolo said this week he would not be satisfied until Tonga had defeated all
of international rugby’s “big three.”
After
tonight the Tongan co-captain should well and truly satisfied.
In
a hard fought game that saw the action pressed right up against the try line,
the Tonga Kau To’a (Tonga Invitational XIII) defeated Australia 16-12.
Tonga
would have needed to defeat the Kangaroos by 22 points to secure the Oceania
Cup Trophy.
However,
tonight’s win will be another huge boost for Tonga’s ambition to be recognised
as a team worthy of respect and regular Tier One competition.
The
New Zealand Herald described the
outcome of tonight’s clash as “a truly historic win” and a night for Tonga to
cherish.
“They
turned in a truly brilliant performance to topple the World Champions.”
The
official NRL site said tonight’s Tongan victory ushered in a new era of
international rugby league.
This
is the first time Australia has been beaten by a Tier Two team. It was also the
first time the Kangaroos have been beaten by anybody except New Zealand or the
UK since succumbing to France in 1978.
Tonga
kicked off the game and was soon fighting back hard against the Australian
assault.
Tonight’s
match was harder fought than the fight with the British Lions last week as the
Kangaroos poured it on from the beginning.
With
a lead behind them, Australia could have opened up a bigger lead, but failed to
score in the second half.
Instead,
Tonga fought back to a four point lead.
In
the last minutes of the game Australia tried repeatedly to break through what
has been described as Tonga’s brick
wall.
Victories
Before
today’s match Kangaroo’s coach Mal Meninga warned that the Tongan player’s
desire to represent the kingdom made them a threat.
“They’ve
got that passion, that drive and desire to put on their jerseys so I mean,
that’s dangerous,” Meninga said.
Tonight
Meninga’s warning was proved all too true.
Both
teams ran onto the field tonight
victories behind them.
While
Tongans were buoyed by their win over
the British Lions, the Kangaroos defeat New Zealand on Wednesday in a game
Taumalolo described as “typical Australian
footy, grinding out teams and putting them to the sword.”
Last
year, the Kangaroos defeated Mate Ma’a Tonga 34-16 and Tonga would have been
hoping for revenge.
Earlier
today in the triple header sat Eden Park, Fiji beat Samoa 44-18 and the British
Lions suffered their second defeat in a week, going down to New Zealand 12-8.
The
main points
Jason Taumalolo said this week he would not be satisfied
until Tonga had defeated all of international rugby’s big three.
After tonight, the Tongan co-captain he should well and truly satisfied.
The Tonga International XIII go into tomorrow night’s match with a
victory against the British Lions under their belt, but as they know from their
last encounter, Australia will provide tough opposition.
When they last met, Mate Ma’a Tonga went down 34-16.
However, the level of fan support has blossomed since the victory in
Hamilton and the team has been thanked by His Majesty King Tupou VI and Prime
Minister Dr. Pohiva Tu’i’onetoa for their efforts.
As this story was being written, Tongan fans were gathering, waving
flags and circling round in their vehicles with flags to show their supports in
Otahuhu Great South Road shopping centre.
Coach Kristian Woolf and co-captain Jason Taumalolo have both spoken to
the media about how positive they feel ahead of tomorrow night’s game.
And Kangaroos coach Mal Meninga has cautioned his players not to
underestimate the Tongan International XIII.
Taumalolo said he was buouyed by the turnout at supporters events at the
Mangere East Rugby League Club this week.
He told RNZ it was a sign of what was to come when they play Australia at
Eden Park in the Oceana Cup Test match on Saturday night.
“If today is anything to go by, I think this weekend is going to be
even more crazier than what it is today so that can only mean a good thing for
us. You know, they really turned out in numbers today,” he said.
Taumalolo said he would not be satisfied until Tonga had defeated all of
international rugby’s big three.
On Wednesday night the Tongan team watched Australia defeat New Zealand
26-4.
“They played a typical Australian style of footy, grinding out teams and
putting them to the sword,” Taumalolo said.
“There’s a lot of factors at play in this weekend’s game. They have
strike power all over the field, but I’m confident we do too. I’ll back my
players and I’m sure they’ll go out and rise to the occasion on Saturday
night.”
The Tongan squad has been extended, with the inclusion of Broncos trio
Tevita Pangai Jr, Joe Ofahengaue and Kotoni Staggs.
Australia
Kangaroos coach Mal Meninga said they could not afford to be
over-confident.
“I think you always go into games, particularly at this level, with
a fear of failure,” Meninga told the official NRL website.
“That has been a common theme with the Kangaroos for a long time.
“Our mental preparation and physicality has to be good to play against
the Tongans. They were extraordinarily good last week and played with so much
passion. We have to prepare really well to match the Tongans tomorrow
night.”
Earlier, Kangaroos player David Klemmer said Tonga had “an explosive
forward pack.”
“If we can keep the ball in play and tire them out somehow and hold the
football, we’ll have some fun around the ruck there.”
Divisions
As Kaniva news reported last weekend, Taumalolo was equally confident ahead of the British Lions game, despite the upheavals surrounding the team.
Some people calling for the Invitational XIII to be boycotted because they weren’t the Mate Ma’a
Tonga or even a ‘real’ Tongan team.
However, the Invitational XIII’s performance in a hard, tight fought
game should put those claims to rest once and for all.
“I’m confident that they’ll turn out in numbers this weekend,”
Taumalolo said.
“I’m sure after last week’s result a lot more fans will be turning out
to this weekend’s game.”
The main points
The Tonga International XIII go into tomorrow night’s
match with a victory against the British Lions under their belt, but as they
know from their last encounter, Australia will provide tough opposition.
Co-captain Jason Taumalolo is optimistic about the
outcome of tomorrow night’s game.
For more information
PM congratulates Tongan Invitational XIII ahead of match with Australia
on Saturday
Prime Minister Pōhiva Tu’i’onetoa said a decision by his cabinet to hold a public consultation on a proposal to plant hemp in the kingdom should never happen.
There was a shortfall and the move has caused public outrage, he told Broadcomm FM Broadcasting livestream updates.
“As a prime minister” that would be stopped and discontinued, he said.
Hon Tu’i’onetoa who returned to office this week after attending meetings overseas was expected to revoke the decision in Cabinet today, Wednesday 30.
He said the wording of the cabinet decision, which was leaked to Kaniva news and other media, was vague when it said it was “approved” and then it followed with the words “as amended.”
It should either said it was “deferred” or “not approved.”
He said the cabinet should have contacted him for a comment on the proposal while he was away.
As we reported last week, a Cabinet
document provided to us date October 17 appears to show Cabinet approved the
application from an entity identified as ‘the Brown group,’ subject to a public
consultation organised by the Attorney
General’s office.
The document does not specifically say the
plant is to be grown for medical purposes.
As we reported in June, a group of
lobbyists failed in an attempt to discuss the possibility of legalising
marijuana for medical reasons.
Chief Secretary Edgar Cocker said at the
time he was unaware of any “submission – but hemp is illegal as per the Tonga
Drugs Act.”
A Ministry of Health spokesperson said
Tonga was too small to allow marijuana to be used in any form.
There has been interest in growing medical
marijuana in Vanuatu, but no licences had been issued yet.
The Australian Parliament has passed
legislation to allow for the cultivation of marijuana for medical or scientific
purposes.
There has been public concern over the
legalisation of cannabis cultivation in Tonga.
Despite Deputy Prime Minister Vuna
Fa’otusia explaining the difference between hemp and marijuana, some people
have remained suspicious that this would lead to an easing off in the war
against illicit drugs.
Hemp and cannabis
Hemp and cannabis are variants of cannabis. Cannabis contains the drug tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) which gets people high. Hemp is used to make clothes, rope and other items.
In 2018 President Trump signed a Farm Bill which classified hemp as an agricultural product in the United States. Under the Bill, any cannabis plant with less then 0.3% THC is considered hemp, not marijuana.
Marijuana also contains Cannabidiol (CBD) which is legal in New Zealand. It is described as having potential therapeutic value, with little or no psychoactive properties.
The New Zealand Ministry of Health was developing a plan to enable domestic commercial cultivation and manufacture of medicinal cannabis. The plan is expected to be operational in the first quarter of 2020.
Janeiro Jason Tapusoa, 27, and Leroy Poi Dumars Tinei, 25, were both arrested and charged with murder on July 25.
Tapusoa applied for continued name suppression on Tuesday at the High Court at Auckland, which was dismissed by Justice Mark Woolford.
Both defendants deny the charge and will go to trial in October next year.
At a hearing on Tuesday in front of Justice Woolford, Ish Jayanandan asked for continued name suppression on the basis of fair trial rights for her client.
Crown prosecutor Gareth Kayes said the threshold for continued name suppression was not met and Justice Woolford dismissed Jayanandan’s application.
Detective Senior Sergeant Malcolm Hassall previously told Stuff, investigators had worked “tirelessly” to confirm the circumstances relating to Tupou’s death, to give his family some closure.
“We feel for his family who have been going through an extremely difficult time since his passing, and while we acknowledge this result will not bring him back, we hope it may be able to bring some form of comfort to his family and friends.”
Tupou had recently returned from the United States to live with his family in Mangere before he died.
He was described by friends and family as a fun-loving, hardworking young man.
Ma’ake Hauto, Tupou’s former schoolmate from Salt Lake City in the US, said he always had a big smile on and was always willing to help others “no matter what”.
Another friend Lavelua Pulu said Tupous was “just another older brother on the lookout”, who would always check in on his friends.
Supreme
Court action between Tonga’s National Rugby League and the government has been withdrawn.
Earlier this month Justice Laki Niu
declared the government and the RLIF-endorsed interim body Tonga Ma’a Tonga
Rugby League were “restrained and prohibited” from making decisions
involving Tonga’s national rugby league team.
The ruling clashed with a recent
suspension of the Tongan National Rugby League by the world governing body –
Rugby League International Federation.
This followed a declaration by Tonga’s then-acting Prime Minister Semisi
Sika declared the local body had lost the trust and support of the government,
clubs and players.
The suspension led to the TNRL, whose
board was elected this year, launching legal action against the Tongan
government and the TMTRL.
The matter was adjourned on October
18 to allow both sides to file further affidavits by October 24.
The TRNL’s lawyer, Clive Edwards,
told the court that his client had been given a copy of a Cabinet decision
dated September 26.
The government had agreed to revisit
the issue of the governance of rugby league and its endorsement of any
particular body.
The government had agreed to give the
TRNL a chance to be heard on the issue.
On that basis the TRNL had agreed to
withdraw its proceedings.
Lord Chief Justice Whitten ruled that
orders made by Justice Niu be dissolved.
The main points
Supreme Court action
between Tonga’s National Rugby League and the government has been withdrawn.
Earlier this month Justice
Laki Niu declared the government and the RLIF-endorsed interim body Tonga Ma’a
Tonga Rugby League were “restrained and prohibited” from making
decisions involving Tonga’s national rugby league team.
The government has cited concerns that the democrats’ PTOA party is not registered as a legal entity as one of the reasons it banned the organisation from holding a meeting at the Popua National Park on Saturday.
There was a big question mark (“fakafehu’ia lahi”) over it, Chief Secretary Edgar Cocker told Kaniva news.
Cocker said a royal commission led by Justice Charles Cato was investigating how the late ‘Akilisi Pōhiva government’s funding of the recreational park project was spent.
The park was a meeting place for the PTOA party.
Reports said the park was closed down over the weekend and some members of the King’s Armed Forces were spotted guarding the place.
However, Cocker said the park was still open to the public, but the PTOA members and supporters were not allowed to use it for their last week’s get together because of the investigation.
The investigation came after the Auditor General said last year an audit of the spending on the park found no laws had been breached.
It also came after King Tupou VI ordered three petitions attacking the late Pōhiva’s government to be referred to the Ombudsman in March.
As Kaniva news reported, the petitions were
organised by long standing opponents of the government who demanded the government be dissolved.
The petitioners
alleged that there was a misuse of public finances and resources by the former
government.
Former government minister and lawyer Clive Edwards presented a petition signed by former politicians.
Noble MP
Lord Nuku presented a petition from the country’s nobles.
The third
petition was presented by former MP Teisina Fuko from members of the general
public.
The Lord
Privy Seal said at the time the Ombudsman would investigate complaints in the
petition, take such action as he considered appropriate and make a
determination on any instance of mal-administration which he found to have been
established to his satisfaction.
The
Ombudsman would report to the king.
Those petitions were submitted after the Auditor General found that claims against seven Ministers of the late Pōhiva government, including Hon Pōhiva, in a 2018 petition raised by PSA Head Mele ‘Amanaki, were untrue.
The Auditor General Sēfita Tangi did not report any breaches of the law, the constitution or any misappropriation of public funds as alleged in ‘Amanaki’s petition.
However,
Tangi said some employment contracts raised in the petition “did not comply”
with the Public Service Act 2002.
Tangi
recommended that the government should refer some of the complaints, including
appointments of some government staff and workers raised in the petition, to
the Public Service Commission (PSC).
The Auditor
General said the audit was hindered in some cases because some records were
unavailable or were not provided.
This
occurred when the auditors were trying to assess the outcomes of some of the
government projects and the performances of some employees hired by the
government.
The
main points
The government has cited concerns
that the democrats’ PTOA party is not
registered as a legal entity as one of the reasons it banned the organisation
from holding a meeting at the Popua National Part on Saturday.
There was a serious concern
(“fakafehu’ia lahi”) about it, Chief Secretary Edgar Cocker told Kaniva news.
For
more information
Multiple petitions call for
dissolution of Tonga Parliament
