EDITOR’S NOTE:This commentary was edited to reflect the fact that the response from the Deputy Clerk was meant to say that the Parliament using the circular was a normal means of communication.
COMMENTARY: It is time for the practice of using circulars to make decisions in Parliament was reviewed.
Circulars should only be used on agendas that are urgent.
They should not be used on important issues such as pay rises for Parliamentarians.
Such issues should be properly debated in the House so that they can be recorded in the minutes for the public to read and also broadcast for people to listen.
As Kaniva News reported yesterday, the government’s use of a circular to canvas MPs’ views on a pay rise has been called into question.
However, the Legislative Assembly’s Deputy Clerk, Dr Sione Vikilani, said the circular was a normal means of communication approved by the House and any information sent through it was legal.
In Tongan he said: “Ko e tohi ‘avetakai ko e founga ngāue pe ‘oku ‘ataa ke ngaue’aki pea ‘oku ‘ikai ke ta’efakalao ha tu’utu’uni ‘i hono fakahoko ‘i he founga koia”.
Dr Vikilani did not respond to a question asking why a circular was used to ballot the pay hike and not a face-to-face voting in the House.
In 2018 Tonga’s former Prime Minister, the late ‘Akilisi Pōhiva, warned that using circulars in Parliament was open to abuse.
Speaking to Kaniva News, Pōhiva said the use of circulars was normal but did not allow for discussion.
MPs, especially the Opposition, could not debate whatever agenda was being circulated.
He said that traditionally Speakers and the Noble’s representatives, who were mostly the majority in the House, used it to ballot issues they wanted to be decided in their favour.
The late Prime Minister’s comments were made during an interview in 2018 about the decision to approve an invitation from the Tonga Rugby League for a Parliament delegation to attend a match.
The decision was adopted through a circular, by collective resolution of Parliament.
Prime Minister Pōhiva’s concerns are just as relevant today as they were four years ago.
Debates and voting in the House must be open so that all citizens can see how their MPs voted and debate can be held in public.
This was illustrated in our story yesterday when Dr Vikilani would not say how MPs voted on the circular.
A Parliament with secrets is not truly democratic.
United States federal authorities have arrested a person identified as Shamim Mafi at Los Angeles International Airport on allegations of weapons trafficking linked to Sudan, according to a statement from the U.S. Justice Department.
Shamim Mafi, 44, an Iranian national who became a lawful permanent resident of the United States in 2016, was arrested at Los Angeles International Airport on April 18, 2026 for allegedly trafficking weapons for Islamic Republic. Credit: U.S. Justice Department.
The arrest, which took place on Saturday night, has drawn attention within Tongan communities overseas and on social media due to the surname “Mafi,” which is commonly associated with Tonga.
However, U.S. authorities have not disclosed any information indicating that the suspect has Tongan heritage or any connection to Tonga.
The first assistant United States attorney for the Central District of California, Bill Essayli, said the suspect, Shamim Mafi, 44, is an Iranian national who has lived in Woodland Hills, Los Angeles, and obtained lawful permanent resident status in the United States in 2016.
Essayli said Mafi is accused of facilitating the sale of Iranian‑manufactured military equipment, including drones, explosives, detonators and large quantities of ammunition, allegedly destined for Sudan.
She submitted “a letter of intent” to Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) to broker the sale of 55,000 bomb fuses to Sudan’s defence ministry, the BBC reported.
If found guilty, she could face a maximum sentence of up to 20 years in federal prison.
The allegations remain before the courts, and the suspect is presumed innocent unless proven guilty.
A Tongan reader who shared the story with Kaniva News said it would be interesting to know that the surname Mafi is also of Iranian origin.
In the Tongan language, Mafi conveys meanings associated with strength, victory, or a champion, and is traditionally linked to spiritual power attributed to God.
The name has also been used culturally to designate individuals appointed as matāpule, or talking chiefs.
Mafi is among the most commonly used names in Tonga, comparable to names such as John or Mary in English‑speaking countries.
The Ministry of Lands will officially open its call centre this morning, Tuesday 21 April, at 9am, marking a significant step in its efforts to improve communication with the public.
The launch comes amid long‑standing public complaints about poor communication, delays, and allegations of corruption and negligence that have surrounded the Ministry for years, particularly in relation to land matters.
The Lands Minister, Dr Taniela Fusimālohi, previously announced the news, saying the call centre is intended to serve as a central point of contact for the public, allowing enquiries and requests to be received and recorded through a single, structured system rather than through informal or fragmented channels.
The Ministry hopes the new service will improve transparency, reduce confusion, and provide more timely responses to land‑related enquiries, while also easing pressure on frontline offices.
As Kaniva News has previously reported, the Ministry of Lands is currently undergoing major reforms, including investigations into allegations that some lands were subjected to dishonest and illegal dealings dating back many years, according to the Minister.
How a Call Centre Works in Practice
A government call centre is a central phone service set up to receive and manage public enquiries, rather than people contacting individual officers directly. For many Tongans living overseas, this system is already familiar through everyday dealings with governments in countries such as New Zealand and Australia.
In those countries, Tongans typically begin contact with agencies like Work and Income, Inland Revenue or Immigration New Zealand by calling a single public number. Call centre staff answer enquiries, provide information, record requests and refer more complex matters to the appropriate units, rather than making decisions themselves.
For the Tongan diaspora, this model is valued because it provides clear access from overseas. Instead of relying on family members to visit offices in Tonga or using personal connections, people can speak directly to a ministry, have their enquiry logged, and receive consistent information.
In the context of Tonga, a call centre — particularly for land matters — is intended to organise communication, not replace authority or traditional processes. It serves as a first point of contact, helping manage high demand, reducing confusion and creating a record of public requests.
For overseas Tongans with land, inheritance or administrative concerns, a functioning call centre aligns Tonga’s public service with systems they already trust and use daily, offering a more transparent and practical way to stay connected with government at home.
A Washington State regulatory investigation into the BG Wealth Sharing scheme is the latest development to heighten debate within the Tongan online community, following warnings issued in Tonga, New Zealand, Australia, and the US state of Utah about activities they have described as resembling pyramid‑style schemes.
The Washington State Department of Financial Institutions (DFI) said it considers BG Wealth Sharing Ltd and its related platform, DSJ Exchange Pty Ltd, to be fraudulent after receiving multiple investor complaints that they were unable to withdraw their deposited funds.
BG Wealth describes itself as “the world’s largest hedge fund,” but the regulator warned that the company has linked its promotions to licences it said are “false” and “do not appear to be legitimate.”
DFI said the companies’ online presence has been marked by frequent website removals, followed by the creation of new domains.
This included domains such as bggp.vip, bg911.cc, and dsjex.net, a pattern regulators said reflects a common red flag associated with online investment scams.
Concerns Over Incorporation Records
Both companies are incorporated in Colorado, but the regulator said the business addresses listed in official filings appear questionable, including the use of mailing services and temporary office rentals.
DFI also noted inconsistencies between the dates the companies claim to have been established and their actual incorporation filings.
According to regulators, investors are largely recruited through social media, with participants encouraged to bring in new investors in exchange for higher earnings.
Communication reportedly takes place through private messaging apps such as Telegram and Bonchat.
DFI stressed that legitimate investment firms generally do not communicate with investors or provide trading instructions through private messaging platforms.
Regulators said investors are given daily “trading signals” and are promised guaranteed, zero‑risk returns, including claims that a $2,000 USDT investment could generate $1,500 USDT per month for life — assertions authorities say are unrealistic and misleading.
The regulator also warned that claims by BG Wealth and DSJ that they are licensed or approved by the US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) are false. Filings made with the SEC do not amount to registration or regulatory approval, it said.
Several investors have reported being unable to withdraw their funds, although some online accounts suggest a small number of users were initially able to withdraw limited amounts — a tactic regulators say is often used to build trust in fraudulent schemes.
DFI is urging consumers to exercise extreme caution and to verify the credentials of anyone offering investment services. Investors can check licensing status and complaints through FINRA BrokerCheck at brokercheck.finra.org.
Past Scam Warnings Ignored
The case has reignited warnings over a string of investment schemes that have swept through the Tongan community locally and across the diaspora over the past decade.
Despite repeated warnings from authorities, Tongans have continued to be targeted through social media and word‑of‑mouth promotions, with some schemes later collapsing and leaving investors with significant losses.
These included Validus, which reports said drew in about US$200 million before authorities shut it down, and HyperFund, a global crypto scheme that regulators later described as a scam estimated to have taken about US$1.8 billion worldwide, including funds from Tongans.
In several cases, promoters have faced legal action, with matters heard in Tongan courts and others currently before the courts in New Zealand.
This included Tongitupe, a Tonga-targeted scheme that was shut down earlier but remains the subject of overseas legal proceedings, with its operator, Tilila Siolaʻa, expected to appear before a United States court in March 2027.
Her co‑founder, ‘Ofa Siasau, is currently facing court proceedings in New Zealand.
Nuku’alofa – Tonga Power Limited has issued a public apology to electricity consumers after a generator fault forced the company to implement temporary load shedding across several areas in and around Nukuʻalofa.
The announcement comes as power disruptions linked to generator issues are not new for electricity consumers in the Tongatapu area.
Over an extended period, breakdowns and maintenance problems affecting generation capacity have periodically resulted in sudden outage or planned load shedding, particularly during times of high demand.
As Kaniva News reported previously, these recurring disruptions have left many residents and businesses accustomed to intermittent blackouts, highlighting ongoing challenges in maintaining stable power supply while ageing infrastructure and limited generation capacity remain under pressure.
In a public notice released today, the power authority said one of its generators is currently experiencing a technical fault, significantly reducing electricity generation capacity at a time when customer demand remains high.
As a result, planned load shedding is being carried out from Pea to Nualei, Malapo to Fuaʻamotu Airport, Tokomololo to Makapaeo, as well as parts of Nukuʻalofa.
Tonga Power acknowledged the inconvenience caused and appealed for public patience as engineers work to stabilise the system.
“Please be advised that one of our generators is currently experiencing a fault. As a result, available generation capacity is limited compared to customer demand, and temporary load shedding is being implemented in the areas listed above.
Additional areas may also be affected if required.
Our team is actively working to resolve the issue as quickly as possible and restore normal power supply. We will continue to provide updates where possible.
We apologise for any inconvenience caused and sincerely appreciate your understanding and continued support as we work to maintain a stable electricity supply.”
“We sincerely apologise for any inconvenience caused and appreciate your understanding and continued support as we work to maintain a stable electricity supply,” the company said.
Tonga Power said updates would be provided where possible and encouraged affected customers to seek further information by calling 944 or the toll-free number 0800 123.
By Ross McNaughton, Senior Producer-Reporter, RNZ and is republished with permission
Pakuranga Bakery manager Pho Bok with a tray full of lo’i hossi pies. Photo: RNZ Ross McNaughton
Just three months after they were pulled from the pie warmers, Pakuranga Bakery’s horse meat pies are available again and proving just as popular as ever.
The pies, inspired by lo’i hoosi, a Tongan horse meat dish, went viral on social media over summer. But the bakery had to stop selling them in January as the lo’i hossi mixture they were using contained horse meat that hadn’t been cleared for human consumption.
There is only one meat processor registered to slaughter and process horse meat for human consumption in New Zealand. Auckland Council and MPI both confirmed to First Up, Pakuranga Bakery was now sourcing their horse meat from that registered supplier.
A sign for the pies. Photo: RNZ Ross McNaughton
The lo’i hossi pies went back on sale on Friday, and by the time First Up, arrived that afternoon there were only two left.
Bakery manager Pho Bok said they had sold over 100 lo’i hossi pies that day.
He said a lot of customers had been asking when the horse meat pie would be coming back.
“They’re just happy, over the moon” he said.
He said other popular flavours like mince and cheese or steak and cheese sell between 40 and 50 per day.
While the bakery had previously bought the lo’i hossi mixture premade, Bok said they are now doing all the preparation themselves on site.
He said the horse meat needs to be cooked for several hours until it is tender “then you can try to shred it with your hands. And then you put it into the coconut cream, onions, and mix it all up together”.
The pie. Photo: RNZ Ross McNaughton
The lo’i hossi mixture is then put into pastry, and baked like any other pie.
While the idea of eating horse meat was a novelty for some people, it was common in many countries.
Bok said the cross cultural appeal was part of what makes the lo’i hossi pies so popular.
“Pies, kiwis, it’s a staple” he said, “and then when you’re putting two cultures together, you can’t beat it.”
Videos of Pakuranga Bakery’s lo’i hossi pie were already appearing on social media again, so it seemed they were on to a winning recipe, now that their meat supply was sorted.
Nuku’alofa – Local medical doctor Dr Pafilio Tangitau has warned drivers and passengers about what he described as increasing negligence that is putting lives at risk on Tonga’s roads, particularly involving people riding in the back of pick‑up vehicles.
Dr Pafilio Tangitau
The doctor’s warning comes after police reported that a seven‑year‑old boy remains in Vaiola Hospital receiving treatment for injuries sustained when he fell from the back of a moving vehicle onto the roadway in Popua on 14 April 2026.
Police said the driver was arrested and warned drivers about “transporting passengers in trucks.”
Although Dr Tangitau accompanied his Facebook post with a copy of the Police media release, he did not specify whether his warning about unsafe stackable chair use was intended to relate to the same incident.
In the post, he shared a photo of a plastic stackable chair commonly used in households, alongside the Tonga Police media release concerning the injured child.
The post was accompanied by a brief but direct message urging the public to use common sense when transporting passengers.
“Just a reminder… a small message of advice, in case it may help someone,” Dr Tangitau wrote in Tongan.
Referring to the chair, the doctor said people have been falling from moving vehicles because they were sitting in unsafe seating arrangements.
“Please use common sense. There is no problem with sitting on the floor of a vehicle. Dirty clothes can always be washed, but life is only one and there are no spare parts,” he said.
Dr Tangitau stressed that falling from a vehicle due to unsafe seating should not be dismissed as an accident.
“If you fall from a vehicle because you were sitting in this kind of seat, it is not an accident — it is negligence. Please be more careful,” he said.
Recent Police Case
The Tonga Police media release shared in Dr Tangitau’s post said the driver — a 31‑year‑old man from Patangata, currently residing at Fanga ‘o Piloleva — has been arrested and remains in police custody.
Investigations into the incident are ongoing, it said.
Tonga Police have urged all drivers to exercise extra caution, particularly when transporting passengers in trucks and vans.
By Gill Bonnett, Immigration Reporter, rnz.co.nz and is republished with permission
More than 20,000 workers arrive each year from the Pacific, filling jobs in horticulture and viticulture such as fruit-picking. Photo: RNZ / Marika Khabazi
RSE workers’ costs should be more fairly shared with employers and government, report finds
Policy being reviewed by MBIE, including workers’ shared accommodation
Concerns over ‘blacklisting’ of workers who raise grievances
An international report into New Zealand’s seasonal worker scheme says reform is needed to bring down migrants’ costs, and protect them from abuse.
The government says its own review of the Recognised Seasonal Employer (RSE) programme will consider the report’s recommendations, as well as the views of employers and Pacific partners.
The International Labour Organization (ILO) report calls on the government and employers to cut migration costs to shoulder a more equitable share of costs including transport, accommodation and set-up costs.
The ILO report recommended workers be allowed to change their Recognised Seasonal Employer (RSE) more easily and have free access to healthcare.
In particular, it highlighted that workers who raised issues were “vulnerable to blacklisting” when it came time for possible re-hiring for another season. It pointed to a previous study which found RSE workers were unlikely to make formal complaints, due to fears of being perceived as troublemakers and out of cultural respect for authority.
RSE workers who were dismissed from employment lost their right to remain in New Zealand, and the report-writers found no information on being able to change employers in material provided to RSE workers.
The Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment (MBIE) said that transfers to new employers were possible on a case-by-case basis – if requested by an employer, the labour inspectorate, an engagement partner, or a Pacific liaison officer.
The report questioned how accessible and effective those channels were for workers wanting to report exploitation or other grievances.
Following the release of the previous ILO report four years ago, Australia had adopted a recommendation to disincentivise employers from deducting unreasonable amounts from workers. It now had a minimum take-home salary of AU$200 per week.
The latest report recommended New Zealand should adopt the same policy and also noted labour hire companies were not subject to a general licensing requirement.
It called for a review of the participation of women and other underrepresented groups in both work schemes.
“Further strengthening these schemes in line with international labour standards will help ensure their long-term success and benefit workers, employers and countries of origin and destination alike,” said ILO Pacific office director Martin Wandera.
An unconnected surveyconducted by MBIE and representing a quarter of RSE employers suggested many went beyond their legal and pastoral obligations to help staff. Of the employers who responded to the survey, more than half had helped fund or organise full or partial containers sent back to workers’ home countries.
Supplies included building materials, tools, water tanks, solar panels, generators, school supplies and household goods – and assistance in the wake of disasters was also common.
According to the Fijian government, more than 15,000 Fijians are employed through labour mobility schemes in Australia and New Zealand. Photo: Facebook / Pacific Australia Labour Mobility scheme
Accommodation
The ILO report found protections already in place in New Zealand included a ban on charging recruitment fees. But it said many workers were in debt when they arrived – to employers, as well as banks, governments and family back home – because of travel and documentation costs.
“MBIE undertakes direct monitoring of employer deductions, though the details of what is considered ‘reasonable’ could not be found in the documents made available for this review,” it said.
Employers often provided accommodation to their workers, and a new framework set out the basic standards, as well as how much they could charge for better lodging.
The government said in January it was allowing higher rent caps – inflation-increased each year – to encourage employers to invest in better-quality accommodation.
Weekly caps from $150 to $211 had been introduced this month – the maximum rental charge depended on the accommodation quality and features, such as the number of people sharing a bedroom, the age of the building and bathroom proximity.
But in an update last month, INZ said employers would be given a transitional period of up to two years if they were currently charging a higher amount than they would be able to under the new methodology.
“Employers will only be able to recover the actual cost of providing accommodation, and all charges must be reasonable,” it said. “Employers must still comply with employment law, including the Minimum Wage Act and the Wages Protection Act, and employers remain responsible for ensuring accommodation deductions are lawful.”
RSE review
The government-set cap on RSE worker numbers had risen from 5000 when the scheme started in 2007 to 20,750 last year.
Most came from 13 Pacific countries, although latest (pre-pandemic) figures show employers also recruited other nationalities, such as Filipinos and Malaysians.
In 2022, the-then Equal Employment Opportunities Commissioner Karanina Sumeo said she witnessed slavery-like conditions and said the RSE scheme was being run in a way that allowed modern slavery to take place.
Former Equal Employment Opportunities Commissioner Karanina Sumeo. Photo: SUPPLIED
In 2024, the government removed the requirement that RSE workers be paid 10 percent above minimum wage.
They now had to have worked at least two seasons before the additional 10 percent was applied. However, the average number of seasons worked was below three, according to research by the Development Policy Centre’s Charlotte Bedford, who said New Zealand was languishing behind Australia in worker protections and wages for RSE workers.
MBIE said its review was considering the ILO’s report and recommendations, as well as input from employers and Pacific nations to ensure that the RSE scheme continued to benefit workers, their source countries and the horticulture and viticulture sectors.
“The scope of this review is broad, spanning employer and compliance settings, labour market settings and the visa itself,” said its policy manager Sam Foley. “Accommodation quality standards are being considered in the policy review which is currently underway.”
The national day of remembrance held annually on April 25 will look a little different this year due to it falling on a Saturday.
Composite image by Vania Chandrawidjaja (Source: iStock/1News) (Source: 1News)
Anzac Day is one of just three-and-a-half days a year when almost all shops must be closed under the Shop Trading Hours Act.
But as it falls on a weekend, the public holiday is next Monday (the 27th).
That means most shops must close on Saturday until 1pm. But businesses also need to work out how to calculate staff pay for Saturday, or Monday.
Here’s everything you need to know:
When is the holiday observed?
The national day of remembrance held on April 25 commemorates the 1915 landing of the Australian and New Zealand Army Corps (ANZAC) at Gallipoli during WWI.
Man places red poppy on memorial during Anzac Day commemorations in Auckland. (Source: istock.com)
When a public holiday falls on a Saturday or Sunday, an employee’s public holiday may be moved to the following Monday, known as ‘Mondayisation’, the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment (MBIE) says.
This year, the 25th does fall on a Saturday, which means the national holiday is ‘Mondayised’ and observed on Monday, April 27.
Which day is the statutory holiday?
In short: it depends if you normally work that day or not.
According to MBIE, permanent employees must be paid for a public holiday if it’s a day they would usually work.
When a public holiday falls on a Saturday, workers’ entitlements depend on whether they normally work Saturdays or Mondays.
Anzac Day dawn service in Auckland. (Source: 1News)
If an employee normally works from Monday to Friday, the public holiday will be ‘Mondayised’ and their public holiday entitlements will apply to the Monday following the calendar date of the public holiday.
If an employee works on the day of the public holiday’s calendar date, their public holiday entitlements apply to the calendar date – Saturday in this case.
If an employee works both the calendar date of the public holiday and the Mondayisation date, their public holiday is on the calendar date. They do not get two public holidays.
“If the employee does not have a clear work pattern, or there is a lot of variation in their work times, they will need to agree with their employer if a public holiday is a day they would otherwise be working,” MBIE said.
This can create a headache for employers and employees to understand, and MBIE advised people to check their individual contracts with their employers if they are unsure.
What’s open and when?
Closed sign (file photo). (Source: istock.com)
Mondayisation does not affect shop trading restrictions – these always apply on the calendar date of the holiday, Saturday 25 in this case. Shops do not have to close twice.
The days when almost all shops must be closed under the Shop Trading Hours Act 1990 are Christmas Day (a public holiday), Good Friday (a public holiday), Easter Sunday (not a public holiday), and Anzac Day until 1pm (a public holiday).
Anzac Day is a restricted trading day, meaning all supermarkets, department stores and mall retailers across the country must close until 1pm this Saturday.
This rule aims to respect the solemn nature of the day and ensure the morning is reserved for commemorations and community reflection.
Some hospitality venues including cafés, restaurants, bars and takeaway outlets are exempt from these rules and are allowed to open before 1pm. But many keep their doors shut anyway to give staff the day off, or choose to open later.
Surcharges
Also, venues can choose to add a surcharge for opening on the morning of Anzac Day to cover the additional cost of wages on the public holiday.
The surcharge amount varies between businesses, but the Commerce Commission said it must be prominently displayed using signage to inform customers before they choose to dine.
Businesses can apply a public holiday surcharge on both days, officials say, if they face additional costs on each day. But they must not mislead customers and it must be clearly disclosed.
How can I watch or attend the services?
From dawn services to parades and ceremonies at RSAs, many people will gather to reflect on the atrocities of war, remember those who died, and honour the contributions of returned service personnel.
Anzac services will still be held on Saturday, April 25 across the motu, despite the holiday’s Mondayisation.
For those in Tāmaki Makaurau, Auckland Council has outlined some of the confirmed ceremonies across the wider region. These include the main Dawn Service at the Auckland Domain from 6am, and the National Commemoration held at Pukeahu National War Memorial Park in Wellington at 11am.
TV1 and TVNZ+ will stream services from the capital at 6am and 11am on Saturday.
Information on specific Anzac services in the regions can usually be found on council websites or Facebook pages.
TVNZ will also air a documentary Form Field to Front at 12pm – it follows the story of Dave Gallaher, captain of New Zealand’s 1905 ‘Originals’ All Black team who also became a leader on the battlefield. And at 2.30pm, tune as former All Blacks players don the boots for ‘The Classics’ as they come up against the Classic Wallabies from Stadium Taranaki in New Plymouth.
A suspected new pyramid scheme affecting consumers across the Pacific Islands is under investigation in New Zealand, as regulators warn that the operation appears to be spreading through online platforms and social media networks.
The advertisement for the SFCVIBE Rating Mt Wellington event promotes kitchenware as prizes.
New Zealand’s Commerce Commission has confirmed it has opened an investigation into SFCVIBE Rating, following reports that the scheme is operating through digital platforms and recruiting participants using referral links.
The company has offices in Christchurch’s Riccarton and Auckland’s Manukau, and presents itself as an internet advertising service, according to the NZ Herald.
Kaniva News, following confirmation of the Commerce Commission’s investigation, notes that some posts recently circulating on Tongan Facebook pages appeared to promote the scheme, although they provided limited information and mainly invited interested individuals to contact the people sharing the posts directly.
Simon Pope, the Commission’s head of fair trading and product safety investigations, said the scheme raises serious red flags.
“The scheme involves the recruitment of others,” Pope said.
“It requires new participants to join via a referral link and to pay a subscription or deposit before starting work.”
Pope said these characteristics are commonly associated with pyramid or multi‑level recruitment schemes, where returns rely heavily on bringing in new participants rather than providing genuine services.
A search of social media platforms shows users actively promoting SFCVIBE Rating, often advertising it as an easy online income opportunity.
Fiji Issues Parallel Warning
Meanwhile, authorities in Fiji have also raised alarms about the same platform.
The Consumer Council of Fiji has warned the public to be extremely cautious about an online operation using the name SFCVIBE Rating Limited, saying evidence suggests it is a sophisticated task‑based pyramid scheme designed to defraud consumers.
According to the Consumer Council, the platform allegedly lures users with promises of high payouts for performing simple online activities. However, participants are reportedly required to pay upfront monthly subscription fees to unlock higher work levels — a pattern commonly seen in fraudulent schemes.
The Council said the operation bears similarities to past scams in the region, including the eBayShop scheme, which cost Pacific consumers significant financial losses before collapsing.
Earlier Pacific Scam Warnings
The latest investigation follows recent scam warnings issued in both Tonga and New Zealand over BG Wealth Sharing, an online scheme that authorities said displayed characteristics of a pyramid or investment scam.
In those cases, regulators warned that the operation promoted unrealistic returns, relied heavily on recruitment through social media and personal networks, and required participants to contribute money upfront.
The warnings highlighted growing concern among Pacific authorities about online schemes spreading rapidly across borders and targeting island communities through diaspora and family connections.
By Jo Moir, Political Editor, RNZ and is re-published with permission
Analysis: A new poll showing National sitting on just 30 percent, and the coalition unable to govern, has set the stage for a crucial week in Christopher Luxon’s prime ministership.
Photo: RNZ / Alexander Robertson
This result is National’s worst in the 1News-Verian poll since Luxon became leader in November 2021.
Labour is up five points on 37 percent, while National’s 30 is down four points since February.
For the other parties in the coalition, New Zealand First is steady on 10 percent, while Act has dropped two points to seven.
On the other side of the house the Greens and Te Pati Maori are both unchanged on eleven and two, respectively.
It gives the centre-left bloc of Labour, the Greens and Te Pati Maori the seats needed to govern with 66 compared to the coalition’s 58, if an election was held today.
Luxon’s personal favourability has taken a decent hit in this poll too, down four points to 16 percent, while Labour’s Chris Hipkins is down one to 19 percent.
The results follow several polls in recent weeks showing National on about 29 percent – the party’s official result in Sunday night’s poll was 29.7, but rounded up to 30.
The prime minister told TVNZ on the back of those results he hadn’t considered resigning.
This latest poll headache comes after a torrid Friday for the prime minister where he was again forced to defend his leadership.
A NZ Herald story on Friday morning reported senior whip Stuart Smith tried and failed to get hold of Luxon before Easter to warn him there were rumblings about his leadership from within caucus.
The article reported multiple anonymous sources saying Luxon had evaded Smith, despite the pair both being at Parliament during a sitting week.
RNZ has confirmed with a senior Beehive source that meeting was attempted by Smith, but both Luxon and his office have denied it.
Luxon insisted at a media conference on Friday that he had had the “numbers” and the “full support” of his caucus. He also maintained the coalition could still govern on public polling – not the case however after Sunday’s poll, nor was it the case in RNZ-Reid Research’s poll last month where the result was a hung parliament.
The 1News-Verian poll was in the field until Wednesday, so didn’t capture Friday’s problems for the prime minister.
It has been two weeks since the caucus met at Parliament due to the school holiday recess, and that support will be tested when they gather in Wellington on Tuesday morning.
Luxon will also have to explain, if asked, why he publicly denied the Smith reports.
In recent weeks it’s not only National MPs who have been leaking their unhappiness with the direction of travel the party is heading in, but staff have also been unhappy about how they’re being treated.
Some staff feel they were a victim of a point-scoring reshuffle by Luxon that has seen a number off them “evented”, which means they have lost their jobs and could potentially apply for a new one, but not necessarily in the office they have been working in.
Other staff have been frustrated with Luxon’s unwillingness to listen, take advice, or make change.
Both MPs and staff have expressed the prime minister is getting worse, not better, at public appearances and media interviews, which doesn’t bode well heading into a tightly-contested election campaign.
In amongst that, there has been speculation MPs are keen for change, and Chris Bishop has spent weeks denying he is lining himself up as leader.
He spent the weekend batting away suggestions he was planning to roll Luxon.
At a media conference on Saturday in his Hutt South electorate, in response to questions about his relationship with the prime minister, Bishop confirmed he has confidence in Christopher Luxon but declined to discuss private conversations.
“The Prime Minister and I talk all the time… but I’m not going to get into what I’ve said to him or what he’s said to me recently.”
“Look, I’m just head down, bum up on my portfolios and also working hard locally as well,” he told reporters.
On Sunday in a TVNZ Q+A interview, Bishop denied he was plotting to take the leadership from Luxon.
He said comments that have made their way into the media about flagging support for Luxon and unhappiness in the caucus were “unhelpful”.
Bishop denied any knowledge of Smith’s attempts to warn Luxon about his caucus support, and told Q+A people shouldn’t be “talking out of school” because it’s not the “right way to do things”.
“That is unhelpful and untidy and indicates that the National Party is focused on ourselves rather than focused on the country.”
Bishop said those people in caucus who had spoken to the NZ Herald, who broke the story about Smith on Friday, were clearly “unhappy and untidy”.
“I am prepared to accept that. That is sort of a statement of fact, I am not going to deny the reality.”
The transport and housing minister said he wasn’t aware of anyone in the caucus who thought Luxon shouldn’t be leader, and said he didn’t believe the prime minister was dragging down the party’s performance.
A fresh poll result showing National would lose 12 MPs if that result was replicated on election day might give those at risk of losing their job plenty to think about ahead of Tuesday’s gathering.
