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Shane Reti expected to lose health portfolio as PM reshuffles Cabinet

By
Kaniva Staff
-

By rnz.co.nz and is republished with permission

Analysis – Christopher Luxon is kicking off the political year with a reshuffle that is expected to see Shane Reti removed from the health portfolio.

Health Minister Shane Reti holds press conference 17 December.

Health Minister Shane Reti. Photo: Samuel Rillstone/RNZ

The Prime Minister arrived back from the UAE on Thursday, headed to the funeral of killed policewoman Lyn Fleming that afternoon, and then returned to the Beehive on Friday to begin rearranging his team ahead of their first caucus meeting on Tuesday.

Luxon was seen in the Beehive on Friday where he met with some of his trusted kitchen cabinet ministers and staff to hash out the reshuffle, which is expected to be reasonably big.

Reti, a respected doctor from the North, has been struggling in the health role – it is an issue that has become the biggest thorn in the side of Luxon and his government and increasingly shows up in polls as being a growing concern for New Zealanders.

While Reti has practical experience in health his background and personality sees him viewed as more of an academic, and he has struggled with the size and complexity of the health sector that is struggling under staff shortages, governance problems, and funding deficits.

Luxon had not planned to do a formal reshuffle at the start of the year, as has been popular with previous prime ministers, telling RNZ late last year he would have a different approach and make changes as and when they were needed.

Prime Minister Christopher Luxon speaks after a visit to an Auckland school.

Prime Minister Christopher Luxon Photo: RNZ / Marika Khabazi

That position has changed over the summer break.

Luxon will have had time to put a microscope on the various personnel and portfolios that could do with a shake-up and a poll on Friday showing Labour is ahead of National for the first time since April 2023 would have only reinforced his decision that a refresh was needed.

Sunday afternoon’s reshuffle to be announced by Luxon and his deputy, Nicola Willis, will unlikely impact the ministerial portfolios of Act and New Zealand First ministers.

Those positions were decided as part of the coalition agreements and are harder to change without the agreement by party leaders David Seymour and Winston Peters.

The two coalition partners have been given a heads-up, however, about what to expect from today’s reshuffle.

Several ministers have been thrown up as possibilities to take on the soon to be vacant health role, including Judith Collins, Paul Goldsmith, and Simeon Brown.

All three are seen as part of Luxon’s small team of more competent and experienced ministers, alongside Willis, Erica Stanford, and Chris Bishop, who already have very full dance cards.

It is a problem for Luxon that he is restricted in his options when it comes to reallocating important portfolios. While the executive is large, a number are ministers from other parties and there are only a handful of National ministers that Luxon can load up with more work and be trusted to do so.

It is a problem Jacinda Ardern also encountered during her first term as Prime Minister.

Luxon’s kitchen cabinet ministers are already visibly exhausted and overloaded. Whoever takes on the health portfolio will certainly have to be relieved of other work, though that could potentially only create more work for another colleague.

A new face in health could also present an opportunity for Luxon and National after a campaign commitment in 2023 to open a new medical school at Waikato University.

It is understood that project has been dogged with problems and is increasingly being seen as an unnecessary, costly, and bad idea.

A new minister could make their own assessment of the project and kill it without losing face in the way Reti would have – though it would still be seen as a broken promise by Luxon.

If Brown is to pick up health it would make sense for Bishop to take on his energy role to pair alongside the RMA reform and infrastructure portfolios he already holds.

Outside of the health portfolio changes Luxon is expected to make two or three others, which will likely see some promotion for current ministers and at least one demotion that would open up room for a new minister outside of cabinet.

The coalition has been in power for just over a year and this is already the second set of changes after Luxon stripped Melissa Lee of the broadcasting portfolio and demoted her from Cabinet in April after struggling to deal with the collapse of media outlets.

At the same time Penny Simmonds was moved out of the Disability Issues portfolio.

National Party MP Penny Simmonds

Penny Simmonds no longer holds the Disability Issues portfolio. Photo: RNZ / Angus Dreaver

Those changes prompted Goldsmith to add broadcasting to his workload while Louise Upston picked up Disability Issues.

Luxon’s reshuffle comes as he resets the focus of his National team ahead of a two-day caucus retreat in Hamilton on Tuesday and Wednesday, followed by his State of the Nation speech in Auckland on Thursday.

His State of the Nation is expected to be focussed on the economy, and more specifically, the country’s productivity issues.

Thousands of undocumented Tongans in the USA face deportation under Trump’s mass deportation policies  

By
Kalino Latu
-

Ten of thousands of Tongan overstayers living in the United States have found themselves significantly impacted by next week’s mass deportation threats.  

The Tongan community has voiced concerns about how this state of uncertainty could affect their families and future.

Reported figures of undocumented Tongans varied up to 10,000. These figures were believed to be undercounted because many potential respondents were hesitant to participate in interviews or surveys, fearing that their information could be reported to immigration authorities or used against them.

In 2020, the US Census reported that 78,871 people in the US have Tongan ancestry.

In an interview with Kaniva News, some undocumented Tongans have expressed their concerns regarding the implications of the impact on their families. They asked not to be identified because of their illegal immigration statuses.

They said that to avoid the risk of deportation or legal issues, they feel compelled to stop going to work, which significantly impacts their livelihoods and well-being.   

Despite the challenges posed by their immigration status, they made a firm commitment to remain in the United States. Their decision came even in light of Trump’s public declarations urging individuals who had overstayed their visas to leave the country voluntarily.  

One study described the Tongan community in the States as “a struggling Tongan immigrant population”.  

Research by Tongan scholar Vanesa Tu’i’one and others, which was published by the National Library of Medicine, says Tongans have among Los Angeles County’s lowest per capita incomes, and more than one in four Tongan Americans (28.5%) in Los Angeles County live under the Federal Poverty Level (US Census 2000). 

The president-elect also planned to “end birthright citizenship for US-born children of some noncitizens” which is another blow to undocumented Tongans who have already settled their lives in the States. 

Kingdom of Tonga 

Tonga, an archipelago located in the South Pacific Ocean, has over 200,000 people. More than 50 percent of this population comprises Tongans living in the diaspora.

Tonga is considered one of the poorest countries globally, with more than 50 percent of its national budget relying on overseas donors.  

The extreme poverty rate, according to the Parliament’s Hansard 22 Sune 2023, increased to 27 per cent.  

Tonga’s economy relies heavily on remittances from Tongans living abroad, making it susceptible to external economic fluctuations. 

The majority of the population relies on subsistence agriculture and fishing, and many families struggle to access basic services and opportunities for education and employment. 

Arrival in the US 

Tongans first came to Laie, Hawaii, in 1916 (Hawaii was a U.S. territory at the time). The number of immigrants increased dramatically at the end of World War II when Mormon labour missionaries from Tonga migrated to Hawaii to build the church’s Laie Hawaii Temple, Church College of Hawaii, and Polynesian Cultural Center.  

The first record of a Tongan immigrating to the mainland United States was in 1956.  

According to Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS) records for the 1950s, 14 Tongans were admitted in 1958, 4 were admitted in 1960, and a record 119 arrived in 1966.  

During the 1970s, Tongan migration ranged from 133 admissions in 1976 to 809 in 1979. 

District officer frustrated at inaction towards Hahake Tt’s dangerous road as tributes flow for ‘old man’ killed in crash  

By
Kaniva Staff
-

The Lapaha District Officer, Siosifa Jr Lamipeti, reported that his proposal for an urgent safety upgrade to a notorious road was turned down. 

Siosifa Jr Lamipeti

The request followed a recent fatality and an incident where a person was hit by a vehicle.  

He made the revelation yesterday after a vehicle crashed into a power pole, killing a passenger on the same road at Hahake’s Makaunga village.  

Lamipeti said he submitted his proposal to upgrade the road to the Ministry of Infrastructure, but it was rejected.  

He described the response from the Ministry as substandard (“ma’ulalo”). 

The Ministry could not be reached for comment.

Reporting yesterday’s fatality, he said that he was on the road in question last night and observed vehicles speeding there.  

He did not identify the road, but rather, he said it was notoriously known for its danger to commuters.  

He urged the residents to slow down when driving on the road and refrain from driving while under the influence of alcohol. 

Meanwhile, tribute flowed for Feke’ila Tukumoe’atu, who was killed in yesterday’s collision.  

Reports said Tukumoe’atu was a “tangata’eiki” (old man).

No details report about the Tukumoe’atu.

Police have yet to comment.

Lamipeti alleged alcohol and speeding might have been factors in the crash. 

“Rest in peace Fe’iloaki Tautuiaki”, a commenter road on Facebook. 

“Faka’ofa mo’oni”, another commenter road, saying it’s a pity that he died.  

Some commenters accused the driver, who was reported to be uninjured in the crash, of being responsible for the death of Tautuiaki.  

Fire breaks out on Auckland’s Māngere Mountain

By
Kaniva Staff
-

By Finn Blackwell of rnz.co.nz and is republished with permission

A grass fire that broke out on Māngere Mountain in Auckland on Saturday night has now been 99 percent contained.

Crews were called to the scene, near Domain Road, just before 9:30pm.

Seven crews fought the blaze, with firefighters also standing guard at the entrance to the road and turning away people who were trying to get a closer look at the flames.

Two crews remained on site overnight.

A Fire and Emergency spokesperson said more would go back later on Sunday morning.

A number of users on social media had posted images of the blaze, which sent smoke billowing into the sky.

Firefighters have closed the road up to Māngere Mountain after a grass fire broke out.

Fire crews had closed the road up to the maunga. Photo: RNZ / Finn Blackwell

There was the smell of thick smoke in the air, but the extent of any damage was unclear.

In a statement, Fire and Emergency asked people to stay away from the area to allow crews to work.

“People on the western side of the mountain may experience smoke.

“If they are affected, they should stay inside and close all windows and doors.”

Trump illegal migrant raids to start on day one, US media report

By
Kaniva Staff
-

By Anna Lamche, BBC

Raids to detain and deport migrants living in the US without permission are set to begin on the first full day of the new Trump administration, US media report.

Reuters Tom Homan, wearing a suit, talks into a microphone.
Incoming “border tsar” Tom Homan has promised a big raid on illegal immigrants

The operations – threatened by Donald Trump’s “border tsar” Tom Homan – could begin in Chicago, a city with a large migrant population, as early as Tuesday, the New York Times and Wall Street Journal say.

Trump has said he will oversee the largest deportation programme in US history.

In an interview with Fox News this week, Homan promised a “big raid” across the country. He has previously said Chicago will be “ground zero” for the mass deportations.

The Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agency deports illegal migrants all the time. However, the operation it is expected to launch after Trump’s inauguration on Monday is expected to target so-called “sanctuary” cities that limit co-operation with federal immigration officials.

Along with Chicago, New York City and Los Angeles are among the scores of US cities that have adopted “sanctuary” policies.

“January 21st, you’re going to look for a lot of ICE agents in your city looking for criminals and gang members,” Homan told a Republican gathering in Chicago last month. “Count on it. It will happen.”

New York, Los Angeles, Denver and Miami are also due to be targeted with raids, the Wall Street Journal reports, citing unnamed sources familiar with the plans.

Under Democratic President Joe Biden, ICE generally prioritised the arrest of illegal migrants who were serious criminals, had crossed the border recently or posed a national security threat.

While Trump’s team has signalled that it will begin with migrants who had committed crimes, all illegal migrants – including those who have lived and worked in the US for many years and have no criminal history – are more likely to be arrested and deported.

Immigration raids at construction sites where undocumented migrants are often employed are also expected to resume, after being discontinued by the Biden administration, according to CBS News, the BBC’s US partner.

Ahead of the expected hardening of US policy, more migrant farm workers have been seeking advice on dealing with immigration officials and assigning temporary guardians for their children.

“The administration is not yet sworn in, but people are already afraid,” Sarait Martinez, executive director of the Centro Binacional para el Desarrollo Indígena Oaxaqueño, which supports Mexican farm workers in California, told Reuters news agency.

As well as pledging to deport millions of illegal migrants and threatening workplace raids, some reports suggest that Trump could also do away with a longstanding policy that has made churches off-limits for ICE arrests.

However, the upcoming raids are likely to pose significant difficulties for officials – with limited custody space to hold those detained.

At the same time, the Laken Riley Act – named after a college student who was murdered last year in Georgia by a Venezuelan man previously arrested for shoplifting – is expected to be passed by US lawmakers next week.

The proposed legislation will require the federal government to detain migrants living in the US illegally who are suspected of criminal activity – even if they are not charged with any crime.

Trump’s inauguration moving indoors due to ‘dangerous’ cold sparks comparison to Queen Sālote’s riding in the rain during Queen Elizabeth’s coronation 

By
Kalino Latu
-

The decision to move the US President-elect Donald Trump’s inauguration ceremony indoors because of “dangerous” cold temperatures has drawn comparisons to the late Queen Sālote Tupou III of Tonga, who famously rode in the rain during Queen Elizabeth II’s coronation.  

Queen Salote Tupou III of Tonga rides through the streets of London in an open carriage during the Queen’s coronation parade in 1953. Pic: AP

Trump said his inauguration as United States president on Monday (Tuesday NZT) will be moved indoors due to expected freezing weather. 

“There is an Arctic blast sweeping the Country,” Trump wrote on his app Truth Social. 

“Therefore, I have ordered the Inauguration Address, in addition to prayers and other speeches, to be delivered in the United States Capitol Rotunda.” 

The change of plan means that Trump will not have the opportunity to stand on the Capitol steps overlooking the National Mall—a place that has traditionally welcomed presidents with a large crowd.  

The last time a president took the oath of office indoors was Ronald Reagan in 1985, who also moved the ceremony into the Capitol’s ornate Rotunda due to dangerously cold weather. 

The move prompted comparisons to similarly cold weather that the Late Queen Sālote encountered in the United Kingdom more than 70 years ago.  

Queen Sālote stole the show while riding through London streets in an open carriage during Elizabeth’s coronation parade in 1953. 

Despite pouring rain, Queen Sālote refused to close the top to show respect for the new monarch, drawing cheers from the revellers lining the streets. 

Michael Field, a New Zealand veteran Pacific journalist, remembered Queen Sālote’s encounter after the news about Trump’s inauguration.  

He posted on Facebook saying Trump’s inauguration is “moving inside because it too cold for the old fellow”.  

“In 1953 at Queen Elizabeth’s coronation it rained heavily but Queen Salote of Tonga was undeterred & rode in an open carriage. She said people wanted to see her”. 

Queen Sālote’s show of endearment inspired Tongan punakes (composers) to create songs celebrating her.  

One notable composition is “Hā’ele ki Pilitānia” (Royal Tour of Britain), which was written by the late punake Peni Tutu’ila, to honour her efforts. 

The song’s lyrics reference cities and popular places in Britain as figures of speech, which Tutu’ila had Tonganised, adding significant strength to the song’s message and cultural resonance.

This blending of languages highlights the connection between different cultures, enriching the narrative and making it relatable to a broader audience.

The song resonates with audiences even today, and it has been embraced by contemporary punakes and singers who have creatively rearranged it into various musical styles.  

Ha’ele ki Pilitānia lyrics in Tongan and English

Verse One

Angiangi mai ‘a e Funga Siu Malaki                      

Ke fakaaʻu ‘a e ‘ofa ni ki he Lupe he Palasi 

Si’i Lupe ‘o Tonga mānoa ‘i he kolope 

‘O ‘autō ki Uinisā vāvālafo ‘anga e tupe 

Verse Two

Angi taulua ‘a e Tonga Hihifo  

‘O falala he Tāmesi ko e faiʻanga e fakauō 

Fio ai e kakala ko e tumuʻaki ‘o Moheofo 

Ne ngangatu ‘i he loto ‘o tuʻula ‘i he taʻemangalo 

Tau: 

He laʻā hopo ‘o Felenite 

Huhulu ‘i Polata’ane 

He palofisai kuo movete 

Fakama’u ‘o e talite 

Verse Three

‘Ofa ‘i he teke 

Si’i langi ‘o Tonga 

He ‘oku tu’u ko e koma 

Ka kuo hoko ‘o ‘iloa 

Verse Four

Ne sikahema  

ma’ili ‘o ne angiangi 

‘O ue‘ia e kakala  

he mausa ‘o Pakingihami 

Verse Five

Kapa ai siʻi lupe  

he naite ‘o e ‘Otu Felenite 

He ‘oku taku he fetau  

langimaʻa ‘o Palataisi 

Hā’ele ki Pilitānia English version 

Verse One

Let the Funga Siumalaki wind blows by 

So that it could convey my love to the Dove at the Palace 

The Dove of Tonga, which flew over the globe 

Arriving at Windsor for the celebration  

Verse Two

The southwest wind blows doubly  

Leaning on the Thames where the anniversary takes place 

The top of the Moheofo clan is there 

An arrival that is so unforgettable 

Chorus: 

The Sun of the Friendly Islands rises  

And shines in Britain 

What has been prophesied difficult is now made easy 

And it has been embodied in a treaty  

Verse Three

Love the support we have 

To promote Tonga to the utmost  

It appears on the world map as a comma 

But it has now become well-known  


Verse Four


The wind veered  

Passed by and blows 

It touches the fragrant flower 

That emits a pleasant smell at Buckingham 

Verse Five

The Dove is flapping its wings there 

The Knight of the Friendly Islands 

She is acknowledged for challenging the force of nature  

Just like a clear sky in Paradise

Man dies after Hahake, Tt crash: reports  

By
Kaniva Staff
-

A man has died after being involved in a crash this afternoon in eastern Tongatapu (Tt), reports said.  

As Kaniva News reported, some residents in the Hahake district were without power after the vehicle crash.  

District Officer Siosifa Jr Lamipeti said the power was out after the incident at Makaunga.  

He later updated the news at about 6pm this evening and claimed a man, who was a passenger in the vehicle, has died after he was injured in the crash.  

He alleged alcohol and speeding may have been factors in the incident.  

The details of the alleged deceased are still unknown.  

Tonga Power has advised the residents that the power supply to their areas will be temporarily shut down today, Saturday, 18 January 2025, from approximately 6pm to 7.30pm.

“This outage is necessary to allow our linesmen to safely replace a broken power pole in Makaunga, which was caused by an accident”, it said.

It also said the power would be restored as soon as the repairs were completed without further notice.

“We apologize for any inconvenience this may cause and sincerely appreciate your understanding and patience”.

The fatality comes after a mother and her child reportedly sustained injuries in a car crash that occurred at the district’s village of Niutao early this month.  

Reports said the victims had been rushed to the hospital.       

Mr Lamipeti reported that crash on Facebook and alleged that high speed was likely the cause of the crash.    

He said that incident marked the first road accident reported in the district since the beginning of the new year.    

Officer Lamipeti emphasized the significance of this occurrence, highlighting the ongoing concerns surrounding road safety and the need for increased vigilance among drivers in the community.   

Five injured after car hits pedestrians in Upper Hutt

By
Kaniva Staff
-

By rnz.co.nz and is republished with permission

Four people have been taken to hospital, one in a serious condition, after being struck by a car in the Upper Hutt suburb of Trentham this afternoon.

The scene of a pedestrian accident on Fergusson Drive, Upper Hutt. Photo: RNZ / Mary Argue
The scene of a pedestrian accident on Fergusson Drive, Upper Hutt. Photo: RNZ / Mary Argue (Source: rnz.co.nz)

Two patients have been taken to Hutt Hospital, one in a serious condition and one with mild injuries.

Another two patients have been sent to Wellington Hospital with mild injuries.

A fifth person was treated at the scene.

Fire and Emergency said two cars were involved and a power pole has been hit in addition to several pedestrians.

The scene of a pedestrian accident on Fergusson Drive, Upper Hutt. Photo: RNZ / Mary Argue
The scene of a pedestrian accident on Fergusson Drive, Upper Hutt. Photo: RNZ / Mary Argue (Source: rnz.co.nz)

Emergency services responded to the crash at 1.45pm.

The site is a few blocks from the Trentham Racecourse where Wellington Cup is being held. Fergusson Drive has now reopened after being closed for several hours.

Drug plane pilot who crashed in Papua New Guinea loses appeal

By
Kaniva Staff
-

By rnz.co.nz and is republished with permission

An Australian pilot serving an 18-year jail term for his connection to drug trafficking has this week lost his appeal in the Papua New Guinea Supreme Court.

The Cessna twin engine aircraft crashed on an old airstrip outside PNG's capital.
The Cessna twin engine aircraft crashed on an old airstrip outside PNG’s capital. (Source: rnz.co.nz)

David John Cutmore was the pilot of an aircraft trying to fly from Central Province to Australia, carrying 611kg of cocaine.

The plane crashed on take-off from a makeshift airfield outside Port Moresby in July 2020.

Cutmore was jailed for 18 years in October 2022 after pleading guilty to a charge relating to money laundering.

Last year, another four people — three Papua New Guineans and an Italian — connected to the so-called “black flight” were sentenced in the National Court.

The three-man bench comprising Chief Justice Sir Gibbs Salika, Justice Ere Kariko and Justice Vergil Narokobi ordered that the appeal against Cutmore’s sentence be dismissed.

Chief Justice Sir Gibbs Salika said the sentence of 18 years’ jail with light labour was confirmed.

He said the majority of the bench agreed that the trial judge, Judge Teresa Berrigan, did not err in her consideration of Cutmore’s medical condition.

“The sentence of 18 years was not excessive in the circumstances,” he said.

“The use of the country as a transit point for drug trafficking and the use of PNG nationals as drug mules must be strongly opposed with stiff penalties.”

Cutmore was also convicted of illegally entering the country and breaching the Civil Aviation Act for flying without a licence and crashing.

He was fined 37,000 kina ($16,009 NZD) for the charges and detained at the Bomana Prison for being unable to pay.

rnz.co.nz

Power cut in Hahake, Tt after crash 

By
Kaniva Staff
-

Some residents in the Hahake district of Tongatapu (Tt) are without power after a vehicle crash. 

A car collides with a power pole at Makaunga, Hahake. Photo/Screenshot

District Officer Siosifa Jr Lamipeti said the power was out after the incident at Makaunga. 

It said the outage was caused by a vehicle hitting a power pole.  

No injuries were reported.  

The details of the car accident are still unknown. 

It comes after a mother and her child reportedly sustained injuries in a car crash that occurred at the district’s village of Niutao early this month. 

Reports said the victims had been rushed to the hospital.      

Mr Lamipeti reported that crash on Facebook and alleged that high speed was likely the cause of the crash.   

He said that incident marked the first road accident reported in the district since the beginning of the new year.   

Officer Lamipeti emphasized the significance of this occurrence, highlighting the ongoing concerns surrounding road safety and the need for increased vigilance among drivers in the community.  

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