Australia has announced a new AUD$20 million investment from 2026 to 2029 to support locally led gender equality, disability equity and social inclusion outcomes in Tonga.
Australia’s Ambassador for Gender Equality, Michelle O’Byrne, shakes hands with Crown Princess Sinaitakala Tukuʻaho during her visit to Tonga. Photo/Australian Ambassador for Gender Equality
The investment was announced by Australia’s Ambassador for Gender Equality, Michelle O’Byrne, during her first visit to Tonga, where she joined Minister for Internal Affairs Hon. Fane Fituafe in engagements across Vavaʻu and Tongatapu focused on women’s leadership, participation and inclusion.
The new investment builds on the close partnership between Tonga and Australia and supports priorities led by the Government of Tonga, including as outlined in the Women’s Empowerment and Gender Equality Tonga (WEGET III) Policy, the National Disability Inclusive Development Policy and the recent National Women’s Fono.
The portfolio reflects Australia’s commitment to working alongside the Government of Tonga, civil society and communities to support Tongan-led priorities and practical, locally led solutions.
Quotes attributable to Ambassador O’Byrne
“Tonga and Australia are Kaumeʻa Ofi – close friends. Our partnership is built on decades of cooperation, deep people-to-people connections and shared values.”
“Tonga and Australia share a commitment to advancing gender equality, disability equity and rights, and social inclusion. Through this investment, Australia is proud to work alongside government, civil society and communities to support Tongan-led priorities, because development is strongest when it is locally led.”
“Inclusive societies are stronger societies. When women and men can participate equally, when people with disability can contribute fully, and when communities are free from violence, countries are more resilient, prosperous and secure.”
The investment will support the implementation of Tonga’s national gender equality and disability inclusion policies through expanded partnerships with the Ministry for Internal Affairs and civil society organisations and the continuation of Australia’s flagship Families Free of Violence initiative.
For 78 years, Siaʻatoutai Theological College has been weaving what its name symbolises—a spiritual “fisherman’s net” designed to prepare generations of ministers and lay leaders to bring people to Christ and serve the Free Wesleyan Church of Tonga.
Rev Dr Paula Onoafe Lātū
The meaning behind the name, bestowed by Queen Sālote Tupou III, has emerged as the college commemorates nearly eight decades of theological education and ministerial formation, according to its former principal, the Reverend Dr Paula Onoafe Lātū.
Lātū explained that sia means “to weave a net”, while ʻa toutai means “by a fisherman”.
He said the traditional sia has two types of mesh: pako lō taha, or single-layered mesh, and pako lō ua, or double-layered mesh. The pako lō taha has a fixed mesh size—traditionally about four inches—and therefore catches fish of a corresponding size.
By contrast, the two layers of the pako lō ua adjust in relation to each other, enabling the net to catch larger fish.
Lātū interpreted the name Siaʻatoutai theologically. In his view, the fixed pako lō taha represents the unchanging rule of law contained in the Holy Bible, while the two layers of the pako lō ua symbolise the Old and New Testaments.
The church’s annual conference established the college on August 14, 1948, under the patronage of the late Queen Sālote Tupou III.
Since its establishment, Siaʻatoutai has played a central role in providing spiritual formation, Wesleyan theological education and ministerial training in Tonga.
That mission is reflected in its motto, Ke Kalaisiʻia mo Kelesiʻia ʻEtau Langa ki ʻItāniti—“Let our building towards eternity be Christ-centred and grace-filled.”
The original expression, Ke Kalaisiʻia mo Kelesiʻia, is believed to have been coined by the Reverend Dr Alfred Harold Wood. The college’s inaugural principal, the Reverend K.D. Groove, later added the words ʻOku tau langa ki ʻitāniti—“We are building towards eternity.”
The two statements were formally brought together for the college’s 25th anniversary in 1973 and have continued to guide its spiritual and academic work.
Siaʻatoutai currently offers five academic programmes, including a Certificate in Theology and Pastoral Ministry taught in Tongan and a bilingual Bachelor of Divinity programme delivered in Tongan and English.
Its programmes are designed to deepen students’ understanding of scripture, Wesleyan theology and pastoral ministry while preparing both ordained and lay leaders for service.
The college also operates a Ministerial Formation and Training Programme aimed at developing future church leaders and equipping them to serve their congregations with theological knowledge, wisdom and compassion.
As it marks 78 years, Siaʻatoutai has reaffirmed its commitment to forming Christian leaders, strengthening the Church and continuing what it describes as its enduring work of “building towards eternity” through Christ and grace.
The boat that capsized and sank while carrying Anglican Church delegates in Tonga was not licensed or authorised to conduct whale-watching and swimming activities, the Ministry of Tourism has revealed.
The ministry issued the clarification following reports of the marine incident, which occurred between Fafā and Malinoa islands in Tongatapu on Friday, 21 August.
Several passengers were reportedly taken to hospital briefly, but no serious injuries were reported.
The passengers included delegates who had attended the Anglican Diocese of Polynesia’s General Synod in Nukuʻalofa. The gathering brought together bishops, chaplains and other church representatives from New Zealand and across the Pacific.
In its statement, the Ministry of Tourism said preliminary information showed that neither the vessel nor its operator had been approved to provide whale-watching or swimming services.
“The vessel and operator involved in the incident were not licensed or authorised by the Ministry of Tourism to conduct Whale Watching and Swimming activities,” the ministry said.
It said all vessels registered with licensed whale-watching and swimming operators in Tongatapu returned safely to their respective harbours or docking areas on Friday, with no related incidents reported.
Incident under review
Whale-watching and swimming activities require an appropriate licence under Tonga’s Whale Watching and Swimming Regulations 2013.
The ministry said the matter remained under review and further action could be taken.
It was continuing to assess the available information and would take compliance action within its mandate where necessary.
Issues relating to the vessel’s licensing, safety equipment and other maritime requirements would be referred to the appropriate authorities, the statement said.
The ministry did not identify the vessel or operator, disclose how many passengers were aboard or explain whether the trip had been advertised or arranged as a whale-watching excursion.
Australian paramedics assist
Paramedics from New South Wales who were in Tonga for a Rotary International training programme helped lead the emergency response.
According to a Rotary statement, the Anglican delegation prayed with the emergency team before leaving.
“Before leaving, the bishops, chaplains and leaders of the group led a prayer, thanking and blessing the team for the help and support they had provided,” the statement said.
“It was a very special and humbling moment for our team, and certainly not something we expected when we started the day.”
The Diocese of Polynesia had recently completed its General Synod in Nukuʻalofa before the delegates joined the boat trip.
Lord Chancellor Lord Afeaki’s recent return to the Supreme Court bench as Acting Lord Chief Justice has revived scrutiny of his controversial appointment to the same position in 2021—an appointment that prompted a group of senior Tongan lawyers to petition King Tupou VI.
King’s Lord Chancellor, Lord Afeaki
Lord Afeaki assumed the acting role while Lord Chief Justice Malcolm Bishop travelled to New Zealand for a medical check-up last month. During that period, Lord Afeaki presided over several Supreme Court cases, including the sentencing of Maikolo ʻEalele to three years’ imprisonment for serious housebreaking and theft.
His return has brought renewed attention to concerns about the process through which Lord Afeaki, who was not a sitting judge, was previously selected to serve temporarily as the head of Tonga’s Supreme Court.
In October 2021, Lord Afeaki was appointed Acting Lord Chief Justice for four months while then-Lord Chief Justice Michael Whitten was overseas on leave.
At the time, Lord Afeaki chaired the Judicial Appointments and Discipline Panel, which was responsible for considering candidates for judicial office.
Lawyers Alleged Appointment Conflict of Interest
The group of senior lawyers—most of whom were members of the Tonga Law Society—questioned whether Lord Afeaki had sufficient experience to hold such an important judicial position. They subsequently petitioned King Tupou VI, seeking the revocation of the appointment.
“The appointment is tainted with cronyism, personal interest and self-promotion within the Panel,” the lawyers told the King.
“There is a conflict of interest with the Chairperson appointing himself to the position of Acting Lord Chief Justice.
“The Panel is established to consider suitably qualified and appropriate candidates for judicial office and is not established for the promotion of its members to the Judiciary. The decision is not transparent and is wrong.”
Lord Afeaki did not formally appoint himself, as judicial appointments are made by the King acting on advice. However, the lawyers alleged that his position as chair of the panel involved in considering judicial appointments created a conflict of interest.
The petition did not result in the appointment being revoked, and Lord Afeaki continued serving as Acting Lord Chief Justice.
Sentencing decision corrected
Concerns surrounding the 2021 appointment were later followed by questions over multiple versions of a sentencing decision delivered by Lord Afeaki in Rex v Siuʻivahanoa Tuʻipulotu.
Three documents relating to the sentencing on 18 November 2021 appeared on the Attorney General’s Office website. They included two versions labelled “Sentencing Remarks” and a third marked “Corrigendum”—a formal correction.
In the first version, Tuʻipulotu was convicted and sentenced to two-and-a-half years, or 30 months, in prison. The final nine months were suspended for two years from the date of his release, subject to several conditions.
The conditions required Tuʻipulotu to commit no further offence punishable by imprisonment, be placed on probation, report to the probation office, complete a drug and alcohol awareness course and undertake 40 hours of community service.
Another version imposed the same 30-month prison sentence but removed the suspension of the final nine months. It instead directed that, following his release, Tuʻipulotu would be placed on probation for 12 months and complete the other rehabilitative conditions.
The corrected version was marked by the Attorney General’s Office on 22 November 2021 and stated:
“Pursuant to the order of the Court dated 22 November 2021, the following sentencing remarks are to replace those issued on 18 November 2021.”
Earlier Judicial Concerns Resurface
No accompanying document publicly available on the website explained why the original sentencing remarks were replaced or why the suspended portion of the sentence was removed.
Courts routinely issue corrigenda to correct errors in judgments.
In this case, however, the publicly available documents showed more than minor changes in wording: the provision suspending the final nine months of imprisonment was removed.
The government is pressing ahead with its ban on social media for under-16 year olds, with the legislation set to be introduced on Monday.
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon with students at the government announcement of the plan to ban social media for under 16 year olds.Photo credit:RNZ / Samuel Rillstone
But ACT and New Zealand First will not support the bill.
The bill puts the pressure on social media companies to comply, establishing an online safety regulator and setting up a penalty regime.
Watch the government announcement here:
Education Minister Erica Stanford, who had been tasked with leading the work on the ban, said the bill would bring New Zealand into line with other countries that were placing greater responsibility on tech companies to protect children online.
“The bill places legal obligations on platforms. No penalties are proposed for children, their parents or caregivers,” Stanford said.
“It doesn’t just introduce a minimum age requirement. It creates an enduring framework that can evolve alongside technology and holds platforms responsible for understanding and reducing the risks they create for children.”
ACT and New Zealand First have invoked the ‘agree to disagree clause’, meaning National will need Labour’s support to get the bill past its first reading.
ACT leader David Seymour said protecting children online was serious, but disagreed with National’s approach.
“Unfortunately, the National Party have hitched their wagon to a terrible solution. The ban they propose won’t work, and the side effects will leave us work off.”
A New Zealand First spokesperson confirmed the party also opposed the bill.
But even Labour has indicated it may not support the bill, releasing a letter written by its science and technology spokesperson Reuben Davidson to Stanford.
The letter – which Davidson wrote on Friday – said there were still some matters Labour wanted addressed before it could offer its support.
“I want to be clear that we take this legislation very seriously. The safety of young people in Aotearoa New Zealand is at stake, and the risks they face in increasingly complex online environments are significant. It is critically important that this legislation is in the best possible shape at first reading to ensure it provides a robust safety net for those who need it most,” he wrote.
Among the 79 things Labour was asking were the extent of consultation with children and young people on the bill, how a social media operator could show it has complied, whether the government would publish a full privacy impact assessment, and how the penalties would be enforced.
Davidson also wanted the whole Labour caucus to have access to the bill before deciding whether it could support it.
The bill would require “high risk” platforms, such as Instagram, TikTok, Snapchat, YouTube, X, and Facebook, to take “reasonable steps” to check users were over the age of 16.
The reasonable steps included using existing account information, facial age estimation, digital ID services, and formal ID.
Messaging apps such as WhatsApp or Discord, and online games like Roblox, are not included in the bill.
AI chatbots that are primarily for productivity, such as ChatGPT and Gemini, are also out of scope, but social AI companions are covered by the ban.
Platforms would also be required to regularly assess the risks they posed, and report on how those risks were being identified and reduced.
A factsheet released by the government said those risks included included illegal content, harmful content (such as grooming, cyberbullying, harassment, and AI deepfakes), advertising and behavioural profiling, and service design and function.
The regulator, which will be established within the Department of Internal Affairs, will be able to monitor, investigate and enforce compliance.
Its tools would range from simply gathering information or auditing the age assurance technology used by tech companies, all the way up to geo-blocking or criminal penalties.
A ban on VPNs is not in the legislation.
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon said parents did have a role to play in monitoring what social media platform their children were on, but so did social media companies.
“Social media is exposing them to harmful content, addictive technology and pressures they are not equipped to deal with and it’s affecting their family life, mental health, sleep, and education,” he said.
A whale-watching boat carrying several New Zealand Anglican Church delegates capsized and sank in Tonga on Friday.
A whalesin Vava’u. Photo/Akosita Lavulavu (Facebook)
RNZ Pacific understands several passengers were briefly hospitalised, but there were no serious injuries.
Paramedics from New South Wales, who were in the country for a Rotary International training event, led the rescue.
“Before leaving, the Bishops, Chaplains and leaders of the group led a prayer, thanking and blessing the team for the help and support they had provided,” a Rotary statement read.
“It was a very special and humbling moment for our team, and certainly not something we expected when we started the day.”
The Diocese of Polynesia had recently finished their General Synod in Nuku’Alofa, with delegates present from across New Zealand and the Pacific.
Distressing footage of an apparent serious traffic accident in Tonga shows several people carrying what appears to be a motionless person towards a pickup truck.
Bystanders carry an apparently motionless person towards a pickup truck after a serious crash left a white car lying on its side in Tonga. Photo/Screenshot from livestreamed footage.
Part of the livestreamed footage shows a badly damaged white car lying on its side. The vehicle appears extensively dented and crushed following the crash.
The circumstances surrounding the accident, including its location, when it occurred and the condition of those involved, have yet to be officially confirmed.
Kaniva News has approached the relevant authorities for further information.
The incident has prompted concern on social media, with many questioning why serious crashes appear to occur so frequently in Tonga, despite its small population and closely connected communities.
There appears to have been a pattern of crashes reported almost every month this year.
Earlier this month, two separate incidents reportedly prompted Tonga Power Limited to announce outages affecting parts of Tongatapu after vehicles damaged electricity infrastructure.
Some Facebook commenters have linked the crashes to alcohol and drug use. However, authorities have not confirmed that either was involved in these incidents.
Tongan rugby league star Tolutau Koula could miss the remainder of the NRL season and face a race to recover for the World Cup after suffering a syndesmosis injury in Manly’s 44–24 victory over Newcastle.
The Sea Eagles centre was injured in a hip-drop tackle by Knights winger Dom Young during the first half of Saturday’s match at McDonald Jones Stadium.
Young has since been charged with grade-two dangerous contact and faces a one-match suspension with an early guilty plea. Because Newcastle has a bye in the final round, the suspension would rule him out of the Knights’ last regular-season match.
Koula will undergo scans to determine the severity of the ankle injury and whether surgery will be required.
With Manly having only two regular-season matches remaining, even a moderate syndesmosis injury could end Koula’s NRL campaign. A serious injury requiring surgery could involve a recovery period of six to eight weeks and potentially place his availability for Tonga at the Rugby League World Cup in doubt.
The injury occurred when Koula collected a short pass and attempted to run towards the tryline before Young brought him down from behind.
The weight of the tackle came down across the outside of Koula’s lower leg while his foot appeared trapped beneath him, forcing his ankle outwards and his knee inwards—a mechanism commonly associated with syndesmosis injuries and, in some cases, damage to the medial collateral ligament in the knee.
Koula was slow to rise but managed to play the ball before Caleb Navale crossed for a try. He was later ruled out of the remainder of the match.
Manly subsequently confirmed that Koula had suffered a syndesmosis injury, although scans will establish its full extent.
Fox League commentator Luke Keary immediately raised concerns after watching a replay of the tackle.
“It had all the mechanisms of a hip-drop; he lost his weight,” Keary said.
Referee Wyatt Raymond placed Young on report and sent him to the sin bin for 10 minutes.
Despite losing one of their leading attacking players, the Sea Eagles took control of the match and scored six tries after falling behind early. Josh Feledy, who replaced Koula, scored a hat-trick, while Reuben Garrick, Jason Saab and Lehi Hopoate also crossed.
The victory kept Manly’s slim hopes of qualifying for the top eight alive.
Young’s Newcastle teammate Tyson Frizell also faces a one-match suspension after receiving a grade-two dangerous-contact charge for a tackle on Manly fullback Tom Trbojevic.
Koula’s injury will be closely monitored by Tonga’s national selectors as preparations continue for the World Cup. The 23-year-old’s speed and ability to play at centre or fullback make him one of Tonga’s most important attacking players.
An alleged Comanchero motorcycle gang associate accused of involvement in the 2025 shooting of Tongan siblings Lolo Manaʻia Fakaʻosilea and Carlysha Leona Fakaʻosilea has been denied bail by the Brisbane Supreme Court.
Lloyd Michael Foran is accused of driving an unidentified gunman and another person to the Fakaʻosileas’ home in Rochedale, Brisbane, where the siblings were repeatedly shot on August 2, 2025.
Foran is not alleged to have fired the weapon but has been charged as a party to the attempted murder of former Queensland Reds player Lolo Fakaʻosilea. He is also charged with acts intended to cause grievous bodily harm to Carlysha and several other offences.
Details of the shooting emerged during a bail application by Lloyd Michael Foran, an alleged associate of the Comanchero motorcycle gang, who has been charged over his alleged involvement in the attack.
The Brisbane Supreme Court refused Foran’s application for bail after prosecutors alleged he had driven the unidentified gunman and another person to the Fakaʻosilea residence in a stolen hatchback.
Foran is not accused of firing the weapon but has been charged as a party to the attempted murder of Lolo Fakaʻosilea. He is also charged with acts intended to cause grievous bodily harm to Carlysha and several other offences.
Siblings repeatedly shot
CCTV footage presented in court allegedly showed three people wearing hooded clothing arriving at the property. One of them was reportedly carrying a clearly visible handgun.
Fakaʻosilea was seen running from the house carrying a baseball bat before a disguised gunman emerged and opened fire.
The attacker allegedly followed Fakaʻosilea and Carlysha as they retreated along the driveway, firing repeatedly at them.
Court documents showed that Fakaʻosilea was shot five times—in his right armpit, right bicep, the right side of his chest and twice in his abdomen.
Doctors recorded 10 bullet entry and exit wounds, as well as a fracture to his right arm. He underwent surgery during which three bullets were located and removed.
Prosecutors said that without medical intervention, Fakaʻosilea’s arm could have been at risk because of compartment syndrome, a serious condition caused by increased pressure within the muscles.
Carlysha was shot in her right thigh and suffered another gunshot wound through her wrist. A bullet lodged in her right buttock was removed during surgery.
Both siblings were taken to Brisbane’s Princess Alexandra Hospital for treatment.
Accused allegedly fled
Crown prosecutor Zachary Kaplan argued that Foran must have known his passenger was carrying a firearm because the gun was allegedly visible when the occupants left the vehicle.
Foran’s defence maintained that he was merely the driver and did not know a firearm would be used.
His lawyer told the court that Foran ran away when the shooting began and did not return, arguing that his actions indicated the use of the weapon had not formed part of any plan involving him.
The defence also argued that nobody had positively identified Foran and described the prosecution case as circumstantial.
However, prosecutors reportedly relied on DNA evidence allegedly found on the vehicle’s steering wheel and on a hooded jumper recovered at the scene.
Police also raised concerns about Foran’s alleged association with the Comanchero outlaw motorcycle gang.
Bail refused
Foran offered a $100,000 surety secured through equity in his mother’s home and said he would comply with a condition prohibiting contact with members of the Comanchero gang.
However, Justice Rebecca Treston found that the proposed conditions would not sufficiently reduce the risks associated with his release and refused bail.
Foran, who has reportedly remained in custody for about a year, also faces charges of attempted arson, dangerous conduct with a weapon and unlawful use of a motor vehicle.
No formal pleas have been entered, and the case remains before the courts.
