Johnny Blades
PNG Forestry minister defends govt response to SABLs
Papua New Guinea's Forestry Minister says the government is cancelling defective Special Agriculture Business Leases as relevant departments work their way through the legalities of the process. Audio
Tagata o te Moana for 24 February 2018
We go to the Tongan island of Eua in the aftermath of Cyclone Gita, and hear how people are getting on after the category four storm; The Tongan prime minister speaks to RBNZ Pacific about disaster… Audio
Return home unlikely for volcano-affected PNG community
The Governor of Papua New Guinea's East Sepik province says the people of Kadovar are not expected to live on their volcanic island again. Allan Bird says the Kadovar people who were evacuated and… Audio
Dateline Pacific morning edition for 21 February 2018
Tongan island of 'Eua down but not out; Fiji traffic woes seen as impacting the economy; A Cook Island tivaivai inspired gown goes global; French Polynesia's government loses enthusiasm for a floating… Audio
Dateline Pacific evening edition for 16 February 2018
Tongans maintain high spirits despite cyclone struggles; Flooding main area of cyclone damage in Samoa; Indonesia says the West Papuan bid to be a full member in the Melanesian Spearhead Group is at a… Audio
Flooding main area of cyclone damage in Samoa
Flooding around the capital Apia has been the main reported area of damage from Cyclone Gita in Samoa. Gita swept through Samoa at the weekend when it was still a category two storm. Audio
West Papuan MSG bid at a dead end, says Jakarta
Indonesia says the United Liberation Movement for West Papua's bid to be a full member of the Melanesian Spearhead group has reached a dead end. Audio
West Papua membership issue still unresolved at MSG
Leaders of Melanesian Spearhead Group countries have referred a West Papuan application for full membership of the group to its secretariat for processing, amid concerns that the group is losing sight… Audio
PNG's Kadovar volcano remains low-level, residents to stay away
It is expected to be a long time before the residents of the volcanic island of Kadovar in Papua New Guinea can return to their home. The small island began erupting almost six weeks ago, prompting… Audio
UN human rights chief has concerns in Indonesia, PNG and Fiji
Following his visits to Fiji, Papua New Guinea and Indonesia, the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights has highlighted a range of deep concerns in these countries. Audio
Grumblings on the grapevine: ni-Vanuatu seasonal workers in NZ
Over 4-thousand people from Vanuatu are working in New Zealand's horticulture and viticulture industries this year under the Recognised Seasonal Employer or RSE scheme. While they make up the lion's… Audio
Tradewinds for 13 February 2018
Solomons businesses confident about 2018; Tonga launches direct flights to Samoa; Cooks tourism body mindful of community needs; Cooks legal appeal over EU fish deal gets green light; an unlimited… Audio
Dateline Pacific evening edition for 13 February 2018
Islands in Fiji's Southern Lau Group face direct hit from Gita; Post-cyclone water, shelter and food main needs in Tonga; in 1968 twelve Pacific countries founded the University of the South Pacific… Audio
Dateline Pacific evening edition for 12 February 2018
Tonga Red Cross prepositioning supplies for Cyclone Gita; Clean-up underway in Samoas following Gita; Samoans seek shelter from cyclone; Fiji journos questioned over airport workers lockout article… Audio
Grumblings on the grape vine: are seasonal workers treated well in NZ?
Seasonal workers from Vanuatu are the grunt force of New Zealand's growing wine industry, but questions linger over the treatment of workers. Johnny Blades went to Blenheim to learn more. Audio
