Shows / Pacific Beat
Pacific Beat
Focusing on the Pacific region, the program brings you interviews with leaders, newsmakers, and people who make the Pacific beat.
Episodes
Pacific BeatTongan whale watcher operators accuse foreign businesses of rule breaking
Local whale watching operators in Tonga are concerned the government is handing out too many licenses while foreign operators flout the rules, putting the…
- Pacific Beat
Timor-Leste vows to continue gas project despite Woodside withdrawal
Timor-Leste has vowed to press ahead with its controversial 'Greater Sunrise' gas project after Woodside Energy sold its 33 per cent stake, leaving the project…
- Pacific Beat
Twelve dead in PNG after armed robbery ends in gunfight with police
Twelve people are dead after an armed robbery ended in a vehicle rollover and a gunfight with authorities.
- Pacific Beat
6.9 magnitude earthquake followed by strong aftershocks in North Vanuatu
An earthquake off Northern Vanuatu has been followed by a series of strong aftershocks throughout the weekend.
- Pacific Beat
Members of Vanuatu's "Second Republic Movement" could face sedition charges
Vanuatu's government has described the actions of the so-called "second republic movement" as illegal, warning that participants could be charged with sedition.
- Pacific Beat
The PNG Chiefs have stamped their identity on the sporting world, but controversy over the brand rolls on
The PNG Chiefs now have an identity of their own with the unveiling of the club's inaugural logo and jersey ahead of its debut NRL season in 2028. The Chiefs'…
- Pacific Beat
PNG university students will be able to apply to join the ADF next month
Papua New Guinean university students will be able to apply to join the Australian Defence Force from next month.
- Pacific Beat
Death of notorious PNG conman Noah Musingku met with mixed reactions
Reactions are mixed over the death of the South Pacific's most infamous conman Noah Musingku.
- Pacific Beat
Super Typhoon Champi narrowly misses Guam by 16 kilometres
Guam breathed a sigh of relief over the weekend when Super Typhoon Champi narrowly missed a direct hit on the island.
- Pacific Beat
Fijian conjoined twins separated successfully in Saudi Arabia
Fijian conjoined twins have just undergone a 12-hour separation surgery in Saudi Arabia successfully.
- Pacific Beat
Cyclone season could start early, predicts New Zealand climate agency
Chief Scientist Chris Brandolino at Earth Sciences New Zealand is warning the first cyclone of the season could develop in a matter of days.
- Pacific Beat
Fiji Justice Minister steps down over publicised explicit video
Fiji's Justice Minister and Acting Attorney General, Siromi Turaga, has resigned from his ministerial portfolio after an explicit video was shared on his…
- Pacific Beat
MV Awka passengers feared the worst before supply drop
Before their rescue, passengers on board the stranded ferry Awka in Solomon Islands were starting to fear the worst, but Starlink kept them connected to the…
- Pacific Beat
Questions over MPs use of public funds for overseas medical treatment
Questions have been raised over the use of public funds by Solomon Islands senior officials to seek medical treatment overseas.
- Pacific Beat
Pre-COP31 enters final day of discussions
Australia's Prime Minister Anthony Albanese may have left Fiji but discussions at the Pre-COP31 meeting continued well into last night. As expected, climate…
- Pacific Beat
World leaders face the consequences of climate change in Tuvalu
On the sidelines of Pre-COP31, leaders have been brought face to face with the people living on the frontline of global warming
- Pacific Beat
PNG PM pledges financial help to Tuvalu to combat rising seas at Pre-COP
Pre-COP's first guest, PNG Prime Minister James Marape has pledged financial help to Tuvalu's land reclamation project to combat rising seas.
- Pacific Beat
Pre-COP31 kicks off in Fiji with few world leaders expected to attend
As Fiji and Tuvalu host Pre-COP31 this week, one village in Fiji has been living in tents for more than five years, while another has moved altogether to…
- Pacific Beat
New Counter Narcotics Bureau to lead Fiji's fight against drugs
Fiji's parliament has passed new laws creating a Counter Narcotics Bureau, giving authorities new powers to search, seize and carry out covert operations.
- Pacific Beat
More lost drugs brings total to 52kg cocaine missing from Fiji High Court
Fiji police say another batch of drugs held as evidence in the Suva High Court, is missing, bringing the total amount of missing cocaine from the high court to…
- Pacific Beat
$10 million worth of cocaine replaced with flour in Fiji's High Court
$10 million worth of cocaine, stored at the Suva High Court, has been replaced with what's reported to be flour.
- Pacific Beat
Sailors rescued from raft after a whale sinks their yacht
Four people have been rescued after their yacht struck a whale and capsized while sailing between Fiji and New Zealand.
- Pacific Beat
Advocacy groups warn Naoero's ICC withdrawal risks eroding human rights
Amnesty International says Naoero's withdrawal from the International Criminal Court risks undermining human rights protections in the Pacific.
- Pacific Beat
More babies than ever born with HIV in Fiji's largest hospital
HIV has been declared a national crisis in Fiji and an increasing number of mothers are passing the virus onto their babies.
- Pacific Beat
Police in PNG arrest two men suspected of being involved in big Port Moresby robbery
Police in Port Moresby have arrested two men believed to be involved in one of PNG's biggest robberies.
- Pacific Beat
Fiji constitutional referendum could be held before the year's end
Sweeping constitutional changes could be put to a referendum in Fiji before the end of the year.
- Pacific Beat
Fijian civil groups concerned constitutional review may delay elections
Fiji's parliament is expected to receive a constitutional review report today, but some are worried that it might be used to delay the country's upcoming…
- Pacific Beat
Vanuatu revokes citizenship from alleged rapist Andrew Tate
Vanuatu government says it has revoked the citizenship and passport it issued to alleged rapist and self-described misogynist Andrew Tate.
- Pacific Beat
Samoan Police arrest two men over gang leader shooting in Vietnam
Samoan Police have charged two men with conspiracy to murder in relation to the shooting of crime figure Lorenzo Lemalu in Vietnam.
- Pacific Beat
MV Matui sinking highlights need for better maritime funding, says expert
More than 30 people are still missing at sea from the sinking of the MV Matui in Vanuatu. Dr Peter Nuttal, a maritime expert at the Micronesian Center for…
- Pacific Beat
Little hope left for missing passengers of MV Matui ferry disaster
The search is still on for 38 people still missing from Vanuatu's MV Matui Ferry Disaster but there is little hope of finding anymore survivors.
- Pacific Beat
MV Matui Ferry disaster exposes deep issues in ferry safety systems
The search area after MV Matui ferry disaster in Vanuatu has been extended, with some 30 passengers still missing.
- Pacific Beat
Two dead and 30 missing in Vanuatu's worst maritime disaster
Authorities say up to two people are dead and 30 are still missing after an inter-island ferry sank between Santo and Ambae.
- Pacific Beat
Volcanic pollution causes water shortage on Ambae Island
There is a shortage of drinking water on Ambae Island in Vanuatu following increased volcanic activity, and ash fall which has polluted water sources on the…
- Pacific Beat
Australia face foreign interference accusation over leaked text message
The Solomon Islands' Opposition has accused Australia of interfering in domestic politics, after a text message detailing treaty negotiations was leaked.
- Pacific Beat
Fiji constitutional review to be handed to Cabinet this week
A key report recommending changes to Fiji's constitution will be handed to Cabinet this week. Not yet public, the report has already raised questions over a…
- Pacific Beat
PIF leaders finish talks for communique on Chinese missile test
Pacific leaders have backed a communique criticising China's recent intercontinental ballistic missile test at their most significant regional meeting.
- Pacific Beat
Police investigate armed gold bullion heist in Port Moresby
A major police investigation is underway in Papua New Guinea's capital after a group of armed men held up private security vehicles carrying gold bullion and…
- Pacific Beat
First days of PIF dominated by tensions between external partners
The Pacific region has been slightly sidelined in first few days of the Pacific Islands Forum have as tensions bubble between external partners, but priorities…
- Pacific Beat
NZ Foreign Minister sceptical about PIF leaders' absences
Speaking from the PIF Leaders summit in Palau, New Zealand's Foreign Minister Winston Peters says he's sceptical about President Taneti Maamau of Kiribati's no…
- Pacific Beat
No-confidence motion pulls Solomon Islands PM from PIF meeting
Just hours after landing in Palau for this week's Pacific Islands Forum Leaders meeting, Solomon Islands' Prime Minister Matthew Wale was called back due to a…
- Pacific Beat
PNG government tables Bougainville independence referendum results
Papua New Guinea’s government has tabled the results of Bougainville’s 2019 independence referendum. It's the beginning of a parliamentary process that will…
- Pacific Beat
PNG parliament to table Bougainville referendum results
A key milestone in Bougainville's path towards independence will be reached today when Papua New Guinea's parliament decides on whether to ratify an…
- Pacific Beat
Global calls to drop defamation case against Samoan journalist
The International Federation of Journalists are calling for defamation charges against a veteran Samoan journalist to be dropped immediately.
- Pacific Beat
Tongan government investigating the capsize of whale watching boat
The Tongan government is investigating what happened after a boat carrying more than a dozen whale watchers capsized in rough seas.
- Pacific Beat
Australian judge denies Fiji High Court bias findings in COI report
The Australian judge who oversaw a controversial commission of inquiry in Fiji says he has no regrets about how he conducted himself despite being heavily…
- Pacific Beat
Airlines told to bring their own fuel for Fiji flights
Airlines flying out of Fiji have been told to bring in their own fuel for the rest of the month, after a batch of aviation fuel stored at Nadi International…
- Pacific Beat
Social media linked to rise in PNG sorcery accusation attacks
Social Media is contributing rise in the number of sorcery accusation related attacks in PNG according to a recent survey.
- Pacific Beat
US moves forward with 67 million acre deep-sea mining lease sales
The US government is moving forward with plans to sell deep-sea mining leases covering about 67 million acres of seabed around the Northern Mariana Islands.
- Pacific Beat
Vanuatu to set up advisory committee on presidential pardons
Vanuatu's Prime Minister says his government will set up an advisory committee for the president on his constitutional power of mercy after inmates convicted…
- Pacific Beat
Tonga PM welcomes youngest female minister in cabinet reshuffle
Tonga's Prime Minister celebrates the injection of fresh blood into his cabinet after Sivoki Lavemaau has been appointed Finance Minister, making her one of…
- Pacific Beat
Vanuatu President refuses to back down over child sex abuse pardons
Vanuatu's president is refusing to bow to public pressure and revoke the pardons he granted to two men convicted of sexually abusing children.
- Pacific Beat
PNG highlands drought deepens as crops fail and schools close early
A prolonged drought in Papua New Guinea's Highlands is destroying crops, drying up wells and forcing some schools to close early.
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Vanuatu activists call out presidential pardons of child sex offenders
Women's groups in Vanuatu are calling on the government to reform the presidential pardoning process after men convicted of sexually abusing children received…
- Pacific Beat
Scientists warn the Pacific is not ready to battle bird flu
Bird flu is at the Pacific's doorstep and scientists warn the region isn't ready.
- Pacific Beat
PIF leaders fail to agree on Chinese missile reaction
Pacific Islands Forum foreign ministers have failed to agree on a joint statement criticising China's controversial ballistic missile test last month.
- Pacific Beat
Pacific Islands Forum Foreign Ministers Meeting opens today
The Pacific Islands Forum Foreign Ministers Meeting commences today in Fiji. Australia's Foreign Minister Penny Wong is in attendance where she announced close…
- Pacific Beat
PNG parliament set to vote on endorsing Bougainville independence next month
President Ishamel Toroama has again lashed out at the PNG government for dragging its feet over Bougainville's pathway to independence, but agreement has…
- Pacific Beat
Stranded New Zealand climbers rescued from Solomons Islands Mountain
New Zealand climbers were airlifted out of a steep ravine on Mount Popomanaseu after being stranded for six days.
- Pacific Beat
Foreigners coerced into Timor-Leste scam centres with false job offers
Foreigners arrested in Timor-Leste during recent raids on alleged scam centres say they too were scammed into coming to the country with false job offers.