This International Women’s Day, Australia is proud to stand with Tongan women who are quite literally breaking new ground,
Through the Australian Infrastructure Financing Facility for the Pacific (AIFFP), Australia is supporting the Upgrading Tonga’s international port project, a major investment to strengthen the Queen Salote International Wharf (QSIW).
Australia, through the AIFFP, together with the Asian Development Bank and the Government of Tonga, is delivering AUD138.3 million in upgrades to strengthen Tonga’s primary port in Nuku’alofa. This investment includes an AUD31.25 million AIFFP grant aimed at bolstering climate resilience, economic growth and sustainability.
But beyond better trade and transport, this project is giving more women the chance to step into the construction industry and prove that skill and hard work have no gender.
For decades, construction in Tonga was a male-dominated field. That’s changing. Women like ‘Ofa Halatanu and Susana Fihaki are now working as engineers, leading teams and shaping the country’s future.
‘Ofa Halatanu, a site engineer with AIFFP partner McConnell Dowell, says seeing more women on-site is something she never expected.
“When I started, I was one of the only woman in my field. Now, we have women in every part of construction—engineering, carpentry, concrete testing. It’s not just about getting the job done; it’s about showing young girls in Tonga that they can be here too,” she said.
For Susana Fihaki, construction was a dream she didn’t think she could follow.
“I was a nurse because that was what women were supposed to do,” she said. “But I loved building things. I studied architecture at night, and when I finally got the chance to work on this project, I took it. At first, it was strange telling men what to do on-site, but now I know I belong here,” she added.
They’re not alone. Their colleagues Lesieli Fatongiatau and ‘Asinate Tekina ki Fatumanongi ‘Ohuafi are taking on key roles in quality control at the project’s concrete factory. They’ve been trained to meet New Zealand’s standards for testing concrete, aggregates and soils—ensuring the materials used in this upgrade are strong, safe and built to last.
“This work matters,” said Lesieli. “Every mix, every test—it all adds up to something bigger. This isn’t just about today; it’s about building a future where women can do any job they want.”
Australia’s High Commissioner to Tonga, His Excellency Brek Batley, says the investment isn’t just about infrastructure, but opportunity.
“The Australian Government is committed to investing in skills, jobs and better infrastructure across the Pacific. It’s incredible to see so many women stepping into roles they might not have had access to. Projects like this create lasting change—not just in ports, but in communities and workplaces.”
Australia’s investment is making the port safer, more efficient and more resilient to natural disasters, as well as changing the workforce, as Tongan women prove construction isn’t just for men.
They are laying the foundation for something bigger—equal opportunities, better futures and a workforce in which women and men work side by side to build their country’s future.
Australia is proud to back projects that create real opportunities for women across the Pacific.
#IWD2025 #WomenInConstruction #BreakingBarriers #AIFFP
@adbpacific
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