Overwhelming demands for travel documents for Tongans in Australia, have been supported by consular visits to Tongans in Brisbane, Canberra and Sydney recently, where consular and passport services were provided by Tonga’s High Commissioner to Australia, Princess Angelika Latufuipeka Tuku’aho and staff, who also held community dialogue sessions in each city.

The High Commissioner also conducted two readmission ceremonies for Semisi Ma’u and Viliami Mila in Brisbane, after both successfully applied for their Tongan citizenship through the Canberra Mission. Dual citizenship is now possible in Australia without applicants having to travel to Tonga, stated Tonga's High Commission in Canberra.

"The visits included briefings on the roles and responsibilities of the High Commissioner and Tonga’s High Commission; the continued emphasis on the importance of community unity and working together; the significance of preserving the culture, language and heritage of Tongans overseas; and most notably empowering the Tongan youth to achieve educational aspirations and accomplish the dreams of their Tongan forebears as central to the Tongan waves of migration to Australia," said the High Commissioner.

A five-day Tonga Day Festival 2016 event was also held in Brisbane promoting Tonga and celebrating the Tongan community of Australia.

Princess Latufuipeka said that the visits by the High Commissioner were maintaining close ties with the community.

"They contribute to Tonga through remittances directly sent to their families and to Tonga’s economic socio-development."

Meetings were held in Canberra on September 7, Sydney from September 15-19 and Brisbane on October 27-31.