Results for Australia

A repatriation flight with 110 passengers arrived in Tonga from Auckland, today. Another flight from Australia was scheduled today, to pick up seasonal workers, who are expected to depart for Australia later this evening.

New York Times reporting: With the Australian borders closed to the backpackers who do much of the country’s farm labour, the coronavirus pandemic has exposed the shaky labour foundation of the country’s agriculture industry, spurring calls for an immigration overhaul. Right now, farmers are contending with national borders that were closed in March 2020 and are unlikely to reopen until 2022.

The National Rugby League (NRL) is seeking millions of dollars from Australia's federal government to introduce rugby league in Pacific Islands schools, including Tonga.

Australian citizens and permanent residents in Tonga who wish to return to Australia via Auckland can now get a connecting flight to Sydney within 24 hours. No COVID-19 test is required prior to departure, however, passengers must cover the costs of the mandatory 14-days quarantine on arrival in Australia.

A new warehouse for the National Emergency Management Office (NEMO) to safely stockpile goods to assist in times of disasters, was commissioned on February 16, at Poutaha.

107 passengers were repatriated to Tonga on a chartered flight from Australia this afternoon. A group of seasonal workers also departed Tonga on the same flight.

The 162 seasonal workers who left Tonga on Monday for Australia, are spending 14 days in quarantine in a hotel before they are released to work on farms in Tasmania.

We are all dealing with the impacts of emissions and climate change—in Australia, in Tonga and everywhere else in the world. To support others around the world, at the PIF High-Level Roundtable in December, Prime Minister Morrison announced Australia’s new global climate finance pledge of at least $1.5 billion over the period 2020 to 2025. This includes a $500 million investment in the Pacific to support renewable energy deployment and climate and disaster resilience. This is a 50 per cent increase on Australia’s previous pledge. By H.E. Adrian Morrison, the Australian High Commissioner to Tonga

Australia supports Tonga in joining a global campaign to end gender based violence starting today, 25 November, the International Day for Elimination of Gender-Based Violence.