It’s a great privilege to be in your beautiful country, and I look forward to deepening our friendship and delivering outcomes for all Tongans. Australia’s relationship with Tonga is built on mutual respect, shared values, and enduring people-to-people links – and a history of cooperation over 150 years. Economic recovery is so important to both of our countries – I know many people are doing it tough and still recovering from recent disasters. Building economic growth and improving opportunities is the cornerstone of Australia's support for Tonga. - Brek Batley, Australia's 19th High Commissioner to the Kingdom of Tonga.
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Results for Pacific Islands
Saturday 1 June 2024
Nuku'alofa, Tonga
Friday 31 May 2024
Nuku'alofa, Tonga
Koe Pangikē Pule Fakafonua‘a Tongá ‘oku ne fakahoko ‘a e fatongia mahu’inga ki hono tauhi ‘a e malu ‘a e ngaue fakapa’anga ‘a Tonga pea mo tu’apule’anga, pea pehē ki he tupu ‘a e tu’unga faka’ekonomika ‘o e fonuaˊ.
Friday 31 May 2024
Nuku'alofa, Tonga
At the heart of Tonga’s financial health, the National Reserve Bank of Tonga (NRBT) does more than just act as the central bank. We play a crucial role in keeping our economy safe, and helping Tonga grow.
Friday 31 May 2024
Nuku'alofa, Tonga
Tonga Development Bank says it is taking legal action against Tonga Police following a police search of the bank's premises on Friday 24 May, where Police were acting on a complaint regarding an alleged breach of the Banking Act. UPDATED: The National Reserve Bank of Tonga told Matangi Tonga Online today, 4 June, that they had not made a complaint to the police regarding the TDB. “As this is an active police investigation, we cannot comment on the case but we can confirm that it was not NRBT who laid the complaint,” the NRBT stated.
Friday 31 May 2024
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Nuku'alofa, Tonga
A public holiday will be observed on Monday, 3 June to commemorate Emancipation Day, the day King Siaosi Tupou I officially abolished serfdom in Tonga in 1862, as part of his 1862 Code of Laws.
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Friday 31 May 2024
Nuku'alofa, Tonga
Sea levels in Tongatapu, Ha’apai, and ‘Eua waters are predicted to be 30-100mm above average for June, on an ocean outlook report by Tonga Meteorology. Meanwhile, for the Niuas it was predicted 30-100mm below average sea level height, and average across Vava’u.
Thursday 30 May 2024
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Nuku'alofa, Tonga
The Heilala Festival has been set for two weeks, starting in the last week of June. Held under the theme, “My Kingdom, My Pride, Ko hoku Tonga, Ko hoku laukau’anga”, events are being organised in a tentative program released by the Ministry of Tourism, including the popular Miss Heilala Pageant starting on 29 June.
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Thursday 30 May 2024
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Nuku'alofa, Tonga
A new survey on lymphatic filariasis (kulokula fua) is being conducted in Tonga to follow-up on tests made in the last survey in 2015. The Ministry of Health is collaborating with experts from the University of Queensland (UQ), in investigating lymphatic filariasis by blood testing at schools in Kolomotu'a, Veitongo, Tatakamotonga, Vaotu'u, Utulau, and Sia'atoutai.
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Thursday 30 May 2024
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Nuku'alofa, Tonga
A New Zealand–born Tongan tenor, Manase Latu, is one of 10 semi-finalists in Aotearoa’s premier opera singing competition, the 2024 Lexus Song Quest. He was selected from a pool of 29 top-quality applications
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Wednesday 29 May 2024
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Geneva, Switzerland
The misuse and overuse of antimicrobials − especially antibiotics − in humans, animals and plants are driving the rise of drug-resistant infections. This makes common infections harder to treat and medical procedures and treatments, such as surgery and chemotherapy, much riskier.
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Wednesday 29 May 2024
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Nuku'alofa, Tonga
Tonga’s watermelon export crops will soon benefit from smart irrigation systems and improved cold storage, following a new partnership signed between Nishi Trading Company Limited and the Pacific Horticultural and Agricultural Market Access Plus (PHAMA Plus) Program, supported by Australia and New Zealand.
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Tuesday 28 May 2024
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Nuku'alofa, Tonga
A young Tongan police woman, Hola ‘i Moana Tauvaka has qualified as a heptathlete for the Oceania Athletics Championship to be held in June in Suva, Fiji. PC Tauvaka will compete in the heptathlon, across seven combined events including the 100-meter hurdles, 200-meter run, 800-meter run, high jump, long (broad) jump, shot put, and javelin throw.
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Tuesday 28 May 2024
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Nuku'alofa, Tonga
The Tonga Development Bank is being investigated regarding an alleged breach of the Banking Act, Tonga Police confirmed today, 28 May. Responding to a complaint received, the Police conducted a search of the TDB offices on Friday.
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Monday 27 May 2024
Nuku'alofa, Tonga
Tongan civil defence authorities called for a major evacuation of low-lying areas in Tongatapu and Ha'apai this morning, urging people to move inland to higher ground, after a strongly shaking 6.7 magnitude earthquake was felt in Tongatapu, Ha’apai, and Vava’u at 9:47 am (TOT) today, 27 May 2024. An urgent tsunami alert issued at 9:55am local time was cancelled at 11:00am, after the tsunami threat passed. So far, there have been no reports of damage or injuries.
Friday 24 May 2024
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Nuku'alofa, Tonga
Land reclamation for the Government’s prefab houses project is underway at Popua, near the Sia Heu Lupe, where, it is said, they will construct over a hundred houses in time for the Pacific Islands Forum leader’s meeting in the last week of August. The site preparation, now into its third week, will continue until the end of May, before construction begins in June.
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Friday 24 May 2024
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Honiara, Solomon Islands
A two-week long 'Operation Tui Moana', combating Illegal Unreported and Unregulated (IUU) fishing across the Pacific, closed today, 24 May 2024. The Tongan Royal Navy took part in the Operation that reported over 500 vessel contacts, using air, surface and remote-sensing platforms, with a total of 80 boardings in port and at sea. Ten vessels of interest were detected and reported to Members for further investigation.
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Friday 24 May 2024
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Nuku'alofa, Tonga
Six firearms and 12 cartons of ammunition were intercepted and seized by Tonga Customs officials on 22 May 2024. They were found in a crate that also contained personal items consigned to a 38-year-old Tongan female from Halaleva, Tongatapu.
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Friday 24 May 2024
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Nadi, Fiji
A workshop for migration administrators, from the Pacific Islands including Tonga, has been held this week from 20-24 May 2024, in Nadi, Fiji, aiming to build the capacity of Pacific government focal points in the design, negotiation, implementation, and monitoring of Bilateral Labour Migration Agreements (BLMAs).
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Thursday 23 May 2024
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Nuku'alofa, Tonga
No official statements have been issued by the Tonga Development Bank or the National Reserve Bank of Tonga (NRBT) regarding a reported move to sack the two top officials of the TDB this week.
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Thursday 23 May 2024
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Nuku'alofa, Tonga
The Legislative Assembly of Tonga passed the first reading of the 2024/2025 Appropriation Bill 2024 today. They are planning for expenditure of $899.2 million, with $452.3 million to be funded by Government and $446.9 million from development partners. The second reading is scheduled for 6 June.
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