Carmel Jean Sepuloni (46), an MP of Tongan descent, is New Zealand's new deputy prime minister designate. She stands alongside the new Prime Minister Chris Hipkins who will be officially sworn in on Wednesday.
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Results for New Zealand
Tuesday 24 January 2023
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Auckland, New Zealand

Monday 28 November 2022
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Wellington, New Zealand
New Zealand’s smoking rate has fallen to a low of 8% of adults smoking daily, down from 9.4% a year ago, statistics released this month showed. The number of people smoking fell by 56,000.

Thursday 24 November 2022
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Nuku'alofa, Tonga
A substantial tobacco smuggling operation from Tonga to New Zealand, that allegedly amounted to around $1.8 million in evaded tobacco excise, was intercepted in an investigation by New Zealand Customs.

Thursday 10 November 2022
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Auckland, New Zealand
James Faleofa, who was awarded the Royal New Zealand Navy’s “Sailor of the Year 2022”, is a Leading Youth Development Specialist of Tongan descent.

Thursday 13 October 2022
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Wellington, New Zealand
The New Zealand Government has announced the re-opening of two more visa categories for migrants to become residents there starting this November.

Thursday 29 September 2022
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Wellington, New Zealand
The New Zealand Government has announced additional 3000 places for the Recognised Seasonal Employer Scheme (RSE).

Wednesday 21 September 2022
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Wellington, New Zealand
Registrations for the Pacific Access Category will reopen on 5 October to 4 November and enable people from Pacific Islands, including Tonga, the chance to obtain residence visas in New Zealand.

Tuesday 13 September 2022
Wellington, New Zealand
New Zealand has ended its traffic light system, which means international travellers will no longer need to be vaccinated to enter the country, and the mandatory COVID-19 testing is scrapped.
Thursday 18 August 2022
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Nuku'alofa, Tonga
Hon. Nanaia Mahuta this afternoon reaffirmed New Zealand as Tonga's long standing partner and promised to deliver a Pacific Resilience Climate Change speech updating their climate finance strategy tomorrow at Fangaloto. The New Zealand Foreign Minister told reporters that her lunch with the King Tupou VI at the Royal Palace in 'Eua today was very warm and very hospitable.

Saturday 23 July 2022
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Timaru, New Zealand
Prime Minister Hon. Hu’akavameiliku visited Timaru Boys High School, which he attended in 1988, during his visit to the Canterbury region in New Zealand's South Island, this week.

Tuesday 5 July 2022
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Wellington, New Zealand
New Zealand has opened up work visa applications for people offshore, while its borders will be fully open at the end of the month, with student and visitor visa applications opening from 31 July. Immigration Minister Michael Wood said this is the third and final stage of the new simplified Accredited Employer Work Visa (AEWV) policy which opens today, allowing migrants offshore to apply for a work visa to come and work in New Zealand for an accredited employer.

Sunday 19 June 2022
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Wellington, New Zealand
Travellers will no longer need a COVID-19 pre-departure test for all arrivals to New Zealand, starting at 11:59pm from Monday 20 June.

Thursday 12 May 2022
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Wellington, New Zealand
New Zealand will fully reopen its border by the end of July, three months earlier than originally planned. Visitors from Pacific Islands Forum countries can apply for visas starting on Monday, 16 May.

Tuesday 3 May 2022
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Wellington, New Zealand
New Zealand's new High Commissioner to Tonga, Mr Matthew Howell is expected arrive in Tonga this month to start his new posting.

Monday 14 February 2022
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Wellington, New Zealand
The New Zealand Defence Force ships HMNZ Canterbury and HMNZ Wellington left Tonga last Friday after assisting with relief efforts following last month’s undersea eruption and tsunami. The NZDF’s deliveries of aid and water have been contactless. Helicopters on board have surveyed damaged areas, and flew Digicel technicians to uninhabited Kao Island to assist in work to restore communications links to Ha’apai.

Saturday 5 February 2022
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Wellington, Aotearoa New Zealand
Aotearoa New Zealand is donating an additional 9,300 doses of the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine to Tonga, and $3 million in humanitarian funding. A Royal New Zealand Air Force C-130 Hercules has departed Base Auckland Whenuapai earlier today, Feb. 5, carrying the vaccines, rapid antigen tests, and equipment to support re-establishing the electrical network.

Monday 31 January 2022
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Wellington, New Zealand
The New Zealand Defence Force (NZDF) has provided Tongan communities with more than half a million litres of fresh water and continues to transport much-needed aid to Tonga with a fourth Hercules flight scheduled tomorrow, Tuesday.

Wednesday 15 December 2021
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Christchurch, New Zealand
Manu Hausia (28) has pleaded guilty to four charges, including attempted murder at the High Court in Christchurch. He is remanded in custody to be sentenced in February 2022. Hausia, in New Zealand on an interim visitor visa, admitted his brutal assault on a solo mum, committed on September 2.

Tuesday 14 December 2021
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Nuku'alofa, Tonga
A new investment fund to support COVID-19 recovery in the Pacific was announced by the New Zealand government on December 13. New Zealand is committing $17 million to the fund which is expected to attract an additional $40 million in private investment, and will offer both flexible capital and a technical assistance facility to accelerate investments across the Pacific region.

Tuesday 14 December 2021
Wellington, New Zealand
New York Times reporting: New Zealand unveiled a plan Thursday to eventually ban all sales of cigarettes in the country, a decades-long effort unique in the world to prevent young people from taking up smoking. The proposal, expected to become law next year, would raise the smoking age year by year until it covers the entire population