The Speaker of the New Zealand House of Representatives, Rt Hon Trevor Mallard arrived in Nuku'alofa on October 28, on a parliamentary visit.
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Tuesday 29 October 2019
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Nuku'alofa, Tonga

Sunday 27 October 2019
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Nuku'alofa, Tonga
Former Prime Minister, Lord Sevele ‘o Vailahi is optimistic that Tonga’s political reform program can proceed, following the change of government on 27 September. “Let's make the reform work,” he said.

Thursday 17 October 2019
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Nuku'alofa, Tonga
There will be five main polling stations in Tongatapu 1 for the By-Election on Thursday, November 28.

Wednesday 16 October 2019
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Nuku'alofa, Tonga
Only two candidates have registered to run in the November 28 By-Election to elect a new People’s Representative for Tongatapu 1 to the Tonga Legislative Assembly, to fill the seat of the late Hon. 'Akilisi Pohiva.

Saturday 12 October 2019
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Nuku'alofa, Tonga
“We look forward to the day when the death penalty is removed from Tonga’s laws,” said a former Tongan Police officer Siueli ‘Eleni Mone, who was present at Tonga's last execution in 1982. On October 10 she joined a discussion with the Australian and New Zealand High Commissioners to Tonga who are encouraging modern states to abolish the death penalty.

Friday 27 September 2019
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Nuku'alofa, Tonga
Hon. Pohiva Tu‘i‘onetoa (68), one of two candidates nominated, was elected 15-8, this afternoon as Tonga’s new Prime Minister, by 23 elected members of the Tongan Parliament in a secret ballot. (Updated to correct age).

Friday 27 September 2019
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Nuku'alofa, Tonga
A three-year Tonga Justice Sector Support Program was launched on September 26 with the aim of developing more inclusive, sustainable and responsive good governance, with law and order.

Saturday 21 September 2019
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Nuku'alofa, Tonga
Tonga may have a new Prime Minister by the end of the September. The Speaker of Parliament on 26 September will read out nominations and call for the 25 members of parliament to elect a new Prime Minister.

Tuesday 17 September 2019
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Nuku'alofa, Tonga
The Tongan Parliament will begin the process of electing a new Prime Minister by calling for nominations, after the funeral of the late Hon. ‘Akilisi Pohiva is over. From the House by Pesi Fonua

Saturday 31 August 2019
Nuku'alofa, Tonga
Tonga's ailing Prime Minister Hon. 'Akilisi Pohiva (78) has a paramount concern: the succession of his leadership. He now faces opposition to the government he has headed since the elections of November 2014. There is rivalry and turmoil. He feels challenged. The reform is not what he imagined. He warns of clashes. Matangi Tonga Editor, Pesi Fonua talks to the Prime Minister about why, nine years after the reform, the PM remains at odds with the new system that parliament voted for in 2009.
Wednesday 14 August 2019
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Nuku'alofa, Tonga
The Tongan Parliament continues to have problems with its working schedule and agenda, while many members are absent. From the House by Pesi Fonua

Monday 12 August 2019
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Nuku'alofa, Tonga
Finding a quorum to enable the Tongan Parliament to proceed with its 2019 session has been an issue since it was scheduled to resume on 5 August. There is much work for the House to do. The Ministry of Education presented its annual reports from 2014, 2015, 2016 and 2017. From the House by Pesi Fonua

Tuesday 6 August 2019
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Nuku'alofa, Tonga
Tonga’s Legislative Assembly 2019 session will resume sitting on Monday, August 12 after they were unable to form a quorum yesterday.

Friday 28 June 2019
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Tonga’s $599.27 million Pa’anga 2019-20 National Budget was passed by the Tongan Parliament yesterday 27 June with 12-6 votes. From the House by Pesi Fonua

Thursday 27 June 2019
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Nuku'alofa, Tonga
Tonga's Justice Minister called “What shall we do? War?” during a heated confrontation between government and the Nobles Representatives over proposed distribution of more than $4 million in constituency funds to be allocated for MPs to spend, in the Tongan Parliament yesterday, 26 June.

Wednesday 26 June 2019
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Nuku'alofa, Tonga
There was vociferous debate in the House on Monday, 24 June after the Chairman of the Standing Committee on Finance, Tevita Lavemaau, tabled a report of the Committee on the 2019-2020 National Budget. Parliament has only two working days left, 26-27 June to pass the National Budget. From the House by Pesi Fonua.

Sunday 23 June 2019
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Nuku'alofa, Tonga
How Tonga is going to effectively use the millions received in grants from foreign aid donors to address its struggling economic situation, was the focus of the debate over the 2019-20 National Budget in the Tongan parliament on Wednesday and Thursday 19-20 June. It is clear that a continuing dependence on foreign aid donors remains the source of economic developments.

Wednesday 19 June 2019
Nuku'alofa, Tonga
Yesterday in Parliament the Minister of Finance, Hon. Dr Pohiva Tu‘i‘onetoa, to the surprise of the House, called his 2019-20 balanced budget “just a dream”, during the budget debate on 18 June 2019.
Monday 17 June 2019
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Nuku'alofa, Tonga
The Tongan Parliament worked a half-day today, because the Prime Minister and Cabinet had scheduled a visit to the Royal Palace, in the afternoon. From the House by Pesi Fonua.

Saturday 15 June 2019
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Nuku'alofa, Tonga
A national budget of $599.27 million Tongan Pa’anga was tabled into parliament on Monday, 10 June by the Minister for Finance, Hon. Dr Pohiva Tu‘i‘onetoa. The Minister initially labelled his 2019-2020 budget as a “balanced budget”, but then settled to call it a “half-cast balanced budget”, because only 51% or $305 million is financed by the government itself. From the House by Pesi Fonua.
