A member of parliament was suspended from the Legislature this morning for seven days, after he offended the Prime Minister Hon. Hu'akavameiliku, who had filed a formal complaint against him alleging use of inappropriate words. From the House, by Pesi Fonua.
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Results for Parliament
Tuesday 20 February 2024
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Nuku'alofa, Tonga
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Monday 19 February 2024
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Nuku'alofa, Tonga
The Prime Minister Hon. Hu'akavameiliku returned to the Tonga Legislative Assembly this morning after taking leave from the House for over three months, but made no mention of his Cabinet's rift with King Tupou VI. In a short opening speech the PM thanked the House for the long time he had been away. He did not have anything to say about the King's withdrawal of his confidence and consent to the appointment of two Cabinet Ministers.
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Friday 16 February 2024
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Nuku'alofa, Tonga
There were a number of big issues raised by Members during question time in the Tonga Legislative Assembly yesterday, 15 February. But the most sensitive questions were those asked about the Prime Minister, who has been absent from the House for over three months. MPs wanted to know more about the disagreement between King Tupou VI and his Prime Minister that has dragged on for two weeks.
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Friday 16 February 2024
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Nuku'alofa, Tonga
The Prime Minister, Hon. Hu’akavameiliku, arrived in Tonga this afternoon, 16 February, from New Zealand, after being away for almost three weeks. He has not resigned his defence portfolio after the King withdrew his confidence and consent to his appointment two weeks ago. The Prime Minister has been absent from the Legislative Assembly for over three months.
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Tuesday 13 February 2024
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Nuku'alofa, Tonga
The Legislative Assembly of Tonga held its first sitting for 2024, on Monday 12 February, with the Acting Speaker, Lord Tu'iha'angana swearing in Tonga’s new Minister of Health, Hon. Dr Siale 'Akau'ola.
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Tuesday 13 February 2024
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Nuku'alofa, Tonga
Members of the Legislative Assembly of Tonga observed one minute of silence in remembrance of the former Member of Parliament, Lord Fusitu’a (51) who died in Auckland at the weekend, after a long illness.
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Friday 9 February 2024
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Nuku'alofa, Tonga
After a three-months-long break, the Legislative Assembly of Tonga will convene from Monday 12 February 2024 at 2:00pm, to continue its proceedings of the 2023 parliamentary session. The Assembly has approved extended leave for two members: the Prime Minister and the Minister of Finance, who have been absent from the House for longer than three months.
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Wednesday 7 February 2024
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Nuku'alofa, Tonga
Following Prime Minister Hu’akavameiliku’s decision to retain his Foreign Minister this week, after King Tupou VI in Privy Council withdrew his consent to her appointment, some unanswered questions have been raised about how much power the Monarchy actually possesses over the Kingdom’s foreign policy decisions.
Tuesday 6 February 2024
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Nuku'alofa, Tonga
Tonga's Cabinet is refuting an order by King Tupou VI to revoke the appointments of three Ministerial portfolios. Cabinet told the King yesterday that the two Ministers concerned would continue in their roles as Ministers of His Majesty's Armed Forces, Foreign Affairs and Tourism. Tonga's Prime Minister is in New Zealand undergoing medical treatment.
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Monday 5 February 2024
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Nuku'alofa, Tonga
News today, that King Tupou VI has initiated steps to remove the portfolios from two government ministers, has raised more questions than answers. In the firing line are the Minister for His Majesty's Armed Forces, Hon. Hu'akavameiliku and the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Minister of Tourism, Hon. Fekitamoeloa 'Utoikamanu.
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Wednesday 31 January 2024
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Nuku'alofa, Tonga
A by-election to elect a new Parliamentary Representative for Vava’u 14 constituency, will be held on Thursday, 28 March, 2024 to fill a the seat vacated by Hon. Dr Saia Ma’u Piukala, who resigned to take up a new role overseas.
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Friday 12 January 2024
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Nuku'alofa, Tonga
The Supreme Court of Tonga has dismissed an application made by seven Members of Parliament for a judicial review over allegations related to parliamentary procedure during the recent vote of no confidence against the Prime Minister, Hon. Hu’akavameiliku, which was considered by the Legislative Assembly in September. On Monday 8 January 2024, the Court ruled that it has no jurisdiction to hear the judicial review application.
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Wednesday 13 December 2023
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Nuku'alofa, Tonga
The Tonga Supreme Court has refused to grant an injunction that was sought by plaintiffs to stop Parliament from sitting until the final determination of judicial review proceedings. The Acting Chief Clerk of the Legislative Assembly said that the Supreme Court also heard submissions on a separate application by the Speaker and the Legislative Assembly that disputes the jurisdiction of the court to investigate the internal proceedings of the House on the September vote of no confidence motion in the Prime Minister.
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Monday 23 October 2023
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Nuku'alofa, Tonga
A Tongan lawyer and judge, Elisapeti Makoni Langi, who was admitted to the list of counsel of the International Criminal Court (ICC) in August 2023, was yesterday elected by the ICC Bar Association as a member of the ICC Victims Committee.
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Monday 23 October 2023
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Nuku'alofa, Tonga
The Speaker and the Legislative Assembly of Tonga are facing judicial review proceedings brought by seven Members of Parliament, over allegations related to parliamentary procedure during the recent vote of no confidence against the Prime Minister.
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Wednesday 6 September 2023
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Nuku'alofa, Tonga
The Prime Minister Hon. Hu’akavameiliku holds on to his leadership tonight, after a ballot for a Motion for a Vote of No Confidence failed to gain a majority, with members voting 11-For and 14-Against the motion, during the second day of two-days of sometimes heated deliberations, 5-6 September 2023.
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Monday 4 September 2023
Nuku'alofa, Tonga
The Office of the Legislative Assembly of Tonga has advised the Matangi Tonga Online to retract its report of 22 August 2023 titled “Parliament goes dark while Auditor General's Report exposes financial ‘weaknesses’ ”. Their advice was issued in a Press Release published on the Fale Alea website on 30 August. Our article stated that the radio had been silenced during debate on the Auditor General's Report. We have corrected our sentence to read: “The live broadcasts on the radio were disrupted during the week when the Auditor General's Report for 2020/2021 and 2021/ 2022 was returned to the House for debate.”
Thursday 31 August 2023
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Nuku'alofa, Tonga
Tonga's Lord Chief Justice, Michael H. Whitten KC, had his last sitting in the Nuku'alofa Supreme Court today and was farewelled in a ceremony held at the court.
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Thursday 24 August 2023
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Nuku'alofa, Tonga
A motion for a vote of no confidence against the Prime Minister Hon. Hu’akavameiliku has been filed by 10 members of Tonga' Legislative Assembly, according to an MP who wishes not to be named.
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Tuesday 22 August 2023
Nuku'alofa, Tonga
The announcement by the Speaker of the Tongan Parliament, Lord Fakafanua in Parliament on 16 August that the House is no longer funding the daily radio broadcast of the Proceedings of the House, surprised members of Parliament. It was also a shocking announcement for members of the public who were keenly listening to the debate on the Auditor General's Report for 2021-2022. The Auditor's Report exposes a litany of weaknesses in many Ministries and reveals the wide extent of inadequate reporting of government expenditures. It raises concerns about government's recent capital expenditures, inadequate assets registers and discrepancies between the Sun System and Ministries financial reports. From the House by Pesi Fonua.
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