Results for Parliament

The Tongan Parliament resumed its 2020 -2021 session yesterday, Monday 7 September, after deferring parliament several times since it passed the Annual Budget on 18 June. From the House by Pesi Fonua

When the 17 People's Representatives and nine Nobles' Representatives embark on their parliamentary Constituency Tours next week, they will have a lot of money to spend. Each People's Representative gets $250,000 to spend on their constituents, and each Nobles' Representative will have $50,000 to share with the people in their estates. From the House by Pesi Fonua.

Two urgent bills to amend the Traffic Act and the Roads Act, as well as a Petition alleging unfairness in awarding government roads deals, stirred a few aggressive exchanges in the Tongan parliament on Monday and Tuesday this week. There was an objection that the urgent bills had not gone to the Standing Committee on Legislation before they were tabled.

The Tonga government’s plan to open its border for incoming passengers between New Zealand and Tonga this week is deferred, Prime Minister Hon. Rev. Pohiva Tu‘i‘onetoa told Members of Parliament yesterday, 29 June.

Six bills presented to the House by the former government in 2019 were withdrawn this week by the Prime Minister, further distancing himself from the work programme of the previous government. From the House by Pesi Fonua.

In Parliament, the Committee of the Whole House on Thursday, 11 June passed the $166 million budget allocation of the Ministry of Finance for the 2020-21 Financial Year. From the House by Pesi Fonua.

After the Tongan Parliament was, for seven days up to Thursday June 4, locked in a tense debate over the preliminary Budget Statement, the House introduced the National Budget and passed the first three vote allocations without any debate at all. The House approved $13.77 million for the running of the Legislative Assembly but the Speaker complained that they had not approved his request for funds to fix the leaking roof. From the House, by Pesi Fonua.

The name of Tonga's new domestic airline will be “Lulutai”, the Prime Minister Hon. Pohiva Tu'i'onetoa, told parliament today. From the House by Pesi Fonua.

The Tonga Parliament yesterday, 20 May replaced its current Chairman of the Whole House Committee, Hon. Veivosa Light of Day Taka with Hon. Lord Tu'i'afitu. The decision stirred up a few loud exchanges and took up most of Wednesday's session. From the House by Pesi Fonua.