A business lifeline for Pacific Communities is being ripped apart and sold off without proper consultation, says Labour’s Pacific Affairs spokesperson Su’a William Sio.

“The Pacific Business Trust is government appointed and was recently placed into liquidation.

“It is now selling off its assets, including land, buildings and artwork.

Pacific Peoples Minister Peseta Sam Lotu-Iiga must explain why the business advisory group Pacific Business Trust is being restructured and is considering selling-off its assets, Labour’s Pacific Affairs spokesperson Su’a William Sio says.

“The Trust’s chairman has warned it is ‘looking at redeploying assets’.

A Labour Caucus taskforce will next week visit the climate change frontline states of Tuvalu and Kiribati, says Labour’s Pacific Climate Change spokesperson Su’a William Sio.

 “We will meet with the Tuvalu and Kiribati governments and communities. There is a lot of support for our fact finding mission.

The New Zealand Government must push for more Pacific nations other than just the Cook Islands to be given support from the UN’s Green Climate Fund, Labour’s spokesperson on Pacific Climate Change Su’a William Sio says.

 “Our Government must lead the charge to ensure all Pacific Island nations can easily access readiness support so they can use the Fund to strengthen their climate change capacity.

Labour’s Pacific Island Affairs spokesperson Su’a William Sio and Chair of New Zealand’s Parliamentarians for Global Action says his priority will be getting the Pacific to sign up to the Arms Trade Treaty after being appointed by the PGA as a Programme Co-Convenor for Peace and Democracy. 

“I’m honoured with my new appointment and I will be looking for opportunities to work closely with MPs for the Pacific Island nations and their parliaments to promote practical ways to promote peace, democracy and the rule of law in our region.

Water supplies are deteriorating in Kiribati as Labour’s  Pasifika climate change task force prepares to head there and Tuvalu, says Labour’s Pacific Climate Change Spokesperson Su’a William Sio. 

“There is a growing crisis on the atolls due to water supplies on Kiribati become increasingly contaminated by sea water as a result of sea level rise.

Labour is sending a special climate change task force to Tuvalu and Kiribati next month, says Labour’s Pacific Climate Change Spokesperson Su’a William Sio. 

“Members of our Pacific Caucus want to see at first-hand what is happening in countries regarded as the most vulnerable in the world to sea level rise, and what can be done to mitigate this.

With  the growing Pacific population and the rise of technology, the Government must support bilingualism in New Zealand, says Labour’s Associate Education Spokesperson Jenny Salesa.

“This is crucial after a plea from parents of Auckland’s A’oga Fa’a Samoa early childhood centre for more online Samoan language resources and tools.

The Government needs to tell us the truth regarding the funding of the Pasifika Education Centre, says Pacific Affairs spokesperson Su’a William Sio. 

“Is it going to reinstate the $700,000 it cut earlier this year or not? I know it would be embarrassing for Tertiary Minister Steven Joyce and Pacific Islands Affairs Minister Peseta Sam Lotu Iiga  to admit to a u-turn because of pressure by Labour and the Pacific community to continue funding, but it is the right thing to do. 

Limiting global temperatures to 1.5 degrees is a welcome step towards ensuring the survival of the Pasifika’s most vulnerable nations, says Labour’s Pacific Climate Change Issues spokesperson Su’a William Sio.

“Congratulations to the Pasifika leaders who lobbied hard and achieved ambitious goals. It’s great to hear the United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon say that the most vulnerable nations have been heard.

“Our Pasifika neighbours face a much healthier future now that the world is prepared to make positive changes and I look forward to leading Labour’s Pasifika caucus in championing positive climate changes.