Pacific Beat
Focusing on the Pacific region, the program brings you interviews with leaders, newsmakers, and people who make the Pacific beat.
Episodes
Global calls to drop defamation case against Samoan journalist
The International Federation of Journalists are calling for defamation charges against a veteran Samoan journalist to be dropped immediately.
Tongan government investigating the capsize of whale watching boat
The Tongan government is investigating what happened after a boat carrying more than a dozen whale watchers capsized in rough seas.
Australian judge denies Fiji High Court bias findings in COI report
The Australian judge who oversaw a controversial commission of inquiry in Fiji says he has no regrets about how he conducted himself despite being heavily criticised by the country's High Court.
Airlines told to bring their own fuel for Fiji flights
Airlines flying out of Fiji have been told to bring in their own fuel for the rest of the month, after a batch of aviation fuel stored at Nadi International Airport failed to meet the standard required for use.
Social media linked to rise in PNG sorcery accusation attacks
Social Media is contributing rise in the number of sorcery accusation related attacks in PNG according to a recent survey.
US moves forward with 67 million acre deep-sea mining lease sales
The US government is moving forward with plans to sell deep-sea mining leases covering about 67 million acres of seabed around the Northern Mariana Islands.
Vanuatu to set up advisory committee on presidential pardons
Vanuatu's Prime Minister says his government will set up an advisory committee for the president on his constitutional power of mercy after inmates convicted of sexually abusing children received presidential pardons.
Tonga PM welcomes youngest female minister in cabinet reshuffle
Tonga's Prime Minister celebrates the injection of fresh blood into his cabinet after Sivoki Lavemaau has been appointed Finance Minister, making her one of the youngest ministers in the Kingdom's history.
Vanuatu President refuses to back down over child sex abuse pardons
Vanuatu's president is refusing to bow to public pressure and revoke the pardons he granted to two men convicted of sexually abusing children.
PNG highlands drought deepens as crops fail and schools close early
A prolonged drought in Papua New Guinea's Highlands is destroying crops, drying up wells and forcing some schools to close early.
Vanuatu activists call out presidential pardons of child sex offenders
Women's groups in Vanuatu are calling on the government to reform the presidential pardoning process after men convicted of sexually abusing children received pardons.
Scientists warn the Pacific is not ready to battle bird flu
Bird flu is at the Pacific's doorstep and scientists warn the region isn't ready.
PIF leaders fail to agree on Chinese missile reaction
Pacific Islands Forum foreign ministers have failed to agree on a joint statement criticising China's controversial ballistic missile test last month.
Pacific Islands Forum Foreign Ministers Meeting opens today
The Pacific Islands Forum Foreign Ministers Meeting commences today in Fiji. Australia's Foreign Minister Penny Wong is in attendance where she announced close to AUD 15 million in funding to support Fiji's efforts in addressing its HIV Crisis.
PNG parliament set to vote on endorsing Bougainville independence next month
President Ishamel Toroama has again lashed out at the PNG government for dragging its feet over Bougainville's pathway to independence, but agreement has finally been reached on tabling the results of the 2019 independence referendum in Papua New Guinea's parliament next month.
Stranded New Zealand climbers rescued from Solomons Islands Mountain
New Zealand climbers were airlifted out of a steep ravine on Mount Popomanaseu after being stranded for six days.
Foreigners coerced into Timor-Leste scam centres with false job offers
Foreigners arrested in Timor-Leste during recent raids on alleged scam centres say they too were scammed into coming to the country with false job offers.
Fiji's top prosecutor defends immunity deals in cocaine case
A trial for sixteen people charged with trafficking two-point six tonnes cocaine allegedly bound for Australia, could begin as early as February. Among them are four Ecuadorian men who allegedly sailed the cocaine across the Pacific to Fiji in a narco-submarine.
Board under pressure to step aside and allow a new body to take over rugby in Samoa
World Rugby is understood to have given the Government of Samoa an ultimatum: accept a review of its decision to cut funding for Lakapi Samoa, or risk a ban from international competition.
Vanuatu marks 46 years of independence
Vanuatu is marking 46 years of independence today with mass celebrations and a speech by the country's Prime Minister.
One body recovered from Gold Ridge mine landslide
It's been three days since a landslide occurred at Gold Ridge Mine, 26 kilometres from the Solomon Islands capital, Honiara. One body was recovered yesterday from the landslide, but Acting Police Commissioner James Aitorea says it's too early to know, if more bodies are buried under the rubble.
No reports of fatalities in Solomon Islands landslide
In the Solomon Islands, there are fears people could be missing after a massive landslide at the country's only large-scale gold mine in Guadalcanal Province.
Failed prosecutions raise questions about FICAC
Fiji's corruption watchdog, FICAC has dropped charges against prominent political commentator Charlie Charters, who says a flawed process is resulting in failed prosecutions.
Vanuatu chiefs apologise after backlash over female leader appointment
Vanuatu's House of Chiefs has apologised after a public backlash over its call to revoke the appointment of Dr Anna Naupa as the new Director General of the Melanesian Spearhead Group.
Two bodies recovered as search continues for missing boat passengers off East New Britain
The bodies of two women have been recovered from the sinking of a boat off of East New Britain over the weekend. Twenty-five others remain missing at sea.
Recommended
Triple M Rocks Footy NRL
Triple M Rocks Footy AFL
In Her Steps Podcast
Melanoma Insights for Professionals
Overnights
Know Idea
Play School: Ears On
The Steve Pocock Podcast
The Reserves
FX Medicine Podcast Central
Bill & Doreen Get Hitched (Selections from "The Songs of a Sentimental Bloke")
The Geopolitics & Power Podcast
