Pacific Beat

Episodes

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  Vanuatu President refuses to back down over child sex abuse pardons 14.08.2026 45m

  Vanuatu's president is refusing to bow to public pressure and revoke the pardons he granted to two men convicted of sexually abusing children.
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  PNG highlands drought deepens as crops fail and schools close early 13.08.2026 45m

  A prolonged drought in Papua New Guinea's Highlands is destroying crops, drying up wells and forcing some schools to close early.
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  Vanuatu activists call out presidential pardons of child sex offenders 12.08.2026 45m

  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.
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  Scientists warn the Pacific is not ready to battle bird flu 11.08.2026 48m

  Bird flu is at the Pacific's doorstep and scientists warn the region isn't ready.
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  PIF leaders fail to agree on Chinese missile reaction 10.08.2026 45m

  Pacific Islands Forum foreign ministers have failed to agree on a joint statement criticising China's controversial ballistic missile test last month. 
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  Pacific Islands Forum Foreign Ministers Meeting opens today 07.08.2026 45m

  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.
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  PNG parliament set to vote on endorsing Bougainville independence next month 06.08.2026 45m

  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.
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  Stranded New Zealand climbers rescued from Solomons Islands Mountain 05.08.2026 45m

  New Zealand climbers were airlifted out of a steep ravine on Mount Popomanaseu after being stranded for six days.
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  Foreigners coerced into Timor-Leste scam centres with false job offers 04.08.2026 47m

  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.
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  Fiji's top prosecutor defends immunity deals in cocaine case 03.08.2026 49m

  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.
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  Board under pressure to step aside and allow a new body to take over rugby in Samoa 31.07.2026 49m

  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.
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  Vanuatu marks 46 years of independence 30.07.2026 49m

  Vanuatu is marking 46 years of independence today with mass celebrations and a speech by the country's Prime Minister.
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  One body recovered from Gold Ridge mine landslide 29.07.2026 50m

  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.
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  No reports of fatalities in Solomon Islands landslide 28.07.2026 44m

  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.
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  Failed prosecutions raise questions about FICAC 27.07.2026 45m

  Fiji's corruption watchdog, FICAC has dropped charges against prominent political commentator Charlie Charters, who says a flawed process is resulting in failed prosecutions.
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  Vanuatu chiefs apologise after backlash over female leader appointment 24.07.2026 45m

  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.
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  Two bodies recovered as search continues for missing boat passengers off East New Britain 23.07.2026 49m

  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.  
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  Twenty-seven remain missing at sea 22.07.2026 45m

  Twenty people, mostly children, remain missing at sea, four days after two boats sank in rough seas off East New Britain.
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  Taiwan office closure "a monetary transaction" says East Sepik Governor 20.07.2026 48m

  PNG's opposition leader says the government's decision to close Taiwan's trade office was likely not a geopolitical decision but a financial one. Also, There are signs the Catholic Church is being increasingly targeted by separatist groups in Indonesia's Papua region.
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  350 arrests in Timor-Leste scam center crackdown 17.07.2026 47m

  A major crackdown on international scam centers in Timor-Leste has resulted in 350 arrests. Police raided multiple heavily secured call centre compounds over the past week in a major crackdown against what experts say is a growing trade in the developing nation.