NEWSPAGE 06 January
2010

NEW ZEALAND: Katikati electrician volunteers skills to help in Samoa

(Photo: International Rugby Board)

SAMOA: Samoa relinquish Punta Sevens crown
Source: International Rugby Board

Samoa's hopes of making a winning start to 2010 with a third successive title at the Punta del Este Sevens in Uruguay ended at the final hurdle as the islanders lost 17-12 to Argentine club side Buenos Aires.

Mikaele Pesamino crossed for Samoa's only try in the first half to Buenos Aires' three, and although Paletuatoa Teolupe added a second after the break the tournament favourites were unable to find another to complete their title hat-trick.

Samoa were using the Punta del Este Sevens to kick-start their preparations for the next two legs of the IRB Sevens World Series in Wellington (5-6 February) and Las Vegas (13-14 February).

There was better news for another Pacific island nation with Tonga winning the Plate competition for a second year in a row after Vaea Poteki and Viliame Iongi scored braces in the first half to seal a 24-7 victory over Italy.

Tonga were not the only other side in the field building towards the NZI Sevens in Wellington with Canada reaching the Plate semi finals before losing 28-0 to Italy and a young Argentina VII also in action.

The only other international side involved in the 21-competition were hosts Uruguay, who fell to Tonga in the Plate semi finals with Iongi crossing for another first half double in a 19-10 victory.

Photo Caption: Mikaele Pesamino was one of Samoa's try scorers in the Punta del Este Sevens final.
 

AUSTRALIA: Courts crack down on asylum appeals
Source: The Australian

Australia's top courts have repelled a "hijack" by asylum-seekers lodging immigration-related litigation, stabilising the number of refugee appeals that had threatened to swamp them.

But Federal Court and High Court judges could be in for another testing time as figures from the Immigration Department and the Refugee Review Tribunal point to a surge in applications by failed asylum-seekers for judicial review, despite efforts to limit this.

Although Kevin Rudd ditched the Pacific Solution of holding asylum-seekers in camps on Nauru and Papua New Guinea's Manus Island, Labour has retained the Howard policy to divert boat-borne arrivals to Christmas Island, which is outside the Australian migration zone. This has the effect of restricting their access to judicial review through the courts.

A greater number of asylum-seekers, however, arrive in Australia on commercial air services. Immigration Department tracking shows that in 2008-09, there were 5305 onshore protection visa lodgements, compared with 3897 for the previous year.

The concern among some justice officials is that this could renew pressure on the courts just as they have got on top of the immigration-related workload.

Towards the end of the Howard government in 2007, 72 per cent of appeals in the Federal Court related to migration. Earlier, the High Court was also hit, with 99 per cent of applications under its entrenched judicial review jurisdiction in 2002-03 involving migration cases, according to author Paul Kelly, The Australian's editor-at-large. "Australia's higher courts had been wilfully hijacked by non-citizens and lawyers seeking means for them to stay in Australia, an event that was never envisaged and a result that was untenable," Kelly warned in a book last year.

The Rudd government has maintained the two-tiered system of processing for asylum-seekers, distinguishing between those intercepted on boats and arrivals by air or other lawful means.

Separately, a new federal magistrates division has taken over much of the work that used to fall on the justices of the Federal Court proper, while the High Court is said by insiders to have clamped down on avenues for appeal in migration-related cases.

The changes have worked their way through the system: in 2007-08, more than 450 applications for special leave to appeal immigration matters were filed with the High Court, but this dropped to about 250 cases last year.

Federal Court director of public information Bruce Phillips said the number of immigration appeals and related actions in that jurisdiction had fallen from 1020 in 2007-08 to 530 in 2008-09.

Another 190 such cases had been filed in the Federal Court between July and December.

"Since changes to the Migration Act in December 2005, almost all first-instance migration matters are determined by the Federal Magistrates Court, with the Federal Court primarily dealing with appeals," Mr Phillips said.

But the Refugee Review Tribunal, which is the first stop for asylum-seekers wishing to appeal against a decision by the Immigration Department, reported an 11 per cent increase in its caseload for 2008-09.
 

(Photo: Jaunted)

HAWAII: Hawaii introduces Volcano Awareness Month
Source: Jaunted

Thanks to a proclamation from the Hawaii County mayor, January is officially Volcano Awareness Month. Throughout the month the US Geological Survey Hawaiian Volcano Observatory and Hawaii Volcanoes National Park—among other local organizations—are teaming up to share their knowledge and understanding about all things lava.

In addition to the usual offerings within the Big Island’s national park, there are going to be loads more programs, talks, and hikes focused on better understanding what the heck is happening both above and below the earth. Volcanologists will be on hand every Tuesday to answer questions about Kilauea and probably anything else you want to throw at them. On Saturdays, groups can meet up with a park ranger to head on a hike into the Kilauea caldera—it’s just shy of three miles round-trip. For those that are a little more into entertainment, January 16 is the day to learn all about a special hula that tells the story of Pele—the goddess of fire, not the famous soccer player.

It’s been 27 years since Kilauea’s east rift zone eruption began, and scientists want everyone to know about the latest developments and what could happen next. There will even be lectures outside of the national park at the University of Hawaii at Hilo. One on January 29 even invites guests to BYON—bring your own nose—as everyone tries their best to identify different volcanic gases. We love some education, but we might choose to pass on the funny gas lecture—mostly because we’re too immature to not make jokes the whole time.

Although volcano month is a Hawaii thing, other volcanoes around the globe are getting a little frisky too. They must have heard of all the excitement in paradise and gotten a little jealous. If Hawaii isn’t in the cards for you this month, check out what’s shaking and quaking elsewhere on earth. Just remember to be careful, because these ones are little less predictable.

· The Galeras volcano in Columbia has recently erupted causing the evacuation of around 8,000 people. Everyone is doing fine right now and things have settled down, but that doesn’t mean the volcano will remain quiet in 2010.

· Things in the Democratic Republic of Congo have been heating up thanks to lava coming from Mount Nyamulagira. As of today lava flows are approaching 3 miles in length and are over 40-feet wide in some spots. People aren’t in danger at this point, but there are a lot of wild critters that might be in its path.

· The Mayon volcano in the Philippines was putting on a show not too long ago, and it forced over 40,000 villagers to seek shelter outside of its potential reach. Things have calmed down, and scientists have reduced its threat level. Residents are headed home, but it’s clear that they’ll have their eyes on the horizon for much of the foreseeable future.
 

(Photo: Burton Mail)

TONGA: King of Tonga set to visit arboretum
Source: Burton Mail

The National Memorial Arboretum is preparing to host its first visit from an overseas head of state.

The King of Tonga, King George Tupou V, will be the first foreign chief to visit the Alrewas centre — which is affiliated to the Royal British Legion — since it opened its doors to the public nine years ago.

During the visit on Monday, January 18, the monarch of the South Pacific island state will be shown around the memorial site, which is dedicated to remembering those who have made the ultimate sacrifice.

His majesty will also be shown the plans for the proposed Armed Forces Pavilion, Heroes’ Square and education centre buildings bosses hope will transform the 150-acre site into a world-class destination for people keen to pay homage to servicemen who have died in military conflicts throughout the world.

A spokesman for the venue said: “We’re extremely excited and pleased because it’s the first visit by a foreign head of state to the National Memorial Arboretum since it opened in 2001, which is very exciting.

“King George has been invited by a member of our appeal council who trained with him at Sandhurst.

“His majesty is here to look at the appeal that we’ve initiated to raise £8million to create a new visitor and remembrance centre on site.

“So it will be very interesting to see his reaction to our plans and hopefully he’ll be able to support us in our aims.”

King George will also visit seven Tongan soldiers who are enlisted with the British Army — one of whom is serving with the Mercian Regiment — and will have lunch at Catton Hall.

The spokesman said: “We are also appealing to any Tongan nationals or members of the Polynesian community to come and attend on the day and have the chance to meet the king.”

Photo Caption: King of Tonga, King George Tupou V.
 

(Photo: University of Wollongong)

WORLDWIDE: New fisheries office opens in Majuro
Source: Radio New Zealand International via Pacific Islands Report

An office has been opened in the Marshall Islands for an organisation to help oversee part of the region’s fisheries.

The Parties to the Nauru Agreement office in Majuro was established on January the 1st and is to have as its Interim Director Transform Aqorau, who has been working for the parent body, the Forum Fisheries Agency.

He says the Office represents a major milestone in regional fisheries co-operative action especially given the importance of the PNA region to the tuna fisheries.

Most of the tuna caught in the region is taken in the waters of the PNA countries, which include the Federated States of Micronesia, Kiribati, the Marshall Islands, Nauru, Palau, Papua New Guinea, Solomon Islands and Tuvalu.

Dr. Aqorau says these countries want to take greater control of the region’s tuna fisheries by ensuring that they are managed effectively, and also by ensuring that their citizens enjoy the economic gains from the resources.

Photo Caption: Interim Director of The Parties to the Nauru Agreement office, Dr. Transform Aqorau.