NEWSPAGE 28 September
2011

(Photos: Evotia Tamua)

(Photos: Samoa Rugby Union)

SAMOA: Samoa face tough battle
Source: Sportal
 
Samoa are under no illusions about their task against defending World Cup champions South Africa on Friday - a game which will decide if Samoa remains in the tournament.

Nothing less than a win will do for the Pacific Island nation, who need to beat the Springboks or at least claim a bonus point and then hope that Fiji beat Wales without the Welsh securing a bonus point.

It is a long shot in both ways but captain Mahonri Schwalger said it was all in Samoa's hands.

"I think it is all about attitude. In this World Cup, there are a lot of tight tests in these games. The team that turns up with the right attitude will probably come up on top," he said.

Schwalger said he was not so much worried about South Africa but more concerned with how his own side would perform.

"We know it is a hard game. We have to make sure these guys are cranked up for Friday," he said.

"You can't go in half-hearted. You can't have the attitude that you are going to come second. I have said before it is all about attitude and it is something we need to work on."

Motivation should not be an issue for Samoa, he added, with the challenge of playing one of the best teams in the world motivation enough.

"You have to make sure you are on the top of your game if you want to compete against these guys. South Africa is the world champ and that is in the back of my mind already, that it won't be an easy game," Schwalger said.

"These are the games you want to play rugby for. You do not take these opportunities lightly."

Lack of familiarity with South African rugby might have been an issue in the past, but it did not apply this time around.

"Some of our players play these guys three, four times a year. So you get some knowledge to share around," he said.

Photo Captions: Manu Samoa team members hitting the gym in preparation for the upcoming match against the Springboks.

(Photo: Stuart Mcevoy / Australian Associated Press)

AUSTRALIA: Pacific workers to pay less tax

Workers coming to Australia under the Pacific Seasonal Worker Scheme will pay less tax under new draft laws.

The marginal tax rate applying to non-resident workers would be reduced from 29 per cent to 15 per cent, starting with the 2011/12 year.

The provision would apply only to Pacific seasonal workers, not other non-resident workers.

The scheme was an important element of the government's Pacific engagement strategy, Assistant Treasurer Bill Shorten told parliament today as he introduced legislation.

The new measure would help support the strategy by improving remittance outcomes for workers.

It also would address equity concerns raised by relatively high effective tax rates currently applying to workers in the scheme.

The legislation also makes a number of other changes to tax laws.

One section removes tax barriers impeding families from making financial contributions to a special disability trust, making them more attractive for those looking to provide for long-term care of a family member with a severe disability.

Another changes film tax offsets and is expected to lift spending on film tax offsets by $8 million during the next four years.

"These amendments to the film tax offsets are aimed at reforming and strengthening the Australian screen production industry at a time when it is striving to meet the challenges of a changing global environment," Mr Shorten said.

Debate on the Tax Laws Amendment (2011 Measures No 7) Bill 2011 was adjourned.

Photo Caption: Seasonal workers from the Pacific region will only pay 15 per cent tax, rather than 29 per cent.

(Photo: Frank Violi / News Limited)

NAURU: Nauru signs up to United Nations Refugee Convention
Source: Radio New Zealand International

Nauru has this week completed the process of signing up to the 1951 United Nations Refugee Convention.

It initially committed to the change three months ago after a visit to the island by the Australia opposition leader, Tony Abbott.

He was advocating the re-opening of the camp on the island to process Australian asylum seekers, a move to which the Australian government was opposed.

It had cited non-membership of the refugee convention as a factor.

In a statement, the Nauru government says the ratification is in line with its plans to sign up to various UN conventions on human rights issues.

It’s also committed this year to the Convention on the Elimination of all Forms of Discrimination against Women or CEDAW.
 

Photo Caption: Asylum seekers on the island of Nauru during the Howard government's Pacific solution.

(Photo: Taimi Media Network)

TONGA: Trial week of Tonga’s new community radio 98FM a success
Source: Taimi Media Network
 

Through the week of September 19-23, 2011, Le’o ‘Oe Kakai, 98FM, Tonga’s new Women led Community Radio program ran its first ever broadcasting programs.

This event was a long time in the making as two NGO’s, Talitha Project and Ma’a Fefine mo Famili, came together in support of the project building a partnership with Femlink-Pacific to get the suitcase radio to Tonga.

Talitha Project’s Bale Huni has been spearheading the project, her hard work allowed not only for the importation of radio, but for the trial week broadcasts to be planned, recorded, and run.

“It was a lot of hard work and planning to make this happen, but Talitha Project is very proud to have had such a large role in launching this radio station. It will be a great benefit to the community.” Huni said.

The broadcasts are run by a team of 8 young women, known as Generation Next, from around Tongatapu. Malia Selui, ‘Ilispesi Fangupo, Mele Tutu’u, Kisaea Moeaki, ‘Emelita Fifita, ‘Atela Semi, ‘Anasiu Falekaono, Mikaela Vaka make up the team and are very proud of the opportunity to work on the community radio project.

“At the radio, I have the opportunity to learn so much about the media and how to run a radio station. This can help my future a lot,” said Malia Selui.

All those who have been involved with the creation of Le’o ‘Oe Kakai are happy with the potential of the community led radio station and the success of its trial week.

“The past few weeks have been so busy preparing to launch this radio, we are grateful for the support the community has already shown us. This is a great opportunity for everyone involved, especially the young women of Generation Next and our NGO, Talitha Project. Not only are we giving these young women income generating skills, we are creating a forum for them to speak about the important issues they and their communities face daily,” Bale Huni said.

Le’o ‘Oe Kakai, 98 FM, will run Monday through Friday, from 10am-3pm.
 

Photo Caption: The 98 Fm crew.

WORLDWIDE: Palau takes lead in empowering women
Source: Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat Press Release

As the Palau President signed CEDAW in New York this week, Palauan women demonstrated their political skills back home.

CEDAW is the Convention on the Elimination of all forms of Discrimination Against Women, which was signed by the President of Palau, H.E. Mr Johnson Toribiong, at the UN General Assembly in New York this week.

In Palau in the meantime, a group of 14 women are making history as they demonstrate their own political empowerment at the first ever Mock Olbiil Era Kelulau (Congress) for Palauan women.

Hon. Laura Miles, a mock delegate who was formerly the Governor of Sonsorol State, reflected on the positive experience she has had through her participation in the Mock Olbiil Era Kelulau (OEK).

“I came this morning feeling really excited,” she said. “Being a Governor before, I learned a lot about legislative processes, but this training has still enhanced my knowledge. When people asked me to run for the House of Delegates before, I felt ignorant - but after doing this, I know I can do it. I hope that this opportunity is offered to other women, because it has real benefit.”

The women trained for three days to prepare for their Mock Olbiil Era Kelulau (OEK) debut. The session began with the women mock delegates debating resolutions they had drafted themselves during the week.

Participants developed 13 resolutions for discussion, ranging in topics from Outer Islands Transport Policy, the importance of accelerating the search for funds for the Micronesia Challenge Endowment Fund for sustainable conversation of the environment, and a call for the Government to develop a Palauan Studies Curriculum.

“My resolution was focused on trying to get the Government to recognise and support our new Palau National Youth Council (PNYC), because implementation plans are not yet in place to support them,” said Hon. Emilia Katosang, one of the mock delegates.

“We also don’t have a current National Youth Policy - because it ran out in 2010 - and the one we had wasn’t developed with much youth participation. So I wanted to use this opportunity to speak for youth in Palau.

“This year was the Year of Youth, so I thought this Mock OEK was a timely way of drawing attention to the important issues such as young unemployment and to get the Government to support more work in this area.”

Mock delegate Remeliik sponsored a resolution which proposed strengthening the current Office of the Ombudsman to focus on corruption and human rights issues, as well as public administration.

“I wanted to use this opportunity to applaud our President for signing CEDAW and thought we could give him some ideas on how to actually implement the conventions back home,” said Remeliik. “That’s why we suggested that our current Ombudsman could be used to also deal with human rights issues.”

The mock delegates also debated two controversial clauses in the real 2012 Palau Budget Bill - section 25, which proposes the introduction of a minimum wage and section 26, which proposes debt forgiveness for the Government’s current bill with the Palau Utilities Corporation.

“The mock session has been extremely beneficial for our women,” said Minister for Community and Cultural Affairs, Hon. Faustina Rehuher-Marugg, who supported the initiative from its inception.

“It not only built their capacity to understand key policy issues and Congress processes, it also took them into a space that has been dominated by men throughout our history.

“I would like to see similar activities organized in the future and my Ministry will continue to support and lead on this. My Ministry will use this opportunity to build awareness on the importance of women participating in political decision-making and to demonstrate that we want to work alongside men for the development of our nation. I urge all our Mock Delegates to do the same as they go back to their communities.”

Floor Leader Gibson Kanai, a real member of the House of Delegates, observed the Mock OEK and remarked, “Today, these women have proven to the skeptics, men and women alike, what women can do to balance and improve the way we govern and develop as a society. Their participation in this Mock OEK will help to influence and improve our perceptions of women as leaders and our acceptance of women as legislators. Palau needs a women’s touch in its political life, just as we need it in all aspects of our social, family and economic life as a society.”

The idea of a mock Parliament for Women draws on the positive experiences reported from recent youth parliament forums, including the youth parliament sessions held in Kiribati, Niue, RMI and Tonga.

The idea was first raised in 2010, at a Forum Smaller Island States (SIS) Meeting on “Advancing Women’s Participation in Decision Making Processes” where delegations endorsed the convening of a Mock Parliament for Women in their respective countries.

The first mock parliament for women in the Pacific was held in Kiribati from 8-9 August 2011, and a second mock parliament was held in Marshall Islands on 2 September 2011.

The Mock OEK was supported by the Palau Gender Division in the Ministry of Community & Cultural Affairs and the House of Delegates of the OEK, in collaboration with the Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP).