Pacific

Keoni Mahelona of the Maori not-for-profit organisation, Te Hiku Media, said indigenous people had valuable knowledge, and their sovereignty and ownership needed certain protections.

Mr Mahelona, who is of Hawaiian descent, was speaking at the Kiwa Nuanuatech summit held in Auckland on Tuesday.

His current focus is on the revitalisation of the Maori language using digital technology.

"When we need tools to help us to do our mahi (work), often those tools are designed and sold by non-indigenous groups," Mr Mahelona said.

The Australian newspaper quoted Mr Shorten saying the Turnbull government's approach towards Australia's friends in the Pacific had been found wanting.

He said it was neglecting the South Pacific as Chinese influence in the region grows.

China has reacted angrily to claims it is burdening small island states with infrastructure debt, buying influence in the South -Pacific with "gifts" for projects and proposing ports that could be used by the Chinese navy.

The New Zealand Herald reports the Foreign Minister Winston Peters welcomed the pledge on closer co-operation in the Pacific made by his British counterpart Boris Johnson following talks between the pair in London.

The two foreign ministers discussed a range of issues including future negotiations on a bilateral Free Trade Agreement post-Brexit in March 2019, and Peters reiterated New Zealand's support for the UK following the attack in Salisbury.

The Sydney Morning Herald reported that 80 percent of Australians do not support any further spending on foreign aid.

Ms Fierravanti-Wells revealed the results of the government's polling as she called for Britain to partner on infrastructure development in the Pacific.

Speaking to aid agencies on the sidelines of the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting in London, she said the Australian aid budget will be kept at US$3 billion dollars and would not increase until the economy was back on a sustainable footing.

Weightlifting led the way with 11 medals while boxing, lawn bowls, athletics, rugby sevens and beach volleyball combined for another seven.

The Pacific won 18 medals on the Gold Coast, their best return since winning 21 at the 2002 Games in Manchester.

Samoa was the region's top performer with two gold and three silver medals, their highest ever Commonwealth Games tally.

Papua New Guinea won three medals in weightlifting, including Steven Kari repeating his gold medal effort from 2014.

The Foreign Affairs Minister Julie Bishop is using a trip to Papua New Guinea and Tonga to tell Pacific nations that they are Australia's biggest beneficiaries.

Speaking in the PNG province of New Ireland, Ms Bishop said Australia is funding programmes which promote good governance and would strengthen relationships.

"We believe that we are the natural partner of choice along with New Zealand for the islands of the Pacific where we work across a whole range of areas," she said.

Jacinda Ardern last week led the Pacific Mission to Samoa, Niue, Tonga and the Cook Islands on her first official visit as Prime Minister.

Aupito William Sio, who travelled with the PM, says there is a definite shift in New Zealand's focus in the Pacific.

"New Zealand is firmly anchored in the Pacific and it was important to transform the relationship from a donor-aid recipient to a one of partnership," he says.

"I think the Pacific governments, the people of the Pacific countries that we visited, certainly felt something different."

Papua New Guinea for the first time does not have any female representative in the 10^th parliament.

A disappointed Dame Meg said only Tuvalu, Samoa and now New Zealand have women in parliament.

Samoa has had women’s seats reserved that helps in women participating in politics and decision making.

Recently the World Economic Forum predicted that it will take at least six generations to fully address gender equality.

On Monday, Ardern pledged the government would dedicate almost $10 million in aid and support for Samoa.

She told Morning Report that regardless of what other countries were doing, New Zealand should exercise its duties and responsibilities as partners and friends in the Pacific.

He said disasters like the MV Butiraoi sinking are waiting to happen, have happened before and are likely happen again.

At least 80 people are missing presumed dead after the ferry sank last month en route from the island of Nonouti to Tarawa.

Dr Nuttall said systemic issues have to be addressed including the lack of investment and more renewable energy funding earmarked for maritime transport.

He pointed out that maritime transport is a public good in the far flung islands of the Pacific.