Australia

Fijivillage reported that the Commission says it is a major concern because more than 50 cases of misleading and deceptive trade practices by various travel agents have been recorded in the past year.

The Australian High Commission said it was aware of a scam circulating on social media but said Canberra has made no changes to the entry requirements for Fiji citizens.

It said any suspected fraud should be reported to the police, the Commerce Commission or the Australian High Commission in Suva.

The logo quickly made headlines - it was dubbed "the wildest tourism slogan ever" by one news outlet - with critics variously hailing it as hilarious or distasteful.

It bellows "See You in the Northern Territories", but uses acronyms throughout.

"Well this is a bold strategy for a travel campaign," one person tweeted.

But despite appearances, it is not an official campaign - as the actual NT tourism authority soon made clear.

The government said a non-binding ballot, or plebiscite, was the quickest way to amend the Marriage Act..

Same-sex couples can have civil unions or registered relationships in most Australian states but they are not considered married under national law

Opinion polls indicate that most Australians support same-sex marriage.

However opposition parties and many supporters of same-sex marriage argued a plebiscite would be expensive and could unleash a divisive campaign.

Instead, they say parliament should make the decision itself.

Abbott who first walked the Kokoda track in 1980 then came back to repeat that in 1988 and lately visited the country as the Prime Minister of Australia for three times within two years made these remarks.

He said the country has transformed dramatically and the capital city, Port Moresby is no longer a sleepy outpost.

He added that the country is the metropolis of the Melanesian world and it will be the worthy host of the 2018 APEC Summit.

The human rights group is one of many which has publicised abuses happening at the Australian run detention camps on Nauru and at Manus Island in Papua New Guinea.

Amnesty said recent research it has conducted shows the vast majority of New Zealanders want Prime Minister John Key and his government to challenge Australia over the abuses.

Its executive director, Grant Bayldon, said the silence has been deafening, given New Zealand's willingness to point to human rights abuses in other countries.

UNHCR's regional representative Thomas Albrecht said Australia should offer protection and respect to people arriving by boat.

He said the basic human right of every person to seek asylum from persecution is not diminished by their mode of arrival.

Mr Albrecht said those forced to flee persecution need and deserve conducive conditions of protection, and a sustainable long-term solution.

Meanwhile, the Australia-based Human Rights Law Centre says Canberra's proposed ban could affect 320 refugees already living there.

In a damning report Tuesday, United Nations special rapporteur Michel Forst said several human rights defenders had refused to meet him because of the fear of persecution.

"Many activists spoke of an atmosphere of fear, censorship and retaliation," Forst said.

Forst has just finished a two-week tour of Australia on behalf of the UN's Human Rights Council to assess how well human rights defenders were being treated in the country.

Australia transports asylum seekers who arrive by boat to off-shore processing centres in Nauru and Papua New Guinea.

An Amnesty International report said this was a "deliberate policy to inflict harm on refugees" and imposes conditions that "amount to torture".

Nauru has previously denied claims of abuse at the refugee centre.

Australia has been repeatedly criticised for its tough policy on refugees and asylum seekers.

Australia left new Kiwis coach David Kidwell with plenty of work to do ahead of the Four Nations in a fortnight's time, with Inglis securing his 30th try for Australia in front of a 20,000-strong crowd.