“This milestone reaffirms what the Pacific has always known: that our voices, cultures and futures matter! That international law can, and must, protect people and the planet.”
Governance
"This compromise will not fully satisfy anyone. But I am firmly convinced that it allows us to take New Caledonia out of the spiral of violence, uncertainties, and destruction."
"It is undemocratic for any government to interfere with the media, let alone punish professionals for giving voice to all sides of the story."
“Our small newsrooms struggle to compete with global platforms that are reshaping the media landscape. We must not allow AI to weaken media freedom, independence, or diversity in our region.“
"We stand by our reporting and the questions it raises around whether Chinese-gifted buildings were built to code, which came from multiple sources."
"The Cook Islands is small, and when you sign deals with economic giants like China, you have to question the long-term consequences."
"The public deserves to know if there are any debt obligations, resource access clauses, or strategic commitments involved."
"There is a moral responsibility by each global leader to think from the global perspective instead of from their own national-interest perspective."
On Wednesday, the lower house of the Australian parliament voted to pass legislation to ban social media for children under 16 years, and the Senate passed the bill on Friday.
"The council sees this legal action as an assault on press freedom and an attempt to undermine the accountability that is vital to democracy."