Cook Islands

The New Zealand government has pledged to reduce greenhouse gas emissions to 30 percent below the level of 2005 by 2030.

The Australian government has a similar target, with plans to cut carbon emissions by at least 26 percent of 2005 levels by 2030.

When asked about New Zealand and Australia's emissions targets, Henry Puna said it's up to New Zealand and Australia to decide what is good for them.

He says the important thing is that they come together regularly to talk about those difficult issues.

Mr Puna is in New Zealand as an official guest of the Government to celebrate the 50th anniversary of self government in free association with New Zealand

He says because Cook Islanders, as New Zealand citizens, are free to travel to New Zealand and Australia, they can't be stopped from travelling.

The New Zealand government has pledged to reduce greenhouse gas emissions to 30 percent below the level of 2005 by 2030.

The Australian government has a similar target, with plans to cut carbon emissions by at least 26 percent of 2005 levels by 2030.

When asked about New Zealand and Australia's emissions targets, Henry Puna said it's up to New Zealand and Australia to decide what is good for them.

He says the important thing is that they come together regularly to talk about those difficult issues.

Team Cook Islands, to be headed by Cook Islands Sports and National Olympic Committee (CISNOC) sports manager Siniva Marsters, will be taking part in aquatics (swimming), athletics, lawn bowls and rugby sevens.

Marsters has become the second female after Rosie Blake to lead Team Cook Islands to an international event.

The athletes, aged 14 to 18 years, will be gunning for their personal bests in the week-long games in Apia.

The support comes following an article in CI News on Monday in which Prime Minister Henry Puna said he would not be following the United Nations’ ‘free and equal’ campaign.

Prime Minister Henry Puna first expressed opposition to the legalisation of same-sex marriage on April 28, 2013.

Following the legalisation of same-sex marriage in New Zealand, PM Puna said his government would not be following New Zealand's move.

Punanga Tauturu works with victims of domestic abuse and says it has come across cases of foreign workers who have been forced to surrender their passports or work 14 hour days.

Its spokesperson, Nga Teinangaro, says it refers cases to the labour and employment relations office but sharing information across organisations would help pinpoint and monitor employers that take advantage of their workers.

His comments come in response to the United Nations new campaign calling for action on homophobia and transphobia in the Pacific Islands.

Puna says the Cook Islands shouldn’t just follow what the UN or the international community is doing.

“We have our own community here, and we need to be guided by our own people as to what we want to do in response to those pressures.”

The UN is hoping governments in the Pacific will adopt active measures to make sure people’s perception of LGBTIs change, for example by working closely with schools and health care facilities.

Papua New Guinea is closest to having deep water mining begin in the Bismarck Sea, while the Cook Islands last week opened up bidding for exploratory licences.

But a principal scientist at New Zealand's National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research, Malcolm Clark, says scientists working with the Secretariat of the Pacific Community are pushing for more collaboration among Pacific Island countries.

Over the next three months, the Cook Islands will be receiving tenders from interested parties seeking to undertake exploratory surveying in the Exclusive Economic Zone.

Finance Minister Mark Brown said estimates placed the value of the seabed minerals in the range of billions of dollars.

Professor Jonathan Gardener from Victoria University Wellington said the big concern with this sort of mining is that no-one knows much about the biological community, or perhaps communities, living in this environment.

Prime Minister Puna arrives tonight ahead of a series of community and official engagements, including a meeting with Key.

“It was my pleasure to attend the celebrations marking 50 years of Cook Islands self-government in free association with New Zealand in Rarotonga last week,” Key said.

“The anniversary is a significant occasion for both our countries and I am pleased to confirm that New Zealand will return that hospitality, and mark the anniversary with a celebration of our own.