Australian Government

The unveiling of these new equipment coincided with the celebration of World Hearing Day, last week.

The donation was made possible through the Samoa Hearing Programme, a partnership between the Ministry of Health, SENESE, and the Australian Government through the Royal Australasian College of Surgeons (RACS).

The Minister of Health, Valasi Tafito Selesele said the partnership between Australia and Samoa in providing quality and accessible healthcare is a testament to the strength of our relationship.

ADB is providing US$2 million and Australia US$390,000 (in equivalent AUD$500,000) in additional financing to the program which was established in June 2020 to support the Cook Islands, Fiji, Kiribati, Niue, Samoa, Tonga, and Tuvalu.

“The additional financing from the Government of Australia is highly appreciated and will be used to expand the scope of the assistance to Fiji where reforms will focus on strengthening public financial management practices in Fiji,” said Regional Director of ADB’s Pacific Subregional Office in Fiji Masayuki Tachiiri.

Free TV Australia was selected to work with Australian commercial free-to-air television networks to supply quality Australian content, free of charge, to Pacific partner broadcasters.

Australian television programmes such as 60 minutes, MasterChef, Brain Buzz, 800 Words and Scope can be viewed on either TV1, EFKS TV2 or TV3. Sports also available include A-League Football and Super Netball.

Australian Awards is piloting a new Australia Awards short course that aims to help build the capacity of women to trade.

The ‘Australia Awards: Women Trading Globally’ course is offered to Pacific women with their own business who have the potential to become ‘export ready’. 

It will cover international trade and how one might be able to embark on the pathway of growing their business into new international markets.

Leone Bridge was destroyed by cyclone Evan in 2012 which is one of the most frequently used by container loaders, construction vehicles, and other heavy utilities to pass through.

The completion of the bridge is possible through the assistance of the Australian Government, who allocated about $13 million dollars in assistance to rebuild bridges.

Government of Samoa struggled with extra costs and transportation after the bridge was destroyed in cyclone Evan.

He has called on the Australian Government to return those allegedly involved in the rape of a local, for investigations.

Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull over the weekend announced the one-off refugee resettlement deal between Australia and the US for people on Manus Island and Nauru to be moved to the United States.

Turnbull, alongside Australian Immigration Minister Peter Dutton, over the weekend said the deal would only apply to those currently on Nauru and Manus Island.