New Zealand

Andrew Alan Williams, 54, and his former partner, Laken Maree Rose, 32, have been sentenced in the High Court at Rotorua.

Williams was sentenced to 23 years and five months in prison, with a non-parole period of nine years and four months.

Rose has been given a jail sentence of 19-and-a-half years, with a non-parole period of seven years and nine months.

Williams was convicted on 56 charges and Rose 55.

They covered a raft of charges including rape, sexual violation, and making and possessing objectionable videos.

This comes after former Prime Minister, Tuilaepa Sailele Malielegaoi, claimed that the recent actions of the judiciary had shattered the constitution and the law of the jungle now applied.

Tuilaepa claimed the rulings by the Court of Appeal, which last month confirmed FAST as the legitimately elected government, had destabilised the country.

He castigated New Zealand and Australia for not speaking out in support of his position.

He has raised concerns at the silence from New Zealand and Australia over recent decisions by the local judiciary that he claims plunged the country into "the law of the jungle".

Tuilaepa, speaking on local television, said decisions by the judiciary on election matters had made the constitution untenable and there had not been any international reaction.

The former prime minister accused the judiciary of hiding behind the Court of Appeal, which he said had shattered the constitution.

In a post-Cabinet media briefing Monday afternoon, Ardern announced Cabinet had made the decision to allow Recognised Seasonal Employer (RSE) workers from those countries to travel one way, without using MIQ.

The countries this would apply to reflected the fact all three nations had experienced very few cases of Covid-19, she said. Tonga had seen zero Covid-91 cases, Samoa just one, and Vanuatu had four - all those cases having been at the border with no community transmission.

Ardern delivered the speech as part of a three and a half hour ceremony in front of more than 1000 people at the Auckland Town Hall.

She said the raids to find, convict and deport overstayers often took place late at night or early in the morning and were said to involve harsh verbal and physical treatment.

"Today I offer, on behalf of the government, a formal and unreserved apology to Pacific communities for the discriminatory implementation of immigration laws that led to the Dawn Raids," Ardern said.

It is a historical moment for the Fijiana as they’re now in contention for a medal.

The side will meet New Zealand in the semifinal at 2pm (Fiji Time) today.

Aloesi Nakoci struck first after two minutes following some patient buildup up for a 7-nil lead.

Fiji went to a 14-nil lead when Ana Maria Naimasi sliced through the Australian defense to dot down between the sticks.

However, the Fijiana was reduced to six players when Vasiti Solikoviti was sent off for a high tackle.

The evening will be an opportunity for both male and females who are eligible to represent Samoa’s national teams in the future.

Games will take place against an Auckland local amateur club opposition.

Both national sides last competed at the 2019 Pacific Games held in Apia which saw Samoa’s women’s team win a silver medal against Papua New Guinea, 3-1.

The Samoan men’s national team have made two appearances in the OFC Nations Cup in 2012 and 2016, while the women last entered the OFC Women’s Nations Cup in 2018.

The trans-Tasman travel bubble is paused for at least eight weeks as the Delta variant continues to spread.

Air New Zealand chief executive Greg Foran told Morning Report the airline would do everything to help New Zealanders wanting to return this week from Australia.

"Trust us," he said.

"We have seen plenty of people reach out over the weekend. We've got about 7500 people booked to return to New Zealand through to midnight this Friday."

The men's, women's and wheelchair events are scheduled to take place in England this autumn.

New Zealand Rugby League (NZRL) chief Greg Peters said it was "simply too unsafe" to take part.

Rugby Football League (RFL) chairman Simon Johnson called it a "selfish, parochial and cowardly decision".

"Rugby League World Cup organisers have bent over backwards to offer every assurance to the Australians and the Kiwis," Johnson told BBC Radio 4's Today programme.

"We are very unhappy with this decision and we are not prepared to take it lying down."

Ardern made the comment during a press conference in NZ on Wednesday.

With the ongoing political crisis in the Island nation, Ardern said they trust the system in Samoa.

“We hold great faith in the system of Samoa. Their electoral system, their judiciary system, the rulings of the court and their ability to use those institutions to resolve the impasse leveraged.”

“And if you look into those institutions, they are very clearly delivered a path for Samoa.”

Ardern also said they are always keen on knowing the progress made in any Pacific island countries.