New Zealand Government

The petition, led by youth advocates Josiah Tualamali’i and Benji Timu, contained more than 7,000 signatures nationwide.

Before the passing of the petition, Timu told members of Parliament who were in attendance he was involved in the petition because he loved Pacific people.

“Right now, a lot of our people don’t want to talk about it, but now you have a new generation of Pacific people that understand this part of the history, which we are only finding out about as we are adults.

Border closures and a loss of trade routes has left many countries struggling, with a recent survey finding just under 50 percent of small to medium businesses in the Pacific have closed or expect to close.

The funding will go towards a service run by Business Link Pacific, which will offer concessionary loans and adaptation grants.

Its chief executive, Steve Knapp, said they'll be sent out in two phases, starting with the grants.

"We are reviewing exactly what has happened in these circumstances because they cannot be repeated," Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said.

Yesterday compassionate leave for those in quarantine had been suspended.

In a Facebook message last night, Ardern said that would not change unless testing was "rigorous".

There was an expectation that anyone who came into from overseas was in quarantine for two weeks and would not leave without being tested, she said. "That was where there was a failure in this case."

The team would be made up of players from Fiji, Samoa and Tonga, and would play in the Super Rugby competition.

Newshub has learned both New Zealand Rugby (NZR) and the Government have worked on the proposal, meaning a united 'Pacific Force' is now close to reality.

The feasibility study was carried out by Jeremy Curragh, a respected rugby commercial operative, and cost the taxpayer $80,000.

Under the plan, the team would be based in Suva, as Fiji is the biggest country. It would also play some 'home' games in Samoa, Tonga, Auckland and Sydney.

Teena Brown Pulu is a lecturer in indigenous development at Auckland University of Technology and says the Pasifika constituency remained loyal to Labour through nine years in opposition.

She said Jacinda Ardern owed the Pasifika community an explanation as to why their minister, Aupito William Sio, now sits outside the executive when Jenny Salesa is inside cabinet with the Ethnic Communities portfolio.

MP for Kelston Carmel Sepuloni is Minister for Social Development, Minister for Disability Issues, Associate Minister for Arts, Culture and Heritage and Associate Minister for Pacific Peoples.

MP for Manukau East Jenny Salesa is the Minister for Building and Construction, Minister for Ethnic Communities, Associate Minister of Education, Health, and Housing and Urban Development.

MP for Mangere Aupito Su'a William Sio has been appointed the new Minister for Pacific Peoples, Associate Minister for Courts and Associate Minister of Justice.

Protesters from the Action Station group launched 50 inflatable poo emojis onto Lake Ohakuri on the Waikato River near to where the ruling National Party was holding a conference, to highlight new standards which it says would mean more contaminants in freshwater, the New Zealand Herald reports.