Coco Talanoa — Coco News / Page 1

Undervalued, unseen, and struggling to survive — this is the daily reality for many Pasifika women working at the coalface of Aotearoa’s lowest-paid sectors. They are our nurses, teachers, essential service workers, and frontline staff across a range of industries.

Pasifika women are, proportionally, the lowest paid workers in Aotearoa across most sectors. The fast-tracked changes to the Equal Pay Amendment Bill now risk hitting them harder than any other demographic.

"The Pay Equity Bill was rushed through Parliament then passed to save money, which feels like a slap in the face. Pacific nurses have been undervalued for years — now we’re being told our worth is too expensive. This isn’t equity, it’s exploitation,"  says Pacific nurse and mother Jaz Bee.

For Jaz, the changes are deeply disheartening in what is already a difficult climate in the health sector, where jobs are being cut and employment prospects are increasingly unstable.

The Pasifika early childhood education (ECE) sector, largely staffed by Pasifika women, is also expected to feel the immediate impact of the new law.…more

Luamanuvao Dame Winnie Laban has once again made history.

Already celebrated as the first Pacific woman ever elected to New Zealand’s Parliament, Dame Winnie has nowbeen awarded an honorary doctorate from Te Herenga Waka—Victoria University of Wellington.

The honorary Doctor of Literature, to be conferred at the University’s graduation ceremony this May, recognises a lifetime spent breaking new ground for Pasifika communities in politics, education, and public life.

Born in Wellington to Sāmoan parents who migrated to New Zealand in 1954, Dame Winnie grew up in Wainuiomata, a place she continues to call home. Raised in a family committed to service, she carried these values into her professional life, beginning as a social worker and community development advocate before stepping into the political arena.

It was witnessing the closure of Wainuiomata’s Kenson Industries factory — and the devastating impact on Pacific families — that pushed her to stand for Parliament. Elected in 1999, Dame Winnie served until 2010, tirelessly championing the rights of Māori, Pasifika, working-class communities, and the elderly.…more

On the basis of the inquiry held, a recent Court of Inquiry found that a series of human errors contributed to the sinking of HMNZS Manawanui, a New Zealand Navy ship, off the coast of Samoa in October 2024.

The inquiry held that failure to disengage the autopilot by the crew led to running aground on a reef causing a fire and subsequent sinking. The 75 personnel on board were, however, fortunately evacuated, avoiding what could have been a more tragic disaster.

The particular inquiry gave rise to several contributing factors, among them lack of adequate training, lack of supervision, and unavailability of competent personnel. Under-manned and relatively inexperienced, the crew mistook the ship's navigational problems for one of loss of thrust and simply never thought to disengage the autopilot.

In the meantime, the Navy has gone ahead to announce a set of reforms in view of better supporting its personnel and averting any such instances in the future.…more

The Samoan government has declared a 30-day state of emergency as the main island of Upolu grapples with a severe power crisis.

This has included lifting tax on electricity-related equipment and mobilising assistance to support households, businesses and the private sector. 

Major disruptions to Samoa's electricity supply have affected residents and businesses, with power rationing in place since February.

The crisis is due to faults in the country's main underground power cable, severe weather causing damage to power lines and poles, and the failure of backup generators, Prime Minister Fiame Naomi Mata'afa said last week.

A fault in the underground cable between Fiaga and Fuluasou power plants caused a blackout in Upolu last month, leading to further repairs, and three key generators failed, reducing power generation.

Last week, the country's Finance Minister Lautimuia Uelese Vaaio supported the call for the government to declare a state of emergency.

The Proclamation of Emergency will enable the Government to implement urgent measures to stabilise the energy supply and mitigate the impacts of the crisis by:

1.…more

The Cook Islands have led the charge in the pacific in LGBTQIA+ rights with their decriminalisation same-sex relationships - and now that have named their very first transgender Mayor: Joanne Rongoape Stephens who will be leading the island community of Mauke.

Her election is not only a personal achievement but also a significant moment for the LGBTQIA+ community in the Pacific. Stephens, a dedicated advocate for her community, expressed her gratitude and vision for her tenure.

"In so many years we have come through, and we will just continue, no matter what happens," Stephens told Cook Islands News. "We just keep on keeping on encouraging our youth and our young ones, even our older people, just to do the right thing, and not do all these unnecessary things here."

Her leadership focuses on service, integrity, and fostering a sense of belonging within Mauke. Stephens aims to stimulate economic growth, promote unity, and uphold honesty and peace as core community values.…more

The Swire Shipping Fijian Drua’s recent visit to Auckland for their Super Rugby Pacific clash against the Hurricanes has sparked controversy, with reports emerging about their poor treatment upon arrival.

Former Flying Fijians and Waratahs winger Nemani Nadolo took to social media to express his frustration, questioning why the Drua players were left waiting for hours at the airport with no transport. With no bus available, the team was forced to pile into a luggage truck that lacked proper ventilation.

The issues didn’t stop there. Upon arrival at their hotel, the team was made to wait in the lobby for hours after being denied a late check-in by the hotel staff. Nadolo pointed out the stark contrast between this experience and how other Super Rugby teams are treated when they visit Fiji, where they are welcomed with police escorts and high-level hospitality.…more

“Why are meat, fruit, and vegetables so expensive here? We budgeted for $300 grocery shopping last week to feed a family of five, and it was barely any meat, a bag of bananas and apples, and frozen mixed veges because the healthy options are pricey. It’s cheaper to eat fish and chips or grab hot chips and bread.”

Pacific Families Are Struggling with the Cost of Living Crisis: Our Kids Are Going Hungry

Pasifika food banks and social services providers are increasingly concerned over Pacific families in New Zealand being crushed by the cost of living crisis, citing high rents, expensive groceries, and skyrocketing electricity bills making it impossible to get by. The picture of our Pasifika kids going hungry has never been painted more acutely with parents being forced to make brutal choices every week about which bill to pay, what meal to skip, and how to keep the lights on.

No Improvement in Material Hardship for Pacific Children

According to The Salvation Army’s State of the Nation 2024 report, Pacific children are the hardest hit.…more

Lady Gaga’s latest music video, Abracadabra, has taken the internet by storm following its debut at the 2025 Grammys. Behind the dynamic choreography is Samoan choreographer Parris Goebel, whose work has shaped some of the biggest performances in pop music.

Goebel, known for her collaborations with Rihanna, Beyoncé, and Justin Bieber, co-directed Abracadabra with Gaga and Bethany Vargas. “I've always had Gaga on my dream board and my list of artists that I wanted to work with,” Goebel told InStyle. “So, when her team reached out and I got to meet her and listen to her album, I just couldn't believe it.”

The video has drawn comparisons to Gaga’s previous works, including Bad Romance and Alejandro. However, Goebel said those references were unintentional. “It’s interesting that people are referencing old videos of hers because that wasn't my intention at all,” she said. “I tried to bring my flair to who she already is.”

With over 40 dancers, the choreography is central to the video’s impact.…more

Pasifika school kids are going hungry as the Government’s new school lunch provider fails to deliver. The rollout is being labelled a disaster by many schools, students and teachers who have been left scrambling to find solutions, while the Ministry of Education struggles to correct the delivery systems.

Pasifika students make up a big part of the schools eligible for the schools lunch programme, which has been a welcome relief for Pasifika families on the breadline in the past. 

At Ōtāhuhu College, students were unimpressed after sampling meals from the new provider. One student, when asked how much they would pay for the meal, responded bluntly: “I wouldn’t buy it... like, 50 cents... Not even 50 cents.”

Samoan Labour MP Carmel Sepuloni has been visiting schools in her electorate, listening firsthand to the frustration and disruption caused by the transition to a new multinational lunch provider.

“Speaking to Kelston Boys' High Principal today [yesterday] – the food didn’t show up on Friday or Monday. Then, on Tuesday, it arrived, but today it didn’t turn up until 2pm.…more

Fiji Rugby Union’s newly appointed Rugby Director, Laijipa Naulivou, has drawn criticism following her remarks on same-sex relationships in women’s rugby. Speaking to the Fiji Sun, Naulivou made it clear that she does "not condone being gay for women in rugby," a stance she maintained throughout her playing and managerial career.

"Those who played with me know that I do not condone being gay for women in rugby," she told the Fiji Sun. "I always speak against it and I know I’m very unpopular in that area with those who practice it. I will keep emphasising it because that was one big drawback when we went to the first HSBC sevens tournament."

Naulivou, who captained Fiji’s first women’s rugby team, reflected on her past experiences in the sport. She recalled joining the national women’s team as manager three weeks before a major tournament and claimed that same-sex relationships had created challenges within the squad.…more