Tagata o te Moana. 2014-10-11. 17:30-18:00.

A weekly wrap-up of news, issues and current affairs from the Pacific. The programme is broadcast nationwide every Saturday evening on Radio New Zealand National and is produced by the newsroom of Radio New Zealand International. The following rundown is supplied from the broadcaster’s news system:

1. The New Zealand government this week lifted its travel advisory for Tonga after prolonged concern over the safety of domestic air travel on a new plane gifted by China.

2. Pro-independence groups in New Caledonia seek UN help.

3. The Samoan government has declared a 'meteorological drought' and urged people to conserve water.

4. Researchers say there are not enough trained health workers in Papua New Guinea to deal with the rapidly growing problem of non-communicable diseases.

5. The Fred Hollows Foundation says up to a thousand people a year will be able to have their sight restored when a new operating theatre opens in Papua New Guinea in November.

6. The president of Australia's Human Rights Commission has called for an end to the government's policy of locking asylum seeker children up in mandatory detention.

7. The Speaker of Fiji's new parliament [i.e. Dr Jiko Luveni] says there was a spirit of unity at the first sitting of parliament.

8. Four Tokelauans, dubbed Climate Change Warriors, have flown to Australia to join others from around the Pacific in a stand against that country's coal and gas industry.