Tagata o te Moana. 2014-11-29. 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. There will be 12 new MPs among the 26 members elected to Tonga's Legislative Assembly after Thursday's vote for both the nobles and people's representatives.

2. A scandal engulfing Vanuatu's parliament has brought the country's problems with political instability to a head. Parliament this week suspended 16 opposition MPs for allegedly contravening the Leadership Code by accepting money from the opposition leader Moana Carcasses.

3. The Solomon Islands National Council of Women say it wants a ministerial portfolio for the only woman MP to be elected to the country's 50 member parliament in this year's election.

4. The French Polynesia assembly has adopted a resolution asking France to pay compensation for the environmental damage caused by its nuclear weapons tests.

5. The head of a commission set up to consult the public on introducing the death penalty in Kiribati says the overwhelming majority are against it.

6. Two people have died from chikungunya in French Polynesia in an outbreak that began six weeks ago affecting several thousand people and hospitalising over 200 patients.

7. A dispute between the Manu Samoa players and Samoa Rugby Union remains unresolved despite claims from the country's Prime Minister the matter has been dealt with.