Tagata o te Moana. 2015-05-16. 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 acting head [i.e. Robin Adams] of the soon to be disbanded Parliament of Norfolk Islands says most islanders are in a state of shock and grief at the loss of their political autonomy.

2. The suspended Nauru opposition says changes to the criminal code rushed through parliament this week are simply to serve a political agenda.

3. The thorny issue of West Papua stirred controversy this week when Indonesia's President, Joko Widodo, visited Papua New Guinea.

4. A New Zealand academic [i.e. Kevin Clements] says this country's foreign aid programme is fundamentally flawed and geared to supporting New Zealand Inc.

5. In American Samoa, the impeding minimum wage increase is highlighting the negative effects the struggling economy is having on businesses, and families trying to survive on low pay.

6. An academic [i.e. Dr Malakai Koloamatangi] says there is a need for both New Zealand and Australia to redefine their roles in the Pacific amid the ongoing standoff with Fiji's leader.

7. The Lefaga district of Samoa this week celebrated the 61st anniversary of the Hollywood film that helped put Samoa on the map.

8. A festival [i.e. Measina Festival 2015] celebrating Samoan language, theatre and dance is aiming to share stories that are precious to the culture, with the Samoan and wider New Zealand community.