Across Australia, the $13.5 million program, run by the Department of Home Affairs, has uncovered millions in unpaid wages, threats of visa cancellation, and cases of modern slavery.

Does anyone really think a Pacific country would be better off by not taking part in Australia’s PALM or PEV or New Zealand’s RSE and PAC/SQ?

“It means a lot for me… Australia has given us — my family, and a lot of the wider South Pacific people — lots of opportunity.”

The online petition, signed by nearly 50,000 people, many of whom are residents of PIF countries, was presented to the current foreign minister and leader of NZ First, Winston Peters.

In each year, 3,000 lucky individuals are selected through the ballot to apply for a PEV visa.

Businesses closed, and tourism and agriculture came to a standstill, putting jobs, incomes and economic growth at risk across the country.

Blending scientific approaches with indigenous knowledge could generate new insights and deliver tangible benefits for people, communities and the planet.

The Charters’ case coincides with two significant anti-corruption milestones this month: a sixth anniversary event for the Teieniwa Vision in Suva and the release of Transparency International’s 2025 Corruption Perceptions Index (CPI).

The resulting gap has been filled by the other seven participating countries, all of whose numbers have increased. Fiji, Solomon Islands and Timor-Leste each have about 5,000 PALM workers in Australia, more than either Tonga or Samoa currently.

A UK government study in Fiji, Samoa and Solomon Islands found that 85% of online users believe false information on social media is shaping opinions on elections and disaster response.