More Top Stories
Cook Islands passport proposal
6 January 2025
Top cop position advertised
7 December 2024
Police need numbers and bigger budget
9 December 2024
Niki Rattle: A call for stronger human rights protections
10 December 2024
Solid and Hazardous Waste Bill referred to Parliament committee
10 December 2024
DPM defends CIIC finance and travel policies
6 December 2024
Cook Islands has its first mosque
14 November 2024
CI Muslim opens up about her faith and journey
16 November 2024
RAC to address mosque legality
19 November 2024
I don’t expect much change: PM Brown on US Elections
6 November 2024
Fifth weekly Sydney flight to Rarotonga announced
23 October 2024
CIIC directors seek $350,000 in damages over defamatory claims
21 October 2024
Man found guilty of rape, burglary
24 September 2024
Tenants face water bill burden
8 October 2024
Concerns over Minister’s role in inmate work releases: PAC
5 October 2024
Tourism contribution set to surpass half-billion dollar mark
25 September 2024
Parliament Clerk sparks outrage over deep sea mining statement
23 September 2024
Deep sea dilemma: Cook Islanders weigh the cost of mineral riches
21 September 2024
Anxiety on the rise: Cook Islands faces mental health challenge
7 September 2024
Cook Islands deep sea mining poll sparks controversy
7 September 2024
MCI rejects ‘dark fleet’ label
3 August 2024
Rising seas, rising costs: Climate impacts on Cook Islands economy
2 September 2024
Inflation eases but concerns remain
31 August 2024
Prime Minister defends $659,000 MPs travel bill
23 August 2024
Taxpayers foot $659,000 bill for MPs travel and allowance
22 August 2024
Corruption report exposes ‘bribe and sexual favours’
17 January 2023
PM Brown eager to hand over Forum chair role to Tonga
13 August 2024
Challenging ‘rape culture’
8 July 2024
National
Jewels of the Cook Islands ready to shine at Dine and Dance event
A New Zealand-based Cook Islands entertainment group is on the island and is set to perform tonight in what they say will be a magical night of dining and dancing in Rarotonga.
Aitutaki community re-establishes traditional ra’ui to protect marine
The Aitutaki community has re-established a traditional ra’ui, a temporary fishing ban, in their lagoon to protect marine life and ensure sustainable resource management, with support from the National Environment Service.
Budget debate 'guillotined'
One hour into yesterday’s Parliamentary sitting, Norman George made a noisy exit, protesting what he called ”a dark day“ in the history of the Cook Islands Parliament. ”I depart from the chambers in protest,“ he said at about 11am. ”People of the Cook Islands, I’m leaving chambers in protest of this horrific move of the […]
Coco Lounge returns by Vaka
The popular 88 Coco Lounge music video show makes a comeback this Sunday on Vaka TV – live! The island’s favourite coco cousin and 88FM DJ George ‘G-Dub’ Williams along with fellow DJ and musician Mii Taukia will for two hours present music videos, international and local, as well as share their wealth of musical […]
Te Kainga turns 8
It is Te Kainga Mental Health and Wellbeing Centre’s eighth birthday this month, and director Mereana Taikoko says that is why June is a ”lucky month“. Te Kainga, which exists solely on public donations, offers a range of programmes for mental health sufferers. Such initiatives include day respite programmes to give families and carers a […]
Imports warning
Expected growth in tourism is likely to increase demand for fresh produce, thereby giving the agriculture industry a boost. The Budget warns that if the agriculture industry does not propel itself forward, produce imports will continue to grow. ”If concentrated efforts are not made to increase domestic supply, reliance on imported produce will continue to […]
Loan fund for change?
Government is considering widening the scope of its Crown loan reserve trust fund. The Budget says government is pursuing its options to legislate the Crown Law Reserve Trust Fund during this fiscal year, so that the funds it contains can be applied toward all loans and not just those taken out by SOEs. The idea […]
Govt expects $13.77m in fees
The government expects to collect $13.77 million in administrative fees for this financial year. Budget Book 1 outlines its expected takings, a figure which includes departure tax fees as the International Monetary Fund categorises departure tax not as a tax but as a levy on airline passengers. This year government expects to receive $6.5 million […]
PM praises Budget 'transparency'
Prime Minister Henry Puna spoke for close to an hour in Parliament yesterday, covering a range of issues, from suicide to Budget 2012. He addressed his constituency, the people of Manihiki, advising them that government has made it a point to maintain the level of funding available for the pa enua. He said government feels […]
Four NZ navy ships in Cooks
Four of the 12 Royal New Zealand Navy vessels are in the Cooks over the coming week. The HMNZS Canterbury, which is anchored off Avarua Harbour until Saturday morning, will be supporting patrol efforts around the region and reporting on its findings. Canterbury’s captain Commander Sean Stewart says they are part of a planning contingency […]
HMNZS Canterbury here to support maritime patrols
New Zealand naval vessel HMNZS Canterbury is in the Cooks until Saturday morning, when it will head to Tonga. Commander Sean Stewart says they are here supporting patrol efforts around the region. The Canterbury, at 131 metres long, is too big to fit into the Avarua Harbour. She has a crew of 130, of which […]
New x-ray unit for pets
Diagnosing problems with local pets has become a whole lot easier at the island’s only animal clinic thanks to the generous donation of an x-ray machine. The Esther Honey Foundation animal clinic in Nikao received an x-ray machine last week sponsored by the Barton family and The Bond Store. And in its short time on […]
Work about to start on new jetty
The Cook Islands is set to become a more frequent stopover destination for visiting cruise ships, with funding confirmed for the construction of the alternative ocean access jetty at Arorangi. The $2 million project to build the new jetty will be funded by the New Zealand/Australia Harmonised Aid Programme. New Zealand High Commissioner John Carter […]
Pa enua funding 'a waste'
Oneroa MP Winton Pickering commends the government for maintaining the appropriation levels for the pa enua, but says it was the ”wrong move“. ”I encourage government in terms of support for the outer islands (but) I can see from this Budget there is a substantial amount of money that this government is going to throw […]
Demo caucus budget boycott 'disappointing'
Finance minister Mark Brown says it is ”disappointing“ that the Opposition chose to boycott a presentation his team hosted for members of Parliament last week to explain the nuts and bolts of the Budget. ”As I read in the newspaper the words of the leader of the Opposition that ‘we will deliberately boycott this presentation […]
'Missing out' on fish
Deputy Prime Minister Tom Marsters has indicated that he supports the Cook Islands’ association with ”those who have the capacity to harvest“ the country’s fishing resources. He addressed the issue of overfishing in Parliament yesterday. ”One (issue I’d like to discuss) is the question of overfishing or the fear of overfishing and also the possibility […]
'Deal with the best, forget the rest'
Cabinet minister Teina Bishop said in Parliament that Budget 2012 is the ”best Budget“ he has ”ever seen“. ”I stand to support this Budget 1000 percent,“ he said. ”Madam Speaker, since my entry into this House in June 1999 this is the best Budget I’ve ever seen tabled into this House and presented to this […]
PM slams George for party-hopping
Atiu MP Norman George asked Prime Minister Henry Puna in Parliament yesterday to confirm whether government was intending to bring a ”guillotine motion“ to cut the Budget debate in half this morning. If brought, the motion ”would mean again like today sacrificing standing order 307 which says that a total of 10 sitting days shall […]
Barrel riding
Visiting Australian body boarders have been having a barrel of a time riding waves while avoiding the reef. Among the group of friends visiting the island is keen photographer Brodie Gillan. This week the young Aussie visited our newsroom and shared some of his magic images from fun filled days on the water around Rarotonga. […]
Sharing of fishery information extended
Integrated Fisheries Information Management Systems (iFIMS) were the focus of discussions at this week’s second iFIMS symposium in Rarotonga. Participants from the Cook Islands, Federated States of Micronesia, Marshall Islands, Papua New Guinea, Tonga and Vanuatu met in Rarotonga from June 11 to 13 to discuss fisheries information management at their respective fisheries administrations. The […]
Blood donors thanked on world day
It was World Blood Donor Day yesterday, and Red Cross Cook Islands was busy recruiting and thanking donors. On June 14, countries worldwide celebrate World Blood Donor Day with events to raise awareness of the need for safe blood and blood products and to thank voluntary unpaid blood donors for their life-saving gifts of blood. […]
Call to cut taxes
Rakahanga MP Taunga Toka has urged government to reduce its tax rates. ”We are also increasing taxes right left and centre – we shouldn’t be trying to encourage our people (to leave) overseas,“ he said. ”Because in the past it was the monarch who imposed taxes in England, in Great Britain, in Russia and it […]
« Previous 1 … 506 507 508 509 510 511 512 513 514 … 801 Next »