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The annual Polynesian Festival “Polyfest” event put on another vibrant display of fun and festivity today, attracting tens of thousands of spectators over the course of the festival.

Among them were Prime Minister John Key and Minister of Pacific Island Affairs, Peseta Sam Lotu-Iiga.

Prime Minister John Key spoke on the Tongan stage and was extremely well received.

The annual event is now the largest festival of its kind in the world and is in its 39th year.

Consumer Affairs Minister Craig Foss and Pacific Island Affairs Minister, Peseta Sam Lotu-Iiga welcomed the launch of the 2014 Talanoa campaign. Talanoa encourages Pacific communities to ask for help and seek redress when they have problems with loans.

“One of the main aims of the campaign is to help Pacific communities to be more proactive when lodging complaints if things go wrong when borrowing money,” says Mr Foss.

Minister of Pacific Island Affairs, Peseta Sam Lotu-liga, spoke to a group of Pacific prisoners and their families today at the launch of a violence prevention programme at Spring Hill Correction facility.

A leading health organisation devoted to improving the health of Pasifika peoples has been selected to establish a Whanau Ora Commissioning Agency, that will be known as Pasifika Futures announced Minister for Whanau Ora Tariana Turia and Minister for Pacific Island Affairs Peseta Sam Lotu-liga today.

Land Information Minister Maurice Williamson and Pacific Island Affairs Minister Peseta Sam Lotu-Iiga have welcomed the completion of electronic navigational charts for the south-west Pacific.

The development of these charts by Land Information New Zealand for Niue Tonga, Samoa, Cook Islands and Tokelau is part of an initiative funded by the New Zealand Aid Programme to improve maritime safety in the region.

Leading Pacific health experts gathered last night at the Growing Pacific Solutions (GPS 2.0) conference to discuss ways to work better together and improve the overall health and wellbeing of Pacific people.

Pacific Island Affairs Minister, Peseta Sam Lotu-Iiga, spoke at the opening dinner and said that innovative solutions were needed to improve the standard of Pacific peoples’ health.

Minister of Pacific Island Affairs, Peseta Sam Lotu-Iiga, today commended Pacific churches on their DIY approach to promoting healthy lifestyle choices at the opening of the Healthy Village Action Zones (HVAZ) at St Pauls College.

“With Pacific people sometimes experiencing poorer health and lower life expectancy than other New Zealanders, it is important that we come together as a community and learn more about healthy eating and lifestyle habits,” says Mr Lotu-Iiga.

Statistics Minister Maurice Williamson and Pacific Island Affairs Minister Peseta Sam Lotu-Iiga announced today that statisticians from Pacific countries will spend time at Statistics New Zealand in an effort to grow their statistical knowledge and capability.

Four statisticians from Fiji, Kiribati, Tuvalu and Nauru will work in Wellington from Monday for a month as part of a programme supported by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade.

Minister of Pacific Island Affairs, Peseta Sam Lotu-Iiga, today welcomed recent developments to AUT’s South campus which have improved its accessibility to the community.

“Fifteen per cent of the student population at AUT are Pacific, so it is important that we have a university in Counties Manukau that is open and welcoming to Pacific students and the wider Pacific community and families,” Mr Lotu-Iiga said.

The Christchurch Pacific school community today welcomed the 2014 year with a church service to dedicate and bless students for a productive year ahead.

Pacific Island Affairs Minister, Hon Peseta Sam Lotu-Iiga, joined families and the wider school community at Riccarton High School for the special service. The evening focused on Pacific families and their schools’ community engagement.

Twenty-two new affordable rental houses were opened in Māngere, Auckland today by Housing Minister Dr Nick Smith and Pacific Island Affairs Minister Peseta Sam Lotu-Iiga, as part of the Government’s programme of expanding the community housing sector.

“This Matanikolo Project provides warm, dry, safe and affordable housing for 22 families who have previously been living in crowded, unstable or otherwise unsuitable accommodation. These new homes will hugely enhance the quality of life and future prospects for the 100 expected new residents,” Dr Smith says.

An approach to teaching Pacific children which started in a Mangere garage culminates today in the opening of Auckland’s second partnership school.

The Rise Up Trust is a not-for-profit community organisation which provides education services for Pacific and Maori whanau. It currently provides after-school mentoring to South Auckland families.

Minister of Pacific Island Affairs, Hon Peseta Sam Lotu-Iiga, says the support for Pacific teams ahead of this weekend’s Wellington Sevens Rugby Tournament is sensational.

“The Wellington Sevens are about more than just sport. It is a chance for Pacific communities to come together and display their colour and culture on a world stage while supporting their island nations,” says Mr Lotu-Iiga.