I'm Don Wiseman and today the Pacific Islands Forum summit, the next stage of the Kiribati election process. Deep sea mining drawing closer, there's upset in PNG after a journalist is shut out of a visit by the incoming president of Indonesia., and a call for spiritual leaders to be sent to NZ...

Malo e lelei in Tagata o te moana today - The impasse over New Caledonia, we hear from a new woman MP in Kiribati and what can we expect from the Forum summit in Tonga and Palau claims that China is weaponising tourism.

At the midway point in the Kiribati election newcomers to parliament could hold significant sway. Concerns are being raised on Guam about a build up in US military assets. Winston Peters visits the North Pacific, and later on an all-female Pacific-crewed research vessel arrives in Tonga.