New Zealand High Commission, Nuku'alofa, Tonga

01/09/2026

Manaaki TSTTS Scholarship Opportunity - Pacific Public Sector Leadership (Public Financial Management).📚

Are you a mid-level public sector official working in Tonga and looking to strengthen your leadership and public financial management skills? This opportunity could be for you! 👇

The Manaaki New Zealand Scholarships Programme is offering a Public Sector Leadership Mid-Level (Public Financial Management) course for Pacific scholars for 2026–2027, supported by the New Zealand International Development Cooperation Programme.

📍 Auckland, New Zealand
📅 3-week fully funded residential course
🗓️ Course: 5th –23rd of April 2027

The programme aims to strengthen the knowledge and skills of Pacific public sector officials in mid-level leadership roles, contributing to more effective and efficient public services across the region.

🎓 The scholarship covers:
✅ Course fees
✅ Visa costs (excluding passport fees)
✅ Accommodation
✅ Other programme-related expenses

📌 Eligibility requirements include:
• Applicants should meet the standard Manaaki New Zealand TSTTS eligibility criteria
• English Proficiency Statement
• A current verified copy of your passport submitted with your application.

🗓️ Applications OPEN: Monday, 31 August 2026
⏰ Applications CLOSE: Sunday, 8 November 2026

📢 Tongan applicants are encouraged to apply early and ensure all required documents are ready before submitting their application.

For enquiries, please contact the Wellington Uni-Professional Scholarships Team at:
📧 [email protected]

Please include “Public Sector Leadership Mid-Level (Public Financial Management)” and “Tonga” in the subject line.

🌟 Take the next step in strengthening your leadership skills and contributing to stronger public sector outcomes for Tonga and the Pacific!

31/08/2026

🇳🇿🇦🇺 That’s a wrap! 🥳👏🏽

What started as a challenge was a great opportunity for camaraderie and teamwork! 🏃🏽‍♀️🏃🏽‍♂️

Mālō ‘aupito to the Tonga Animal Welfare Society for putting on a fantastic event and for all the incredible work you do to support animal welfare in Tonga. 🐾🇹🇴

A big thank you to our ANZAC team Australia for showing up and getting across that 10km together! 🤝🏽

10km ☑️ Teamwork ☑️ Good cause ☑️ Would we do it again? 👀😎

Mālō ‘aupito everyone who took part and helped make the day a success! 🇳🇿🇹🇴🇦🇺

28/08/2026

Tonga to the world, one plate at a time! 🇹🇴 🌏 🍽️

We’re incredibly proud to see Head Chef Soane Fakatava of Seaview Restaurant, Nuku’alofa, featured as one of the Pacific chefs taking part in OCEAN of FLAVOURS: One Ocean, Many Flavours in Auckland this September. 👨🏽‍🍳👏🏽

With more than 30 years of experience, Chef Soane has carried Tongan flavours and Pacific ingredients from📍Ma’ufanga to kitchens in Germany 🇩🇪 and back home to Tonga 🇹🇴 — while inspiring and mentoring the next generation of Pacific chefs along the way.

We’re excited to see Chef Soane represent Tonga alongside talented Pacific and New Zealand chefs at this special celebration of Pacific cuisine, culture and the bounty of our Blue Continent. 🥳✨

All the best, Chef Soane! Mālō ‘aupito for putting Tonga on the global culinary map! 🇹🇴🙌🏽🇳🇿

OCEAN of FLAVOURS – CHEFS’ PROFILES

Head Chef Soane Fakatava at Nuku’alofa’s renowned Seaview Restaurant says his culinary path was paved by the deep dedication of his mother, Seletute, whose greatest wish was for him to graduate from the ‘Ahopanilolo Technical College in Tonga.

After establishing his foundations at home in Ma’ufanga over many years, Chef Soane left Tonga and travelled to Germany to gain invaluable experience, cooking in numerous well-respected kitchens.

His career highlights include the distinct honour of occasionally preparing meals for the Tongan Royal Family, as well as international VIPs, and cooking under the guidance of the legendary, Michelin-starred celebrity chef Johann Lafer at the famous Stromburg castle in Germany.

With over 30 years’ experience, Chef Soane is not only a master of South Pacific fusion cuisine leading the kitchen back home at Seaview Restaurant, but a mentor to the next generation of Pacific chefs, dedicating much of his time to training hospitality students at his restaurant and occasionally returning to teach classes at the local culinary school.

Chef Soane is part of an invited cohort of Pacific-based chefs, who will take part in the upcoming Ocean of Flavours: One Ocean, Many Flavours event, at Auckland University of Technology (AUT) School of Hospitality and Tourism, 21 -22 September, 2026.

Along with a cohort of chefs from New Zealand, the group will take part in a high-energy culinary collaboration on day one, and engage with food writers, influencers, and industry stakeholders on day two, culminating in a dinner for the public on September 22.

Working with the Pacific chefs, renowned Kiwi Chef Peter Gordon is coordinating the dinner menu, sourcing Pacific ingredients which showcase the many flavours of the region celebrating what the Blue Continent has to offer.

For Chef Soane, taking part in the event is an opportunity to represent Tonga and help cement it on the global culinary map by sharing the Kingdom’s vibrant culture through food.

“I also hope to inspire the next generation of Pacific chefs to follow what they love and see just how far it can take them,” he says.

Stirred by the memory of his mother’s support, it is the love of his family which keeps him cooking.

“When I cook, it is very important for me to use fresh, regional ingredients and to strictly support local suppliers in Tonga,” he adds.

“I continue to be inspired by the natural bounty of the Pacific Ocean, which bridges my international training with our traditional Tongan flavours.

“My absolute favourite dish to prepare is a stuffed whole Red Snapper served with a rich, aromatic coconut curry sauce, using freshly squeezed Tongan coconut cream made completely from scratch in our kitchen—never canned or frozen.”

When he is not behind the stove, Chef Soane loves to eat fresh lobster, seafood and vegetables, and has a great appreciation for down-to-earth, rustic cuisine.

“Due to my time spent living and working in Southern Germany over the years, I have also developed a love for traditional German comfort food—I absolutely adore a delicious, crispy Schweinshaxe (pork knuckle) or hearty venison and wild game dishes, especially those my mother-in-law used to prepare so wonderfully.”

With only a few weeks until OCEAN of FLAVOURS, Chef Soane is busy designing what he wants to bring to the table, with some Tongan flair.

“Food is a universal language, but the ocean gives us our specific voice,” he says.

“Cooking in Tonga teaches you the deepest respect for ingredients, because you can never take availability for granted—it requires ultimate flexibility.

“Bringing this spirit to Auckland is an honour and my goal is to put Tonga firmly on the global culinary map and show the next generation of Pacific chefs that the passion and resilience of the Blue Continent truly belong on the global stage.”

For all the news about OCEAN of FLAVOURS, Watch these pages and our website https://pacifictradeinvest.com/about-us/pti-new-zealand/

27/08/2026

🚨 LAST DAY TO APPLY! 🚨

⏰ Still thinking about applying? Today is your final chance! Don’t miss out on this exciting opportunity — get your application in before applications close TODAY at 5pm! ‼️

📣 Submit your application now and take the opportunity to be part of something exciting!

Good luck to everyone applying! ✨

Help connect people with opportunities through scholarships and community partnerships! 🥳🤝🏽

📣 The New Zealand High Commission in Nuku‘alofa is seeking a motivated and organised Scholarships Officer and High Commission Fund Administrator to help strengthen the Tonga–New Zealand relationship through scholarship management, stakeholder engagement, and effective fund administration.

ℹ️ Kōrero mō te tūranga | About the role

This role manages the High Commission’s scholarship programme, supports the administration of the High Commission and Embassy Fund, and provides administrative support to the Development Team.

🙋🏽‍♀️ Mā wai te mahi nei? | Who are we looking for?

We are looking for someone with:
✅ At least three years’ relevant experience in a similar field
✅ Ability to quickly learn new systems, processes, and procedures
✅ Sound judgement and decision-making skills
✅ Strong planning, organisation, and prioritisation skills
✅ Excellent written and verbal communication skills in both English and Tongan

📍Applicants must have the right to live and work in Tonga to apply for this role.

💁🏽‍♂️ Me pēhea te tuku tono | How to apply

Please submit to [email protected] your:

📄 CV
📄 Cover letter

📝: If the successful candidate has previously worked or lived in New Zealand and is subsequently employed as locally engaged staff at a New Zealand Government Embassy or High Commission, they may, depending on individual circumstances, have New Zealand tax residency obligations. Applicants in this situation are encouraged to seek advice from New Zealand Inland Revenue (IRD) regarding any potential personal tax obligations.

26/08/2026

As we reflect on Tongan Language Week, tell us in the comments: what’s your favourite Tongan word? 👇🏾💬

🇳🇿🌿 In July, the Māori word kaitiakitanga was named the world’s most beautiful word by language-learning platform Babbel. It translates broadly to guardianship, stewardship, or protecting the environment. Rooted in te ao Māori, kaitiakitanga emphasises a relationship of holding responsibility rather than claiming ownership over nature. 🤝🏾

🏆🌎 It beat more than 220 words from 75 languages, after an international jury of linguists and cultural experts judged entries on sound, meaning, rarity and relevance. 🗣️✨

Now it’s your turn! What’s your favourite Tongan word, and what does it mean to you? 🌺🇹🇴

26/08/2026

🇳🇿 The challenge is ON! 🇦🇺

The Australia and New Zealand High Commission, Nuku'alofa, Tonga ANZAC team are ready to take on this Saturday’s Tonga Animal Welfare Society Marathon – corporate relay event! 🏃🏽‍♀️🏃🏽‍♂️

It’s just 10km, with up to 10 teammates to share the load… easy, right? 👀💪🏽

It’s all for a great cause — supporting animal welfare in Tonga. 🐾🇹🇴

Sign up, lace up and join us! 😎🇳🇿🇦🇺

26/08/2026

It was a pleasure to host Hon. Fane Fotu Fituafe over dinner last night and hear about her visits to New Zealand over the past month to meet with Tongan seasonal workers who are doing such a great job around the country 👏🏽 as well as attend the Tuākana-Teina, Whenua, Talanoa Wānanga – Women’s Leaders Conference in Wellington alongside other inspiring female Parliamentarians from across the Pacific. 🌺🌏

We look forward to continuing to build and strengthen the partnership between Tonga and New Zealand in these important areas.

Mālō ‘aupito for your visit, Hon. Fane Fotu Fituafe. 🇹🇴🤝🏽🇳🇿

25/08/2026

New Zealand High Commissioner to Tonga, H.E. Brody Sinclair, was jumping for joy visiting Ha’apai for the first time and embracing the local matra – “Don’t worry, be Ha’apai”. ☺️🌺🌴

While much of the visit revolved around 𝐇𝐚’𝐚𝐩𝐚𝐢 𝐇𝐢𝐠𝐡 𝐒𝐜𝐡𝐨𝐨𝐥’𝐬 𝐒𝐢𝐥𝐯𝐞𝐫 𝐉𝐮𝐛𝐢𝐥𝐞𝐞 𝐜𝐞𝐥𝐞𝐛𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬 🎉 and opening the next stage of the 𝗖𝗹𝗶𝗺𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝗥𝗲𝘀𝗶𝗹𝗶𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝗜𝘀𝗹𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗣𝗿𝗼𝗷𝗲𝗰𝘁 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗟𝗶𝘃𝗲 & 𝗟𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗻 🌱, the High Commissioner also enjoyed the opportunity to meet with former recipients of New Zealand’s Manaaki scholarships 🎓 who are now using their skills to give back to the Ha’apai community 🤝🏽, try his hand at weaving a tapa cloth, dine under the stars ✨ , spend a night with the community on Felemea 🏝️, and go swimming with whales. 🌊🐋

The High Commissioner extends his sincere thanks to the Governor of Ha’apai, Pita Taufatofua, MP Saimone Vuki, and Minister Siaosi Sovaleni for their generous hospitality and support throughout the visit. And a big mālō ‘aupito to the people of Ha’apai for their warm welcome and lasting connections made. He promises to be back again for another dose of Ha’apai’s peaceful, quiet life. 😌🙏🏽

24/08/2026

⏳ Still thinking about applying? Time is running out! Applications close in just 4 days. ⏰

Don't miss out on this exciting opportunity. Get your application in before it's too late ‼✨

Help connect people with opportunities through scholarships and community partnerships! 🥳🤝🏽

📣 The New Zealand High Commission in Nuku‘alofa is seeking a motivated and organised Scholarships Officer and High Commission Fund Administrator to help strengthen the Tonga–New Zealand relationship through scholarship management, stakeholder engagement, and effective fund administration.

ℹ️ Kōrero mō te tūranga | About the role

This role manages the High Commission’s scholarship programme, supports the administration of the High Commission and Embassy Fund, and provides administrative support to the Development Team.

🙋🏽‍♀️ Mā wai te mahi nei? | Who are we looking for?

We are looking for someone with:
✅ At least three years’ relevant experience in a similar field
✅ Ability to quickly learn new systems, processes, and procedures
✅ Sound judgement and decision-making skills
✅ Strong planning, organisation, and prioritisation skills
✅ Excellent written and verbal communication skills in both English and Tongan

📍Applicants must have the right to live and work in Tonga to apply for this role.

💁🏽‍♂️ Me pēhea te tuku tono | How to apply

Please submit to [email protected] your:

📄 CV
📄 Cover letter

📝: If the successful candidate has previously worked or lived in New Zealand and is subsequently employed as locally engaged staff at a New Zealand Government Embassy or High Commission, they may, depending on individual circumstances, have New Zealand tax residency obligations. Applicants in this situation are encouraged to seek advice from New Zealand Inland Revenue (IRD) regarding any potential personal tax obligations.