JAWS OFFICIALLY OPENS NEW OFFICE KEYNOTE ADDRESS by Australia’s High Commissioner to Samoa His Excellency William Robinson. – [Thursday 30 October 2025]

Lau Afioga Mulipola Anarosa Ale Molio'o, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance, to Lagi Keresoma JAWS President to Seiuli Francis Vaegalepa Vice President thank you for inviting us this morning. To distinguished colleagues from the media and diplomatic corp very warm good morning to you all. Ou te faatalofa atu ile taitai ole sauniga, vasega tusitala, faapea le mamalu ole auvalaaulia ua potopoto lenei taeao. Lagona lava le fiafia e auai ile faamoemoe ma faia le lauga autu, o lea faapena ona faaperetania atu.

Thank you for the opportunity to speak today, I am deeply honoured for the invitation to be part of this ceremony. Before I begin, let me extend my deepest condolences for the recent passing of Rudy Bartley a former President of JAWS.

Although I did not know Mr. Bartley personally but, I have learnt of his significant contribution to the media in Samoa, and his close collaboration with Australia in the form of PACMAS in previous years on media-related work.

His legacy will no doubt continue to inspire many, and I think he would be proud of the milestone that we are celebrating here today. I want to congratulate the journalists of Samoa through the Journalists Association of Samoa (JAWS) for the official opening of its headquarters.

This office space will serve as a vital hub for dialogue, collaboration and innovation in the media sector in Samoa. It will create new opportunities for growth and will help strengthen the principles of a free and independent press.

I'm proud that Australia was able to support this initiative through the Pacific Media Assistance Scheme, known as PACMAS. The world's media environment faces great challenges whether those are misinformation or disinformation or fragmentation of the media landscape, and social media.

For Australia's part and I know this sentiment is shared by all democratic nations, our partnership with Pacific media is deep and longstanding. PACMAS supports enhanced skills, training and professional development, ensuring the diverse, independent, and resilient Pacific media sector.

In Samoa, we are proud to have tailored our support to deliver training in advance of Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting and before the election this year.

Being a watchdog in any society is not an easy task sometimes thankless, it requires courage, requires integrity, and persistence. Yet you know it, as we know it, it is one of the most vital pillars of any democratic nation.

We seek, as I know Samoa seeks and our democratic partners seek as well, a media environment that is rooted in our shared democratic values as well Truth, trust, transparency and respect, to the journalists here today you have a vital in keeping the government of the day to account, giving voice to the voiceless and ensuring transparency.

Australia strongly reaffirms its support for Samoa's journalists and their right to report without fear or favour.

Manuia ma ia soifua.