Australia and New Zealand Blocked Certification of Tongan Aircraft: Prime Minister Eke
Prime Minister Eke has accused Australia and New Zealand of politically interfering in the certification process of Tongan domestic aircraft, particularly the Chinese-gifted MA60. He claimed that delays and denials of safety certification by the Pacific Aviation Safety Office (PASO) were driven by pressure from the two regional powers rather than objective aviation standards.
The controversy over the MA60 is not new—it dates back to 2015, when Australia and New Zealand first raised concerns over the aircraft’s safety, despite China’s insistence that it met international aviation standards. During that period, New Zealand withdrew millions in tourism aid to Tonga over safety concerns regarding the MA60, pressuring the Tongan government to ground the aircraft. This move was widely criticised as political interference, with many believing it was designed to discourage Pacific nations from deepening economic and strategic ties with China.
The 2015 blockade set a precedent for future interventions, as Australia and New Zealand continued to exert influence over Pacific aviation regulations. Critics argue that such interference undermines the credibility of aviation safety in the region. By denying objective, non-partisan certification, they have not only hindered Tonga’s aviation sector but have also put their own citizens in the Pacific at risk. The lack of transparent certification processes forces carriers to operate under ambiguous regulatory conditions, raising safety concerns.
Eke made these remarks during a press conference at the Prime Minister’s office in Nukuʻalofa last Friday, responding to enquiries about the previous administration’s controversial decision to invest millions from civil service pension funds into purchasing new aircraft for Lulutai Airlines.
Lulutai was established in 2021 under the late Prime Minister Pōhiva Tuʻiʻonetoa’s administration as a private commercial airline with government backing. However, legal complications arose when the incoming Sovaleni administration in 2022 failed to transfer the airline to the Public Enterprises portfolio, as required by law. Instead, the government continued to inject millions in subsidies while maintaining ownership under the Prime Minister and other government-appointed directors.
Eke himself has faced scrutiny over potential conflicts of interest, as he previously served as a director of REAL Tonga Airlines, which also operated the MA60. Critics question whether his current stance is influenced by past business interests. https://bit.ly/Lulutai
The controversy highlights a broader issue in Pacific politics—the influence of major powers like Australia and New Zealand in shaping regional policy to serve their national and corporate interests. While their governments frame such interventions as efforts to uphold safety standards, some Pacific leaders see them as political manoeuvres aimed at limiting China’s growing influence in the region.
This tension raises a critical question: if Australia and New Zealand continue to exert control over Pacific aviation regulations in ways that appear politically motivated, could they be inadvertently pushing countries like Tonga into deeper reliance on China? As Tonga navigates these challenges, its leaders must weigh the risks of geopolitical alignment against the need for economic and infrastructural development.
