New Zealand's next Ambassador to Indonesia will be career diplomat David Taylor, Foreign Minister Murray McCully said.

Amnesty International Aotearoa New Zealand has renewed its call for the New Zealand Government to ensure human rights are included in any dialogue with Fiji.

Wellington, Jan 12 NZPA - Fiji and New Zealand have agreed to improve diplomatic relations, signalling a thaw in the spat over the December 2006 coup in Fiji.

The United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) is focusing on ensuring support to people living in informal settlements in the Rewa River Delta region, to the east of the capital Suva.

Secretariat of the Pacific Community, Suva - 'I urge you to champion the cause of violence against women without any fear of a backlash from your constituents,' said Hon. Robert Oakeshott.

From Suva to Somalia, Pakistan to the Philippines and everywhere in between, New Zealand Red Cross humanitarian aid workers operating around the world won't have much time to stop for Santa this Christmas.

Save the Children is assessing the damage in Fiji as Cyclone Mick weakens and heads south east.

Joanna Matthew, Save the Children New Zealand staff in Suva said:

"We're on the ground in Suva right now assessing the damage in order to the work out what is needed.

Industrial action including strikes continues today at some of the six polytechnics covered by the ITP MECA. Union members resumed industrial action earlier this week after mediation between them and their employers failed to resolve the long-running dispute.

New Zealand's Acting Head of Mission in Fiji, Todd Cleaver, was formally declared Persona Non Grata by the interim regime early this afternoon and told to leave Fiji, Foreign Minister Murray McCully confirmed today.

Career diplomat Marion Crawshaw will be New Zealand's new High Commissioner to Papua New Guinea, Foreign Minister Murray McCully announced today.