Chrisnrita Aumanu-Leong
Solomon Islands
Chrisnrita Aumanu-Leong is ABC's reporter in Solomon Islands as part of the ABC's Pacific Local Journalism Network. She has worked on television and radio covering news, business, and sports.
Latest by Chrisnrita Aumanu-Leong
After humans abandoned this island, it became a land outside time. Their descendants are fighting to keep it that way
Tetepare was once home to tribes of people, before it was abruptly deserted about 200 years ago. Now, descendants are protecting it from logging and climate change.
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Solomon Islands has a new PM — and some say he will 'lower the temperature'
By foreign affairs reporter Stephen Dziedzic, Solomon Islands reporter Chrisnrita Aumanu-Leong, Evan Wasuka and Doug Dingwall
Former foreign minister and diplomat Jeremiah Manele has been elected as the new prime minister of Solomon Islands — and he's expected to maintain close ties with China.
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Solomon Islands' pro-China leader Manasseh Sogavare withdraws from the race to be next prime minister
By the ABC's Pacific Journalism Network's Nick Sas and Solomon Islands reporter Chrisnrita Aumanu-Leong
Solomon Islands' pro-China leader, Manasseh Sogavare, has withdrawn from the race to be the next prime minister following the country's national election.
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'All sorts of corruption': Solomon Islands MPs head to hotels to pick the PM in 'extraordinary' process
By the Pacific Local Journalism Network's Nick Sas and Solomon Islands reporter Chrisnrita Aumanu-Leong
An intense period of political horse-trading is underway in Solomon Islands after no political party won enough seats in last week's election to form government on its own.
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He's been called a 'budding dictator' on Australia's doorstep — with China's help, is that what he wants?
By the Pacific Local Journalism Network's Nick Sas, Solomon Islands reporter Chrisnrita Aumanu-Leong and Gabriella Marchant
Solomon Islands heads to the polls on Wednesday in what experts are calling the most important election in its history. Will the "master of mayhem" get a record fifth term?
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Solomon Islands PM backs China's political system, questions democracy values
By the Pacific Local Journalism Network’s Nick Sas, foreign affairs reporter Stephen Dziedzic and Solomon Islands reporter Chrisnrita Aumanu-Leong
Solomon Islands Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare has defended the "Chinese style" of governing while questioning the values of democracy in a fiery pre-election campaign speech insiders say will create nervousness in Canberra.
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What the Solomon Islands election means for China ties
By Solomon Islands reporter Chrisnrita Aumanu Leong and foreign affairs reporter Stephen Dziedzic
Opposition politicians in the Solomon Islands are vowing to make public or even scrap a deeply contentious security pact with China if they manage to oust Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare in elections this April.
'Repulsive work conditions': Solomon Islands doctors furious over Pacific Games spending
The Pacific Games has been heralded as a "resounding triumph" for the Pacific region, but with ill Solomon Islanders treated in hospital car parks, some are asking, at what cost?
It's the Pacific's 'mini Olympics' — some say it's more like 'a war zone'
By the Pacific Local Journalism Network's Nick Sas, Solomon Islands reporter Chrisnrita Aumanu-Leong and Evan Wasuka
Seven years in the making — and hundreds of millions of dollars later — this week Solomon Islands officially plays host to the 2023 Pacific Games, the region's "mini Olympics". But there's many other games going on.
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On a remote beach in Solomon Islands, family members sort out differences with spears. Another threat is proving more dangerous
By Chrisnrita Aumanu-Leong in Santa Catalina, Solomon Islands and the Pacific Local Journalism Network's Nick Sas
The island of Aorigi is a remote dot on the map south-east of the Solomon Islands' capital. And here on this day of celebration, spears fly.
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Solomon Islands PM blasts the United States after missing Pacific Leaders' Summit at White House
By Pacific Local Journalism Network's Nick Sas, PNG correspondent Tim Swanston and Solomon Islands reporter Chrisnrita Aumanu-Leong
Mr Sogavare said the US "lecture you and lecture you" about "how good they are" and suggested the Pacific Leaders' Summit — held in Washington this week — needs a rethink.
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Solomon Islands PM snubs meeting with Biden, praises China's 'global security initiative'
By the Pacific Local Journalism Network's Nick Sas and Solomon Islands reporter Chrisnrita Aumanu-Leong
Solomon Islands Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare has declined a White House invitation to meet with US President Joe Biden at next week's Pacific leaders' summit.
'We were not responsible': Pacific Islanders call on WWII combatants to decontaminate rusting shipwrecks
An estimated 3,800 ships were sunk during the conflict and remain on the Pacific Ocean floor. Many carried thousands of tonnes of oil and unknown quantities of unexploded bombs. As they rust through, experts fear a detrimental impact on the marine environment and local livelihoods.
China's built a new stadium for the Pacific's 'mini Olympics'. But not everyone wants it
By Solomon Islands reporter Chrisnrita Aumanu-Leong and ABC Pacific's Nick Sas
The Pacific Games are coming to Solomon Islands. But with hospitals, roads, and other basic infrastructure in a state of disrepair, many are asking a simple question: Is it a good investment?
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It was a time when armed militants roamed the streets. Then Australian troops came and took the guns away
By ABC Pacific's Nick Sas, Solomon Islands reporter Chrisnrita Aumanu-Leong and Mackenzie Smith
Gina Kekea was a young reporter at Solomon Islands national broadcaster when militants stormed the studio. Now, 20 years on, she hopes lessons have been learnt as her country faces an uncertain future.
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Sogavare snubs China in independence day address, rebuffs US LGBTQI+ 'threat'
By ABC Pacific's Nick Sas and Solomon Islands reporter Chrisnrita Aumanu-Leong in Honiara
Solomon Islands' PM thanks Australia, leaves out China in annual speech while questioning 'LGBTQIA+ threat'.
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Marles commits to ongoing defence, security support for Solomon Islands
By foreign affairs reporter Stephen Dziedzic and Solomon Islands reporter Chrisnrita Aumanu-Leong in Honiara
Deputy Prime Minister Richard Marles says Australia is willing to continue providing troops and police support to Solomon Islands.
In Solomon Islands it costs '$9,000 a month' to run an ice machine — welcome to the world's most expensive electricity
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By Solomon Islands reporter Chrisnrita Aumanu-Leong in Honiara, with ABC Pacific's Nick Sas
Solomon Islands has the world's most expensive electricity and one leader says it's keeping them "in the Dark Ages".
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Analysis
analysis:He signed a security pact with China saying 'friends to all, enemy to none'. These days, this leader has many friends
By ABC Pacific's Nick Sas and Solomon Islands reporter Chrisnrita Aumanu-Leong in Honiara
During the past three days, the office of Solomon Islands Prime Minster Manasseh Sogavare has been like a mini-United Nations. Nick Sas and Chrisnrita Aumanu-leong explain why.
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Tiphany is leaving her two kids behind to work in Australia. But if she's lucky, she might win the 'visa lottery'
By Solomon Islands reporter Chrisnrita Leong and Fiji reporter Lice Movono with ABC Pacific's Nick Sas
The federal government on Thursday announced plans for Pacific Islanders to migrate to Australia as permanent residents and, although it was largely welcomed across the region, some say more could be done.
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Unrest in Solomon Islands after prominent China critic Daniel Suidani ousted as provincial premier
By Chrisnrita Leong in Auki, Solomon Islands and foreign affairs reporter Stephen Dziedzic
Police in the Solomon Islands town of Auki fire tear gas on dozens of protesters after a prominent provincial leader loses a controversial no-confidence vote.
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This highly addictive psychostimulant is becoming increasingly popular in Australia
Chewed across South-East Asia and the Pacific, a market for the intoxicating betel nut has opened up in Australia, giving some Solomon Islander seasonal workers a taste of home.
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