Free Education Fight in Parliament: PM Matthew Wale defended GREAT’s fee-free education plan in 2027, saying the “gate of the classroom” will not close due to poverty, while Opposition pressed for full costings and financing details; Wale says full costing will come to Parliament in December and that the Speech from the Throne is not the Appropriation Bill. Education Rollout Prep: MEHRD says groundwork is underway for 2027, including a Free Education Taskforce, specialist consultants, and curriculum reforms, with about SBD 1.4b allocated to education in the 2026 budget. Public Finance Discipline: Wale told Parliament the government is plugging revenue leakages by ending resource-sector tax exemption MOUs and restoring a single lawful exemption authority. Mining and Power Reforms: New Mineral Resources Bill moves royalties on a sliding scale with gold prices, adds government equity up to 25% in major projects, introduces “No Pay, No Ship,” and plans two labs to verify mineral exports; separate energy moves aim to cut Honiara electricity costs via Tina River hydropower transmission works. Infrastructure Budget Scrutiny: PAC halted MID’s supplementary budget review after figure mismatches, ordering reconciliation with Finance. Land Sector Overhaul: Government will introduce five land-related bills covering customary land governance, dispute resolution, housing, land information, and coastal/marine management. Regional Trade and Connectivity: Australia-backed work has pushed Honiara and the wider Pacific closer to cheaper, more reliable connectivity, with all PIF members now linked by undersea cables. Regional Diplomacy Tension: Pacific foreign ministers in Suva failed to agree on a joint statement condemning China’s missile test, with New Zealand accusing some members of being influenced by outside partners—issue likely to return at the Palau leaders meeting.