Foreword
It is with great pride that I welcome you to the second edition of Kundu & Lali, our South Pacific-focused newsletter from the Fiji and PNG offices of KPMG. This quarterly publication reflects our commitment to providing timely, relevant, and strategic insights across the region. The SPP partners continue to collaborate to bring you perspectives that matter—whether you're navigating workforce challenges, responding to regulatory developments, or exploring new investment opportunities. Our goal is to support businesses and institutions in building resilience and unlocking growth in an increasingly complex environment.
In this June 2025 edition, we delve into two critical themes shaping the region: workforce transformation and financial system integrity. From the implementation of job architecture frameworks to address talent retention, to the implications of PNG’s potential FATF grey-listing, we offer analysis and guidance to help you stay ahead. We also spotlight recent improvements in PNG’s foreign exchange landscape and unpack key measures from Fiji’s 2025/26 National Budget. These developments underscore the dynamic nature of our region and the importance of agile, transparent, and future-ready strategies. We hope this newsletter continues to be a valuable resource for you and your organisation.
Leveraging Job Architecture for Talent Retention
by Marissa Apted, Partner, Advisory Services
Organisations across Pacific Island countries are grappling with persistent workforce challenges. Labour shortages, high turnover, and skills mismatches are common across sectors – from tourism and healthcare to mining and logistics. These issues are compounded by high emigration rates, informal employment, and limited access to formal training. In this context, a job architecture framework offers a powerful tool for organisations to build resilient, future-ready workforces.
From Grey to Great: What is required of PNG?
by Zanie Theron, SPP PIC
At this time, it is clear that PNG will likely be grey-listed by the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) in early 2026. When a country is grey-listed by FATF, it means that the country has been identified as having strategic deficiencies in its systems to combat money laundering, terrorist financing and proliferation financing.
Other topics covered include:
KPMG Kundu & Lali newsletter series
Learn about key regulatory and geopolitical issues affecting the business entities in the South Pacific region.
