Pacific Waves is the flagship news and current affairs podcast of Radio New Zealand (RNZ). The program discusses political and cultural issues affecting countries in the Pacific region. These include, but are not limited to, nations such as New Zealand, Tonga, Tuvalu, and Fiji. In many instances, these countrie's news stories often go unreported or lack details. This show offers a platform for these diverse voices to be part of a more extensive discussion.

The host of this podcast is Susana Suisuiki. She is of Samoan descent and was born and raised in New Zealand. Suisuiki is a strong advocate for Native Pacific voices in the media and on the global stage. She began her career in journalism in 2012 as a junior health reporter for the website Islandher.com.

Suisuiki also served as an assistant editor at SUGA. The publication is notable for being one of the only print magazines focusing on Pacific women. She joined the RNZ team in 2022 as a journalist. In May 2023, Suisuiki became the producer and host of Pacific Waves.

Many of the stories on this podcast are of a political nature. Episodes focus on how the king of Tonga and his prime minister are in a cabinet dispute. Some topics are the struggles of women in Papua New Guinea.

Other times, the content is lighter in tone. One example is a feature on Cook Island's Rarotonga International Airport celebrating 50 years in operation. These subjects serve as a reprieve from the podcast's primary types of news.

Listeners may also appreciate the brevity of these episodes. Each installment of Pacific Waves averages between 15 and 25 minutes in length. This allows listeners to stay informed without making a significant time commitment. New episodes of the podcast air each week from Monday to Friday.