Australia and the Pacific
Australia's Pacific aid budget spared from serious cuts
By Jenny Hayward-Jones, Director of the Lowy Institute's Melanesia Program, and Phillipa Brant, Research Associate.
The Pacific Islands region has been spared any serious impact…
Cyclone Pam: A photo essay from a volunteer
By Eva Westfield, who was an Australian volunteer based in Port Vila.
Consistently rated the most dangerous countries in the world in terms of disaster risk, Vanuatu is no…
Timor-Leste: New prime minister, new approach
It has finally happened. After months of 'will he, won't he' melodrama, Xanana Gusmão, Timor-Leste's resistance leader and long-serving prime minister, has stepped down.
His…
Freedom of the press in Fiji under pressure
Fiji held its highly anticipated election in September 2014, but does that make it a democracy?
There's much more to a functioning democratic system than people putting a mark…
Jerry Singirok on PNG violence
By Jenny Hayward-Jones, Director of the Melanesia Program, and Mark Tamsitt, Research Associate at the Lowy Institute.
Last weekend's clash between the PNDGF and police, which led…
Military-police violence in PNG: Australia must pay attention
Just hours after Brigadier General Gilbert Toropo delivered a cautiously upbeat address to the parade marking the end of his first year as Commander of the Papua New Guinea…
Solomon Islands needs a parliament that will deliver results
The conduct of the general elections in Solomon Islands on 19 November appears to have been largely successful. An interim report from the Commonwealth Observer Team led…
New Caledonia: Australia must show assertive impartiality
Thirty years ago to the week, New Caledonia was torn apart by violent protests. The pro-independence FLNKS boycotted an election and town halls were burned throughout the country…
The case for Pacific Island regionalism
A few months ago I stood on a beach in Tarawa, the most populous of islands comprising the Micronesian nation of Kiribati. It's long and thin sliver of land where you can walk…
Pacific island links: Australian-Fiji ties, Micronesian trade, Benny Wenda and more
Catch up with news, commentary & analysis from and about the Pacific island region:
Australia is working hard to normalise relations with Fiji now that the election is over,…