Australia and the Pacific

What next for Papua New Guinea?
What next for Papua New Guinea?
It has been a tumultuous year for Australia's nearest neighbour. The protracted and controversial elections in Papua New Guinea took up most of 2017, with Peter O'Neill winning…
To lead in the Pacific, Australia must lead on climate change
To lead in the Pacific, Australia must lead on climate change
Richard Marles' address to the Lowy Institute this week was delivered with a rare eloquence. Marles is an impressive orator with genuine knowledge of the region gained over many…
Richard Marles on Australia and the Pacific
Speeches
Richard Marles on Australia and the Pacific
On 21 November the Hon Richard Marles MP, Shadow Minister for Defence, delivered an address to the Lowy Institute in Sydney on Australia's approach to the Pacific.
Cleaning up the Manus damage
Cleaning up the Manus damage
Last Tuesday saw the official closure of the Manus Island Regional Processing Centre, the Australian-funded and managed detention centre for unauthorised boat arrivals in Papua…
Paranoia on Aotearoa
Paranoia on Aotearoa
Almost 20 years ago to the day, then-Foreign Minister Alexander Downer addressed the University of Auckland on Australia-New Zealand relations: First and foremost, the Australia…
The end of RAMSI: A new beginning for policing in the Pacific
The end of RAMSI: A new beginning for policing in the Pacific
Nearly 14 years after Australian war ships appeared off the coast of Solomon Islands leading the largest expeditionary force in the Pacific since World War Two, the Regional…
Australia's marriage-equality debate reverberates through the Pacific
Australia's marriage-equality debate reverberates through the Pacific
Harriet Smith is an intern in the Melanesia Program, Lowy Institute. As the LGBTQ+ community in Australia continues the struggle for marriage equality, some are asking what…
Mapping Pacific aid: Facebook, India and money laundering
Mapping China’s opaque aid program in the Pacific Islands was more complicated and time-consuming than I had anticipated. I made peace with this fact when I found myself building…
Pacific links: Fiji's budget, Ok Tedi restructure, renewables, holiday reading and more
Matthew Dornan takes a look  at Fiji’s 2016 budget. He notes that while the overall economic situation in Fiji is sound, the major policy reversals and long list of ad hoc…
Pacific Island links: COP21, New Caledonian nickel, PNG education system and more
The outcomes of the Paris climate change talks have been praised by Pacific Island leaders. PNG’s Minister for National Planning, Charles Abel, spoke to Pacific Beat about the…