Australia and the Pacific
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,…
In Fiji, Bainimarama is back, stronger than ever
The Fiji elections have delivered a crushing victory for Rear Admiral (Retd) Bainimarama, author of the 2006 coup.
The victory was crushing not only for FijiFirst, Bainimarama's…
Fiji's elections: Four lessons for Australian diplomacy
Now that Fiji has held its first elections in eight years, it is time to take stock of the lessons for Australian diplomacy. These lessons should inform Australia's approach to…
New Caledonia: Australia's benevolent disregard
Imagine that the most senior leader of one of Australia's neighbours resigns suddenly during a visit by a minister. And that this follows an election where the winners cannot…
Fiji's election: More to do to restore democracy
After eight years of Voreqe Bainimarama's military rule in Fiji, there is much excitement about the prospects for Fiji's return to democracy with elections next week. Seven…
Fiji's election: Fair and free?
On 17 September, Fiji goes to the polls for the first time in eight years. This is a notable step forward given that, when I spoke to people in Suva a year ago, they were still…