Articles | Lowy Institute

27 Oct 2025
Pacific Islands

Bougainville

Papua New Guinea
Bougainville’s independence deadline exposes peace agreement gaps

Kevin Pullen

With 2027 looming, unfulfilled provisions and post-referendum delays risk undermining 30 years of peace.
2 May 2024
Pacific Islands

Bougainville

Papua New Guinea
Bougainville’s future: The hard questions

Oliver Nobetau

There are good reasons to take time before Bougainville cuts loose from PNG.
23 Feb 2024
Climate change

Bougainville

China and the Pacific

Papua New Guinea
Geopolitics, but what of other Pacific players?

Nic Maclellan

Politics is a missing element of a new Lowy Institute assessment.
29 Jun 2023
Bougainville

Papua New Guinea
Bougainville – What’s next?

Joseph Nobetau

The 2019 referendum saw an overwhelming vote for independence, but the outcome is still unclear.
21 Dec 2022
Aid & Development

Timor-Leste

Australia

Public Diplomacy And International Broadcasting

Bougainville

Papua New Guinea

Review
Seeking independence: three books to read this summer

Jessica Collins

From Timorese history and Bougainville’s dreams to Australia’s regional stories, catch up on essential background.
31 Oct 2022
Australia

Bougainville

Papua New Guinea
Overcoming suspicion: reconciliation for Australia and Bougainville

Anthony Regan

The angry reaction to Richard Marles’ comments should be a warning to Canberra about the need to settle past grievances.
19 Nov 2021
Papua New Guinea

Bougainville
Bougainville independence: recalling promises of international help

Kylie McKenna , Emelda Ariku

The pandemic has blown the referendum result off front pages – but that doesn’t make the challenge any easier.
18 Jun 2021
Bougainville

Papua New Guinea
Bougainville independence: Pressure for PNG agreement builds

Anthony Regan

Setting goals for independence by 2025, UN membership and a sustainable economy signal Bougainville’s resolve.
28 Apr 2021
Papua New Guinea

Bougainville

Review
Power politics lies behind how new countries are born – or not

Gordon Peake

History shows a resounding referendum – like recently in Bougainville – is not alone in deciding future independence.
2 Dec 2020
Papua New Guinea

Bougainville
A false start for PNG-Bougainville consultations

Gordon Peake

The post-referendum process stalled after a delegation arrived in Port Moresby, only to have the meeting cancelled.
24 Sep 2020
Bougainville

Papua New Guinea
Bougainville: A new captain at the helm

Leanne Jorari

Ex-combatant Ishmael Toroama hopes to reward people’s patience and finally steer the island to independence.
8 Jul 2020
Papua New Guinea

Bougainville
Consulting on Bougainville’s future: The what, who, how and when

Gordon Peake

Making progress after the overwhelming independence ballot is as much a question of bureaucratic mechanics as politics.
25 Jun 2020
Papua New Guinea

Bougainville
A crowded house on the Bougainville ballot

Shane McLeod

With independence negotiations looming, hundreds of candidates are running for house seats, and 25 for president.
27 Feb 2020
Papua New Guinea

Bougainville
Bougainville: Ringing in the change?

Annmaree O’Keeffe

John Momis towered as a figure in both PNG on Bougainville, but his time as president seems to be fast running out.
30 Jan 2020
Papua New Guinea

Bougainville
The Bougainville referendum: Celebrations turn to sadness and hope

Kylie McKenna

The emotional responses to the vote offer a more nuanced picture than an emphasis on hypothetical worst-case outcomes.
9 Dec 2019
Papua New Guinea

Bougainville
The celebratory Bougainville referendum – stories from Siwai

Kylie McKenna , Augusta Ariku , Emelda Ariku , Lieberth Sam , Anthony Siniku

Bamboo bands, drums, and groups of women singing and dancing are the backdrop as Bougainville decides its future.
4 Dec 2019
Papua New Guinea

Bougainville
An upbeat mood in Buka as Bougainville waits for a result

Gordon Peake

With civic joy fuelled by nothing stronger than coconuts and Coca-Cola, the independence ballot is only the first step.
20 Nov 2019
Papua New Guinea

Bougainville
Bougainville referendum: Not the last word

Annmaree O’Keeffe

If predictions of a vote for independence are right, figuring out the mechanics of statehood will be a struggle
9 Oct 2019
Papua New Guinea

Bougainville
Bougainville’s predicament, independence or not

Annmaree O’Keeffe

Whatever path Bougainville follows after next month’s referendum, human development is its most urgent priority.
26 Sep 2019
Pacific Islands

New Caledonia

Bougainville
The Pacific and a “third option” to the independence question

Kerryn Baker

Bougainville or New Caledonia could chart their own course with “flexible sovereignty” – but that might not be enough.
22 Aug 2019
Australia

Papua New Guinea

Bougainville
Bougainville: A nation in waiting?

Ben Bohane

With an independence referendum looming, Australia’s interest is seeing this long-running issue resolved peacefully.
23 Apr 2019
Pacific Islands

Public Diplomacy And International Broadcasting

Bougainville
Simplistic and wrong to say the ABC is missing from Pacific coverage

Kellie Mayo

So often the ABC asks questions to provide answers other media outlets run with.
15 Apr 2019
Papua New Guinea

Bougainville
Australian media: missing in action on Bougainville

Annmaree O’Keeffe

But you can count on New Zealand – again!
21 Dec 2018
Papua New Guinea

Bougainville
Bougainville’s Panguna – “a challenging opportunity”

Annmaree O’Keeffe

Opportunities in Bougainville won’t be easily or quickly realised, and certainly not without community support.
11 Oct 2018
Papua New Guinea

Bougainville
Facing ghosts of the past in Bougainville

Catherine Wilson

Post-war justice has been elusive, but until grievances are confronted, the consequences of impunity can be deadly.
21 Aug 2018
Papua New Guinea

Bougainville
The new battle for Bougainville’s Panguna mine

Catherine Wilson

Mining, without peace, won’t contribute to a longing for successful self-government and equitable development.