By Anna Kirk, an intern in the Lowy Institute's Melanesia program.
- Health officials working in Solomon Islands propose a response to the 'perfect storm' of conditions in the Pacific that threatens to overwhelm under-resourced public health systems.
- Jubilee Australia's Voices of Bougainville report concerning the possible reopening of the island's copper mine has sparked controversy. John Momis, leader of the Autonomous Bougainville Government, Bougainville landowner associations and the ANU's Dr Joanne Wallis have criticised the report.
- In Solomon Islands the Australian company Axiom has won its case against Japanese mining giant Sumitomo for prospecting licenses to nickel deposits. Sumitomo has since sought an interim injunction.
- A New Caledonian and Chinese business partnership has proposed plans to build a nickel smelter in Vanuatu. Denise Fisher has provided background on the tensions caused by nickel mining in New Caledonia on The Interpreter.
- The new Fijian parliament has been sworn in this week with Dr Jiko Luveni becoming Fiji's first female parliamentary Speaker.
- Pacific Islander players made their presence felt in the NRL Grand Final in Sydney on the weekend. Expect to see even more Pacific Islanders in the sport as the NRL rolls out its Pacific Strategy.
- A new report from ASPI puts forward some options for PNG-Australia police cooperation over the next decade: