Opinion: Mixing oil and water
As protests erupt across New Caledonia, a leading Loyalist politician claims indigenous Kanak and the West are like ‘oil and water’ Sonia Backès, the leading conservative anti-independence politician of her
Opinion
Fiji replaces Vanuatu as top PALM sending country
The Pacific Australia Labour Mobility (PALM) scheme has been transformed over the last five years. In June 2019, there were 5,886 PALM visa holders in Australia. Five years later, in May 2024, there were 32,513, an
Opinion: Small-Scale Fishers facing Large-Scale Challenges at WTO
A decision whether to conclude negotiations that prohibit subsidies that contribute to overfishing and overcapacity is happening next week at the World Trade Organisation (WTO). The WTO General Council meeting follows
Opinion: Bougainville’s home-grown independence constitution: Part 2
The draft of the Constitution of the Republic of Bougainville draws on numerous sources, including the Autonomous Bougainville Government (ABG) Constitution, the PNG Constitution, the Bougainville Peace Agreement (BPA),
Opinion: Bougainville’s home-grown independence constitution: Part 1
This is the first article in a two-part series on the history, context and key features of the proposed independence constitution that is in the process of being developed for Bougainville. On 06 May 2024, the
Wokbaot Wetem Kalja: Culture and Disaster Management in Vanuatu
“Climate displacement of populations is the main feature of our future. We have to be ready for it and plan for it now.” So said Vanuatu’s Minister for Climate Change, Ralph Regenvanu, when he took office in2022.
Pacific islands are being ‘debanked’. What does it mean – and why are Australia, NZ and the U.S concerned?
The withdrawal of major banks from Pacific islands poses significant socio-economic risks to the region, prompting intervention by Australia, the U.S and New Zealand. The so-called debanking of the Pacific – when
EU rebukes African, Caribbean, Pacific org ‘not aligned with reality’
The European Commission is privately threatening to stop propping up the 79-member Organisation of African, Caribbean and Pacific States amid concerns of financial mismanagement, just months after signing a new 20-year
Opinion: The political risk of a failed census in Papua New Guinea
The last reliable national census for Papua New Guinea (PNG) was conducted 24 years ago, therefore the 2024 census is critical. But early signs suggest the latest attempt to count the country’s population will not be
Opinion: Most plastics are made from fossil fuels and end up in the ocean, but marine microbes can’t degrade them
Marine plastic pollution is a massive environmental issue, with a plastic smog of an estimated 170 trillion particles afloat in the world’s oceans. This highlights how urgently we need to develop strategies to
Opinion: Tapestry of Pacific ambiguities: Political tensions against the backdrop of FestPac celebrations
The focus of the Festival of Pacific Arts, or FestPac, is always culture, and the 13th iteration held in June 2024 in Hawai’i was no different. More than two dozen island nations sent delegations of dancers,
Opinion: Samoa should make the most of the Pacific Engagement Visa
When presented with an opportunity like Australia’s Pacific Engagement Visa (PEV) scheme, don’t demur. Grab it with both hands and be grateful. Other Pacific countries including Fiji are all ready to sign
Opinion: The real cost of mining in Solomon Islands
The Rennell landowners are questioning the government again about the status of their royalty payments for the 33 bauxite shipments worth millions and their compensation claims for the Kangava Bay oil spill in 2018.
Opinion: Private sector can play a vital role in tackling plastic tsunami
The Pacific Islands, among the most picturesque yet vulnerable regions in the world, are facing an escalating crisis: plastic pollution. The initiation of a global plastics treaty, underpinned by initiatives such as the
Marine species disappear amid dredging works
As dredging works moved downstream in the Sigatoka River, Kulukukulu Village headman Christopher Herbert Work watched as the machines heading towards them dug up the river and spewed out sand and gravel to the
Opinion: Silent epidemic: The devastating impact of drugs on Fiji’s health and wellbeing
Fiji faces a critical mental health crisis, with rising drug abuse cases being one of several contributing factors. Social and economic challenges, along with limited access to mental health services, are also believed
Opinion: A turnstile of bad debt
Buried beneath the big-ticket items in the Australian Government’s latest budget statement, a relatively small outlay to Papua New Guinea (PNG) barely rates a mention. But, while the commentariat hones in on Stage
Opinion: Increasing women’s political representation in Solomon Islands
On 29 December 2023, the Solomon Islands National Cabinet approved the introduction of temporary special measures (TSMs) to improve women’s political representation in the Provincial Government Assemblies (PGAs).
Opinion: Fiji’s enormous contribution to global peacekeeping
29 May – the International Day of UN Peacekeeping – is an important day on the United Nations’ annual event calendar. It is a day that we mark with great pride, admiration, solemnity and honour for the men and
Opinion: Manele’s leadership in Solomon Islands: opportunities and challenges
Solomon Islands’ new prime minister Jeremiah Manele brings a new leadership style to the position, compared to the abrasive approach of his predecessor, Manasseh Sogavare. However, policies are unlikely to change, and
Opinion: Fiji’s three-speed economy
Fiji’s swift rebound from the pandemic-induced downturn has been impressive. The economy is doing better than it was in 2019 with tourism leading the rebound. Visitor arrivals in 2022 exceeded most expectations and
Opinion: PNG’s gold bill implications for the central bank
PNG’s proposed National Gold Corporation Bill 2023 has attracted lots of debate, objections, and protests. Just last week, the government agreed to amend the immensely long bill (currently over 500 pages!) and consult
Opinion: Why is New Caledonia on fire? According to local women, the deadly riots are about more than voting rights
New Caledonia’s capital city, Noumea, has endured widespread violent rioting over the past 48 hours. This crisis intensified rapidly, taking local authorities by surprise. Peaceful protests had been occurring across