High tension cables

Undersea internet cables connect Pacific islands to the world but growing geopolitical tensions between the United States and China is tugging at the wires.

Spotlight on gender-based violence in PNG

Violence against women is a wicked policy problem that plagues governments across the world. Papua New Guinea is no exception, indeed it has some of the highest rates of violence against women in the world.

Sharing information across the Pacific

A regional maritime information centre for the Pacific would provide a one-stop shop for data about threats in this vital maritime domain.

Fiji walks the tightrope between the USA and China

With the resurgence of COVID-19, Fiji once again sees itself at the centre of great power rivalry as assistance arrives from both the United States and China.

Samoa’s first female prime minister takes charge

After a long political stand-off, Naomi Mata’afa Fiame has become the first woman prime minister of Samoa, and the second-ever woman head of government in the Pacific islands region.

Tides that bind: Australia in the Pacific

In his new book, “Tides that Bind: Australia in the Pacific”, ALP Deputy Leader Richard Marles urges Australians to build better relationships with our friends in the Pacific, boost regional development and maintain peace in the region.

France in the Pacific

In a speech made during a visit to French Polynesia, French President Emmanuel Macron underlined the benefits of French protection in the region, within the framework of France’s Indo-Pacific strategy and with New Caledonia’s impending independence vote in mind.

Supporting a ‘blue recovery’ in the Pacific: GAP Summit report

The inaugural GAP Summit for the Pacific and Small Island Nations called for new public-private partnerships between Australia and the Pacific that should stem from realising the true value of the Pacific’s societies and environment.

Climate change spells trouble for tuna-dependent Pacific Island economies

Tuna fishing is vitally important for the economies of many Pacific Small Island Developing States such as the Cook Islands and Tokelau, including 10 which are “tuna dependent”. However, climate change is driving tuna further to the east, and could cut tuna numbers by a fifth by 2050.

Australia and the Latin American Pacific

This week marks four years since Australia began ambitious negotiations for a free trade agreement with the Pacific Alliance. This year also marks ten years since the Pacific Alliance bloc was first formed by Chile, Colombia, Mexico, and Peru.

Australia’s Seasonal Worker Programme is failing workers and employers

A reinvigoration of Australia’s seasonal worker programme would help boost the economies of both Pacific Island Nations and regional Australia while strengthening regional ties.

Cracks in the Pacific

The ongoing power struggle in Samoa is just one of several thorny political issues affecting Pacific Island Nations or disrupting regional unity.