With China increasingly seeking to influence Solomon Islands’ media, Australian news outlets must renew their commitment – and funding – to cover the Pacific.
The author of a major new essay collection reflects on the shifting cultural and political realities in the Pacific, and why it remains an ‘unequal ocean’.
As Climate Change and Energy Minister Chris Bowen lands in Dubai for COP28, Australia has announced an extra A$150 in climate finance with a focus on the Pacific region.
Historically, most Pacific visa programs in Australia have been tied to labour mobility. And none has specifically referenced climate change as a driving rationale.
Since its early history, Australia has seen the Pacific as a vast, empty region where foreign powers threatened its security. This focus has undermined our effectiveness in the region.
While the US is still primarily focused on countering Chinese influence in the region, Australia is making a real impact with its Pacific Engagement Visa.
New research looks at how different species have managed to cross geographic barriers throughout history and whether their individual traits played a crucial role in these journeys.
From the cuscus with the fancy coat, to the wallaby often sporting a single white glove, a wide variety of life evolved on island homes in the south-west Pacific.
Many Pacific islanders would likely not feel exploited serving in a foreign army; they would see it as an honourable duty that comes with economic benefits to improve their lives.