A roundup of development policy issues in the Pacific by the Pacific Institute of Public Policy and the Development Policy Centre. Political impasse in PNG captures the world's attention PNG was plunged into political turmoil on 12 December after the 3-2 Supreme Court ruling that Peter O’Neill’s election as prime minister on 2 August was invalid. This article by Anthony Regan on the Conversation provides background to the events that led to the court’s ruling and the subsequent claims by both…

By Anna Naupa with contributions by Nick Howlett “Please circulate amongst your networks,” said an email sent to 50 people on a Futunese email group, which was then sent to a further 100 recipients on a Tafea youth group email list, another 30 on a Tafea Women’s Group email list and over 300 friends on the Tafea Facebook page, which is linked to other Vanuatu-based Facebook pages. This domino effect means that this message was received by at least 2,500 people,…

By Benjamin Sims, PiPP and ANU The South Pacific is in the world’s focus. At the Pacific Islands Forum in Auckland, high-level delegates from countries as diverse as Russia and Bhutan convened to lobby Pacific leaders during the four-day September gathering. While the Forum has been criticised for continually sidestepping the region’s big political issues, the 2011 leaders’ communiqué contained at least one element worth discussing. This year’s document stressed the importance of moving toward a ‘blue economy’. The blue…

A roundup of development policy issues in the Pacific by the Pacific Institute of Public Policy and the Development Policy Centre. Fiji and PNG budgets Fiji passed its budget at the end of November, and it has been cautiously welcomed by the international business community and excitedly embraced by the country's Chamber of Commerce. The budget includes radical taxation cuts — some 99 percent of the population will see their taxes reduced or cut entirely.  The government will instead raise revenue from a hike in…

A roundup of development policy issues in the Pacific by the Pacific Institute of Public Policy and the Development Policy Centre. The Pacific and the Asia-Pacific century? After cancelling two previous trips to Australia, US President Barack Obama finally touched down in Canberra and addressed the Australian Parliament, outlining his vision for a stronger US military presence in the Pacific. The visit hailed the 60th anniversary of the Australia-US alliance, and was marked by anagreement by Australia to host a full US…