19 May 2020 PNG and Covid-19: The costs of economic stress Catherine Wilson Many people will seek cultural supports, while a few might turn to crime. But this is far from a harbinger for chaos.
13 May 2020 The health challenge in PNG is far greater than Covid-19 alone Ishani Kaluthotage Dismal maternal mortality rates and deadly disease had already threatened to overwhelm a weak health system.
7 May 2020 Digital declarations: Political ads on PNG social media must be clear Shane McLeod Local politicians are deploying Facebook’s paid advertising tools. The dominant social platform should take a hard look.
4 May 2020 Notes on representing Australia in Papua New Guinea Ian Kemish A former High Commissioner to PNG reflects on the “high highs and low lows” of serving in a unique diplomatic role.
21 Apr 2020 The phony war ends: PNG’s coronavirus challenge takes shape Shane McLeod After questions, the past few days have begun to reveal how pandemic has been silently spreading throughout the country.
18 Mar 2020 PNG: Coronavirus promises a testing time for Marape Shane McLeod Although yet to have a confirmed case of Covid-19, PNG is preparing, knowing it will burden a fragile healthcare system.
13 Mar 2020 Papua New Guinea: Journey to Ambullua Kylie McKenna , Philip Gibbs , Lorelle Tekopiri Yakam , John Ulno A trek to a remote village in the PNG Highlands uncovers the everyday challenges and dangers facing children.
9 Mar 2020 Playing to strengths: The best use of Australian aid in the Pacific Amanda Robbins , Rachel Mason Nunn Big spending on infrastructure catches headlines but replicates the work of others and may not be what the region needs.
27 Feb 2020 Bougainville: Ringing in the change? Annmaree O’Keeffe John Momis towered as a figure in both PNG on Bougainville, but his time as president seems to be fast running out.
19 Feb 2020 PNG: Booting Exxon gives Marape a boost – for now Bal Kama The rejection of the P’nyang LNG deal signals a new way of doing business, and a shifting landscape for US concerns.
30 Jan 2020 The Bougainville referendum: Celebrations turn to sadness and hope Kylie McKenna The emotional responses to the vote offer a more nuanced picture than an emphasis on hypothetical worst-case outcomes.
16 Dec 2019 Favourites of 2019: Wewak Shane McLeod Far beyond the Port Moresby bubble, the capital of East Sepik Province in PNG cultivates a pleasing vibe.
9 Dec 2019 The celebratory Bougainville referendum – stories from Siwai Kylie McKenna , Augusta Ariku , Emelda Ariku , Lieberth Sam , Anthony Siniku Bamboo bands, drums, and groups of women singing and dancing are the backdrop as Bougainville decides its future.
4 Dec 2019 An upbeat mood in Buka as Bougainville waits for a result Gordon Peake With civic joy fuelled by nothing stronger than coconuts and Coca-Cola, the independence ballot is only the first step.
2 Dec 2019 Cultural heritage key to regional development in PNG and Australia Chris Urwin Exchanging ideas about successes on either side of the Coral Sea can lead the way to connecting people and institutions.
20 Nov 2019 Bougainville referendum: Not the last word Annmaree O’Keeffe If predictions of a vote for independence are right, figuring out the mechanics of statehood will be a struggle
31 Oct 2019 PNG’s supplementary budget: An honest accounting Maholopa Laveil James Marape warned the economy was “bleeding”, and setting out the true fiscal position is a first step to healing.
18 Oct 2019 Papua New Guinea’s untold media freedom challenge Himmat Shaligram Cuts by foreign news agencies, poor resourcing and cultural hurdles for local journalists are obstacles to overcome.
10 Oct 2019 PNG’s confusing budget debate Bernard Yegiora Amid claim and counter-claim, the true state of the PNG economy is lost amid personality politics.
9 Oct 2019 Bougainville’s predicament, independence or not Annmaree O’Keeffe Whatever path Bougainville follows after next month’s referendum, human development is its most urgent priority.
1 Oct 2019 PNG: Has education policy reform worked? Rachel Mason Nunn , Genevieve Nelson The ambition to improve the quality of teaching and provide free education has not entirely matched reality.
16 Sep 2019 Quiet and unquiet graves: letter from Port Moresby Gordon Peake What ghostly memorials of a distant past tell us about the present.
26 Aug 2019 The changing dynamics of Australia, PNG and the Pacific Watna Mori The visit by Papua New Guinea Prime Minister Marape signalled a new chapter in a historical relationship.
22 Aug 2019 Bougainville: A nation in waiting? Ben Bohane With an independence referendum looming, Australia’s interest is seeing this long-running issue resolved peacefully.
6 Aug 2019 PNG: making sense of a massacre Watna Mori From the heights of political power to the depths of violence, Hela province follows a familiar path.
1 Aug 2019 Economic diplomacy: Guns versus butter, trade wars, and feeding PNG Greg Earl Could trade talks with China be split from broader diplomacy in order to escape a security dilemma?
30 Jul 2019 PNG: Marape’s blueprint for change in a fast vanishing honeymoon Jonathan Pryke , Shane McLeod The new PM has big ambition to write a new chapter for the country but not to put himself at the centre of every deal.
18 Jul 2019 Karida village killings: violence and the vulnerability of women Nicole George This immensely sad and troubling episode has a context in the Pacific, and women of the region know it.
2 Jul 2019 More women – with more chances – is key to PNG’s democratic future Watna Mori Enough talk. Ensuring equal participation in politics is a challenge the new Marape government must rise to meet.
21 Jun 2019 Australia’s aid in PNG: the need for a gendered approach Jonathan Pryke , Divya Venkataraman Tackling endemic domestic violence and the lack of women in parliament should be renewed as a focus across the Pacific.
5 Jun 2019 Stepping out – and up – in the hot mess of the Pacific Mary-Louise O’Callaghan <p>Personal connections matter, and Scott Morrison’s ties to the Pacific run deeper than many realise.</p>
5 Jun 2019 The Pacific’s social politics Alastair Davis Damaging rumours might flash across phones, yet the answer to social media trouble lies not in bans but engagement.
23 May 2019 PNG: the Peter O’Neill legacy Watna Mori He speaks of the nation, but by his actions, Peter O’Neill’s effort to impose a sense of greatness is all about himself.
6 May 2019 Waiting in Waigani: PNG in political turmoil Shane McLeod Instability threatens Papua New Guinea’s government as a rival moves against Prime Minister Peter O'Neill.
24 Apr 2019 A billion reasons: the future of PNG’s Sustainable Development Fund Shane McLeod PNG Prime Minister Peter O’Neill is waging battle in the courts over a predecessor’s multi-billion dollar legacy.
15 Apr 2019 Australian media: missing in action on Bougainville Annmaree O’Keeffe But you can count on New Zealand – again!
10 Apr 2019 Plugging in PNG: electricity, partners and politics Shane McLeod <p>A big plan to connect 70% of the country to power by 2030 grabbed headlines. Delivering is the true challenge.</p>
22 Mar 2019 Australia’s PNG gateway: far north Queensland Shane McLeod The far-north will be key to closer cross-border ties and Cairns hosted the Australia-PNG Emerging Leadership Dialogue.
14 Feb 2019 The curious case of aid concentration in Papua New Guinea Jonathan Pryke The extreme concentration of aid from Australia to PNG stands out. It may be time for others to get involved.
21 Dec 2018 Bougainville’s Panguna – “a challenging opportunity” Annmaree O’Keeffe Opportunities in Bougainville won’t be easily or quickly realised, and certainly not without community support.
19 Nov 2018 Conflict, romance, and PNG: the APEC Summit Jonathan Pryke , Shane McLeod For the first time in the summit’s history, leaders failed to agree on a final communique, but plenty else happened.
9 Nov 2018 PNG and APEC: who gets to keep the Maseratis? Watna Mori The APEC leaders meeting will finally occur next week, but the costs still raise plenty of questions about priorities.
7 Nov 2018 The Orchids’ tale: PNG’s women’s rugby league team Joanna Lester A new documentary tells the story of the PNG Orchids at the World Cup and how they are changing perceptions of women.
19 Oct 2018 Deciding the future for PNG’s provinces Annmaree O’Keeffe Bougainville’s independence referendum is on the horizon. The prospect of autonomy in other provinces is also growing.
11 Oct 2018 Facing ghosts of the past in Bougainville Catherine Wilson Post-war justice has been elusive, but until grievances are confronted, the consequences of impunity can be deadly.
10 Oct 2018 Australia-PNG: relationships are what matter Ian Kemish The size of the aid cheque is no where near as significant as personal connections and sustained neighbourly attention.
11 Sep 2018 PNG: new friend versus old, APEC and polio Annmaree O’Keeffe Australia and China are playing out an aid-funded geostrategic dance, with Port Moresby the chosen venue.
21 Aug 2018 Prime Ministerial persistence: Australia vs PNG Shane McLeod <p>So much for the “arc of instability”, a PM in Port Moresby now outlasts an Australian counterpart.</p>
21 Aug 2018 The new battle for Bougainville’s Panguna mine Catherine Wilson Mining, without peace, won’t contribute to a longing for successful self-government and equitable development.
13 Jul 2018 Polio in PNG: a menace resurfaces Kaveri Devi Mishra A mass immunisation campaign is needed, and a dedicated effort to lift dismal health standards in the country.