Kerryn Baker
Biography
Publications
Kerryn Baker is a Fellow in Pacific Politics with the ANU’s Department of Pacific Affairs. She researches political participation, electoral politics and electoral reform issues in the Pacific Islands.
![A new era of democracy for Fiji – but where are the women?](https://www.lowyinstitute.org/sites/default/files/styles/expert_publications/public/2023-03/GettyImages-1448937476.jpg?itok=tfXkZPWG)
A new era of democracy for Fiji – but where are the women?
A steep decrease in the number of women representatives after the election suggests growing disengagement.
![A fast end to an era of political dominance in Samoa](https://www.lowyinstitute.org/sites/default/files/styles/expert_publications/public/GettyImages-944527972.jpg?itok=RJZwH4M2)
A fast end to an era of political dominance in Samoa
The Human Rights Protection Party has been in power almost continuously for nearly 40 years. Perhaps no longer.
![The Pacific and a “third option” to the independence question](https://www.lowyinstitute.org/sites/default/files/styles/expert_publications/public/6185149026_6a0a2c2e08_o_0.jpg?itok=CoYgWuns)
The Pacific and a “third option” to the independence question
Bougainville or New Caledonia could chart their own course with “flexible sovereignty” – but that might not be enough.
![The surprising sameness of the Solomons elections](https://www.lowyinstitute.org/sites/default/files/styles/expert_publications/public/47567879952_29c458148e_k.jpg?itok=DncJoweh)
The surprising sameness of the Solomons elections
There is a new normal for Solomon Islands politics – a fund of money makes sitting MPs much stronger than historically.
![The 2019 Solomon Islands election: how will women fare?](https://www.lowyinstitute.org/sites/default/files/styles/expert_publications/public/39378137965_55101a345b_o.jpg?itok=hOo40Yqt)
The 2019 Solomon Islands election: how will women fare?
In an unpredictable electoral environment, an enduring fact is women face higher entry barriers into politics than men.
![Women’s participation and preferential voting in PNG elections](https://www.lowyinstitute.org/sites/default/files/styles/expert_publications/public/voting%20booths%20JPEG%20%283%29.jpg?itok=arGDv8_2)
Women’s participation and preferential voting in PNG elections
An experiment with limited preferential voting has ended, having created little benefit for women in local politics.