Comments

Interesting article. I have 2 questions; 1. Have we ever thought where the high powered guns are coming from to be used in the clan battles? 2. Are there internal migration from one province into another? Reasons of migration could be for safety or collecting weapons to fuel escalation of violence from bows and arrows formerly to now high powered guns. Provincial borders especially between Hela, Enga and Sandaun to Indonesian border need to be monitored closely for my 2nd question.

The proposed PMI is a good approach in allocating the visa (PEV) to the Pacific Island countries. One of the requirement of the PEV is that the applicant (or the spouse) must have a secure formal ongoing job in Australia. In my view, this will be a challenge. Need to address this and the allocation issue holistically.

Apparently, the lead negotiators are also at risk for being the casualty. The harboring of hostage for ransom is uncommon and just migrated as one of the avenues for money making by this criminal elements. Fighting in the Highlands is like a game orchestrated to gain territorial land, fame and power just to outplay the opponent. Killing lives is the goal and the more lives are killed, the more goals are being scored. If the land or property is acquired during the fighting, there is extra bonus. The victor gain power and dominance while the victim bow out in dismay and re-strategies for the next move. This trend is sniffing its way down to the coast of PNG with escalating violence of killings. For example, in Madang Province, it is seen that beheading and chopping of bodies is the game that determines which group can be fearsome and untouched. Killing and violence is an epidemic and has collapsed the moral social cultural of the Melanesian way, which has strong sentiment to mutual problem solving with respect and peace. Cleary, Melanesian ways of problem solving have extinct with replacement of neo-melawesternisation, a hybrid of western influence and Melanesian culture with some instincts. Violence and killings is a disease of which it boils from the heart and fuels anger and eventually eats the hearts of the unfortunate who felt that they are uncared, unloved and are unable to secure meaning in their lives. They think of themselves as the victims of the left behinds. May of those have no education, unemployed, and are living in the fringe of remoteness. To make name for themselves to gain recognition, aided with influences of alcohol and drugs, they resort to violence and killings. Our villages used to be the place for retiring for holidays or for peace but it is not safe anymore. It is no longer a refuge as home. You can be killed any time when police is not there and hospitals are far away to reach to get treated. Towns and cities are more safer and have easy access to the basic needs and services. You can see why people migrate to towns and cities in search for these.

Come on Aussie come on ... give it a go ... New Zealand has shown it can be done and benefits all ... now is the time to show the true Vuvale Partnership you all been preaching ...

Australia has a lot to learn from France in dealing with the Pacific. Last year (2022) I visited New Caledonia and was quite impressed by the evolution of power relations between Metropolitan France and the island territory. Coincidently, during the week that I was in the most separatist province (Northern Province), the sculpture of Jean-Marie Tjibou shaking hands with Jacques Lafleur was erected at Peace Square (Place de la paix) in Noumea. The Pacific is still in the process of decolonisation. The discourse is the development uses terms such as "local context", "hybrid model", "home grown" etc... to justify or give credibility to development initiatives that usually involve importing ideas, materials, and institutional structures from outside. I think the story of how France relates to the people of New Caledonia in responding to their development needs while accommodating aspirations for self-determination is relevant to discussions and practice of development in the Pacific. In terms of the relevance of France to PNG, we have the investment by Total in the Papua LNG project. France could also assist PNG in the extractive industries with the experiences of empowering the Northern Province government of New Caledonia acquire greater control of the value chain of the Nickel industry. The set-up of the agriculture and livestock sector in New Caledonia can also inform the development of the sector in Melanesia. I thank the authors for highlighting the importance of France in the Pacific.

Looking forward for P.E.V and hopefully it gets the approval from the Senate and we can apply. Hope it happens

More insights like this is needed to foster and revive some "silenced" regional development coordination instruments born out of the 2009 PIF Cairns Compact on Strengthening Development Coordination (Forum Compact), which mobilised both Pacific countries and a host of key donor partners (including Australia, USA, Japan, UN, ADB, World Bank, EU) around accountability mechanisms aimed at regular review and subsequent reform of Pacific PFM and aid management systems through peer review; and annual reporting of donor partners against international principles of good practice (Paris, Accra, Busan) to Pacific leaders ie: donor coordination, use of country systems etc. These were Pacific country led approaches that for some reason have been pushed to the margins of regional development discourse and practice, yet, from the growing geo-political competition in the Pacific, is still very much needed.

Dear Mr Singirok, Thank you very much for your response and for engaging with my academic analysis of your book. Please understand my commentary was not intended as a personal attack, although I can understand why you might feel strongly about the issues. I am sure, we both agree that an open dialogue on issues relating to our country, we both know and love, is important and should be encouraged. It is my duty as an academic to engage in analysis of important topics, such as those engaged in by your book. These are issues on which reasonable people might disagree, but that should not be a reason not to discuss them. Kind regards, Henry Ivarature BA Hons 1st Class (Political Science), UPNG (1988) MA (Public Administration), Victoria University of Wellington, New Zealand (1991) PhD (Sociology), Victoria University of Wellington, New Zealand (1994)

🤞Let's hope and pray for the end of July. Because it has to come as a give and take for both Australia and its Pacific neighbor. It may have Pros and Cons which needs careful reconsideration. Looking forward 👌 Thank tumas for this article 🙏

Really looking forward to the passing of this bill in the Australian senate. With the youth bulge in Papua New Guinea and the Pacific it is a great opportunity to be permanent residents of Australia and contributing to our home countries in terms of remittances. Can't wait to apply for the lottery.

Malo le soifua maua male lagi e mama Melesisea Leasiolagi Malama, Fa'afetai lava for three excellent blogs drawn from your keynote presentation at the recent Pacific Update 2023 conference in Suva. Your insightful comments on the impact labour mobility schemes are having on Samoa's families, communities, businesses and wider economy are greatly appreciated. Many of the concerns that Samoa's current government have about temporary labour migration in Australia and New Zealand are surfacing in Tonga and Vanuatu as well -- the other two countries that have been primary sources of temporary labour for primary sector industries and enterprises overseas. Your reflections on the challenges facing the operation of temporary labour migration schemes in Samoa will be very helpful for those currently involved in reviewing policies relating to labour supply in their own countries, as well as those in New Zealand and Australia who are reviewing policies relating to the operation of the RSE and PALM schemes. Fa'afetai lava.

Hi Joyce, as the blog says, the PEV has not yet been legislated – but you can go to the Australian Government website for further information on eligibility, etc: https://www.dfat.gov.au/pacific-engagement-visa