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Utterly myopic kakistocratic government whose sole aim appears to be a wealth generating exercise for the benefit of one family. The need of the hour is to defenestrate the incumbents and appoint a national Government to bring calm and stability to a volatile desperate situation, engage with the IMF and restructure the debt, restore integrity to the financial system by appointing qualified people to crucial positions, ensure the Judiciary is independent, and appoint credible politicians to the various ministries.

Sounds great, BUT THE TWO COUNTRY GOVERNMENT NEED TO PAY VANUATU ROYALTY.

Knowledgeable, analytical, logical and based on good theory. Well presented as well.

This is a good analysis over the situation and the regarding the tax cuts gave this crisis the boost it needed

The writer ignores one critical element in this disaster. Most of the money that was borrowed for development projects have been stolen and syphoned off by politicians and high government officials acting together. So, very little of the money actually went into the projects themselves. The costs of most projects appears to have been inflated two or three times the actual cost for the express purpose of syphoning money off. The Global International Integrity Project in Washington has estimated that between 2005 to 2014, 19 billion dollars have been taken out of the country illegally. That is far more than what the country needs to service the debt and for all imports in a given year.

Hi Satish, I think you are referring to the case of the SWP worker who appeared before the Senate Committee recently. It is important to note that this worker received $100 after deductions for just one week, and that their average weekly earnings for their contract period was in fact $394. The $100 minimum has been increased by the employer concerned (MADEC) to $200 a week. Maybe $100 is too low even for a single week. But unless you are going to get workers to pay their full airfare there are going to be early weeks of low pay after deduction. And the occasional week of low payment wouldn’t explain absconding. For our Pacific Possible project with the World Bank we had to compare the net earnings of seasonal workers in Australia and New Zealand, and they was actually slightly higher in Australia (based on Gibson and McKenzie numbers). More than a few workers have absconded: last year it was about 10%. Two key differences between NZ and Australia are the one Charlotte highlights: the absence in NZ of non-scheme employers and intermediaries trying to persuade the workers to leave; and the non-availability in that country of protection bridging visas as de facto work visas. Regards, Stephen

You were a seasonal worker, so you know how hard it is when you come to Australia. The change I would like to see is the reduction in deductions and the debt that the workers arrive in Australia with. Really if these workers are coming to Australia to do a job that Australians don't want to do, should they be charged an airfare? Clothing - they aren't equipped with proper clothing for climate, yet they have a clothing allowance for work gear. Accommodation - inadequate in lots of cases, 3 people sharing a room and paying $200 each a week, to share a room in a backpacker overlooking Sydney Harbour for 7 nights is $138. Then they are charged for transport to and from farm. By the time they get their first pay, they have hardly anything to live on. Food in Australia is expensive now. So if any change should be made, it should be to the deductions that are costing these seasonal workers grief. Please consider this when implementing change.

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I am an Ni-Vanuatu having facing the challenge and achievement as an SWP in 2009 now wish to become an agent or direct recruiter to contractor in Aussie or NZ. How do I obtain the list of Australia an NZ Vanuatu contractors to negotiate and request an approved employment letter of sponsorship? Please provide me some contacts I believe in implementing some agency policy to cater for convenient access to join SWP and a formal way of better communication systems with contractors and employees while I Vanuatu.

Thanks for this informative post Charlotte, and for the helpful comments Dan. Pacific seasonal workers leave home to earn income, and they are told before departure of the large sums of money they will save while abroad. Those on RSE remit enough, even when on lower wages than some of their SWP-counterparts, because costs of upkeep in New Zealand are generally lower than those in Australia. We cannot blame the few SWP-workers for absconding if they received $100 in their bank account for a week's work - amounts insufficient to pay for food for the week. Not all SWP-workers are paid these paltry sums and not all abscond, but those who do deserve a sympathetic ear on their reasons for leaving.

Reading this again after the creation of 7 seats. Two additional points: 1. Since the formula for creation of new electorate relies on population size, it becomes troublesome (legally) when redistricting is done based on outdated or unreliable census data. 2011 census was a mess, so it’s 2001 then. That would be outdated, and may become a legal question on whether 2001 numbers can be used for redistricting. 2. Though MPs cannot part of the EBC, they can form a parliamentary committee to scrutinise EBC proposals. Not sure whether parliament had a committee to look into the EBC proposal (the proposal for Heal/Jiwaka were rejected twice by parliamentary committee before it was accepted). 3. When EBC proposal is presented, there is a risk that parliament can cherry pick which proposal to accept, which is what they have done. 4. Gerrymandering is not possible in PNG. With no commitment to party, MPs in the new electorates can switch anytime. The government cannot benefit from new districts if numbers were what they were interested in.

Thanks Cameron - two comments (1) the foreign aid budget needs to be protected from any Government's domestic priority of a "balanced budget". Governing is a lot more than an annual accounting exercise and any reference to the dollars in the aid budget is just the start of why Australia gives aid. (2) it's to be effective in demonstrably reducing poverty and improving the lives of people in the recipient countries. So I agree that the Office of Development Effectiveness needs to be re-created. It would be the next step in embedding the practice of evaluation across the Australian Public Service. This is now making a comeback, after the former "managing for results" era disappeared after 1996. In December last year, the Finance Department operationalised this welcome development, with its Resource Management Guide 130 "Evaluation in the Commonwealth". https://www.finance.gov.au/government/managing-commonwealth-resources/planning-and-reporting/commonwealth-performance-framework/evaluation-commonwealth-rmg-130 It's a good guide to undertaking program evaluations, but such practice needs to be both implemented across APS Departments and embedded in long-term practice. A good start would be in our aid programs.