Australian and NZ Pacific Policies: Similarities and Differences

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Increased concerns about the growing influence of China in the Pacific seem to be the main reason why Australia, and to a lesser extent NZ, have "reset" their Pacific aid programmes. Their combined yearly aid now totals A$1B and both have increased their diplomatic presence. 

Fiji Pre-election Merry-Go-Round, and some NZ-Pacific News

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Update. The Elections will be held on 14 November
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Two observers who will be part of the Multi-National Observer Group (MNOG) for the 2018 General Election received their accreditation  from the Fijian Elections Office today. Co-leaders of the MNOG are Australia, India and Indonesia.  

Chief Electoral Officer Mohammed Saneem has urged those of the 620,000 potential voters who have not yet registered to vote to do so  in one of the 41 registration centres  by the end of next week.  

Rethinking how NZ Spends its Overseas Aid : Sam Sachdeva

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Sam Sachdeva is Newsroom's political editor, covering foreign affairs, trade, defence, and security issues.  

https://www.newsroom.co.nz/2018/09/16/237567/rethinking-how-nz-spends-its-overseas-aid

The Government’s “Pacific reset” and a $714 million boost to our foreign aid programme was big news earlier this year, but the first review of our aid policies in nearly a decade hasn’t made the same headlines. Sam Sachdeva reports on why it’s taking place, and what NGOs, academics - and Winston Peters - want from it.

The news in May of a nearly billion-dollar boost boost to New Zealand’s foreign affairs budget resulted in a predictably polarised response along political lines.

The Government, led by Foreign Affairs Minister Winston Peters, hailed the decision as an essential increase after years of neglect, while the National opposition accused it of “putting diplomats ahead of doctors”.

3. We're all in this together: the inter-dependence of NZ and the Pacific Islands

When Helen du Plessis-Allan (@HDPA) came under attack for her negative and, some would say, outrageous remarks abut Pacific Islanders, she tried to dodge the issue, saying

" I do not regret what I said because I was not talking about people living in this country or the people themselves. I was talking about the Pacific Islands and the people who run it [sic]."

Barbara Dreaver "We are all in this together."  pn 90

 Come on. What then was she talking about?  The geography  of the Pacific Islands and its political leaders?  Nothing and nobody else?  Not even the Niueans she called "welfare spongers"?   Who is going to believe this!