Commentary

Toby Ley argues that police brutality is a problem we all share. The aim of this piece is not merely to reiterate the standard response of horror and indignation. We need to go beyond the condemnation, and take a critical look at some of the main arguments in defense of the beatings.

There are early indications the motion of no confidence against prime minister Sato Kilman could be serious, with 10 members of parliament moving sides to sit with the opposition yesterday. PiPP’s Kiery Manassah gives us a wrap-up of the state of political play as Vanuatu’s first parliamentary session begins

Nikunj Soni spots an opportunity for vulnerable nations to redefine their development – and themselves. At the most recent Pacific Round Table discussion, Timor-Leste reminds the older nations of the region exactly what the struggle for independence was about, and the opportunities that now lie ahead.

Calling Melanesians benighted and backward is pointless and frankly dishonest. Photographs of the torture and execution of a woman from the highlands of PNG caused a global furore, typified by the headline: It’s 2013, And They’re Burning ‘Witches’. But who is this ‘they’ you keep talking about?

Since the independence movements of the 70s, very few colonial territories are left in the Pacific, with New Caledonia being one of the most prominent. Freelance journalist Nic Maclellan provides an excellent stock take piece of what New Caledonia has been up to of late.

Gender quotas is one most effective way to fast track women numbers in parliament, however attempts to implement quotas in pacific island states are being met with uptight reluctance across the board. Are they truly yet another barrier in disguise?