Stay up to date with what's happening in the Pacific region
The Pacific Hub was established at the Griffith Asia Institute in 2020. Led by Dr Tess Newton Cain, Adjunct Associate Professor, the Pacific Hub adds to the established profile of the Institute by providing a suite of activities. including research, events, commentary, and professional services, focused on the Pacific islands region. Our work draws on Queensland’s very particular geographical, historical, commercial, and cultural ties with the Pacific Island countries. We contribute to local, national and international conversations and debates about how power, diplomacy, and development are playing out in the Pacific islands region. The Pacific Hub provides a platform to promote and share the related work of academics from Griffith University and an intersection point for us to meet and learn with the wider community, including Australia’s near neighbours in the Pacific.
WELCOME
Welcome to the Pacific Hub at the Griffith Asia Institute. We acknowledge the traditional custodians of the land and pay our respects to their elders past, present, and emerging. Here at the Griffith Asia Institute we recognise the importance of the Pacific islands region and are delighted to share with you what we are learning from each other, from our colleagues in the region, and from the diaspora communities here in Queensland and elsewhere in Australia. Whether you are looking for commentary from a Pacific perspective, hunting down our latest Pacific research, seeking a Pacific expert or needing professional inputs to a Pacific project or program, you are in the right place.
Need to know more? Please contact our Program Leader: Dr Tess Newton Cain
GRIFFITH ASIA LECTURE 2019
Secretary General, Pacific Islands Forum, Dame Meg Taylor gave the 2019 signature Asia Lecture, focusing on the geopolitical and geostrategic issues of economy, security and climate change challenging the Asia-Pacific. Her insights delivered an important and much-needed Blue Pacific perspective to the way we understand and engage with our Asia-Pacific neighbourhood.
“The Blue Pacific represents our recognition that as a region, we are large, connected and strategically important,” said Dame Meg. “It speaks to our collective potential and our shared stewardship of the Pacific Ocean.” She reiterated the economic trials facing the Forum, noting some of the most critical challenges are finding sustainable and cost-effective infrastructure development in the face of extreme climatic vulnerabilities.
MELANESIA MEDIA FREEDOM FORUM 2019
The Melanesia Media Freedom Forum was developed to respond to increasing media repression in Melanesia and to future-proof press freedom, though transnational regional co-operation and knowledge-sharing among Melanesian journalists, editors, publishers, press-freedom advocates and journalism scholars. This forum provided a safe space for media leaders who work in Melanesian countries and territories to collaboratively formulate strategies to counter increasing incidences of curtailment of media freedom. It enabled them to create pathways to enable mutual support in the face of existential threats to freedom of expression and communication. Scholars with expertise in this area presented their research and joined the forum to provide knowledge resources and support for this work.
Meet our researchers
Our experts are available to help provide a wide range of services to government and industry. Our skills and networks enable us to provide expert briefings on up to date issues in the Pacific, provide media commentary, undertake consultancy and commercial research, deliver specialist training and participate on expert panels.
Pacific research
South Pacific Centre for Central Banking
The South Pacific Centre for Central Banking (SPCCB) was founded in 2016 following the inaugural Central Banking Symposium hosted by Griffith University, where discussions were held to elevate the region's study group into a research centre for central banking. The SPCCB was formed to bring together world class economic and finance experts, with a clear aim to help build capacity for research and policy formulation and is committed to developing capacity for research and policy formulation at the South Pacific Central Banks.
Griffith Climate Change Response Program
The Griffith Climate Change Response Program (GCCRP) leads Griffith University’s research into climate change adaptation and mitigation. As climate change issues cut across many fields of study our research projects are transdisciplinary, bringing together the wealth of Griffith research expertise from across the University. GCCRP projects in the Pacific look at ecosystem based adaptation, regional management of climate change and the evaluation of cyclone-proof community buildings.
Pacific focused tourism research
The Griffith Institute for Tourism (GIFT) leads Griffith University’s research into resilient, regenerative and sustainable tourism futures. Their transdisciplinary projects provide innovative solutions to help tourism businesses and communities achieve their sustainable development objectives. GIFT’s research in the Pacific works through a culturally grounded and strengths-based lens, partnering with local stakeholders to maintain local autonomy and agency. With a focus on adaptive capacity, resilient destinations and the need for tourism to provide net benefits for people and places, GIFT researchers are tackling some of the biggest tourism challenges in the Pacific.
November 24, 2020
Weekly Pacific Bulletin | 25 November
Budget passed in Papua New Guinea In a further twist to the political drama playing out in PNG, the Marape government was back in Parliament last Tuesday after the Speaker ruled the previous week’s suspension invalid. Whilst the Opposition was stranded in Vanimo, the budget was passed in double quic...
November 17, 2020
Weekly Pacific Bulletin | 18 November
Political upheaval in Papua New Guinea Just 18 months since he took on the role of Prime Minister, James Marape now faces a battle to retain the job. Last week, a large number of government MPs – including thirteen ministers – sat on the opposition benches leaving Mr Marape looking very isolated. Wi...
November 03, 2020
Weekly Pacific Bulletin | 4 November
Controversial funding of biomedical start-up in Papua New Guinea Government funding of a biomedical start-up in PNG has caused controversy. Niugini Biomed was established as a company in August. Its shareholders and directors are members of staff at the University of Papua New Guinea. They have repo...
October 26, 2020
Calls for a COVID ‘kava bubble’ as supply from Pacific to Australia dries up
Kava-crisis - With little of the homemade Pacific brew available in Australia, prices have skyrocketed, and there’s been a spike in seizures at the border
October 22, 2020
From the Forum Foreign Ministers…
Last week, the Foreign Ministers of the Pacific Islands Forum met as one of the standing committees of the inter-governmental organisation. Dr Tess Newton Cain shares her insights.
October 20, 2020
Weekly Pacific Bulletin | 21 October
New security centre to be located in Vanuatu The government of Australia has announced that its Fusion Centre will be homed in Vanuatu. The Centre has been operating from Canberra since September of last year. There have been 21 analysts from 14 countries working in the Centre on short-term secondme...
October 13, 2020
Weekly Pacific Bulletin | 14 October
Solomon Islands reports COVID-19 cases Authorities in Solomon Islands have confirmed that their country is no longer free from cases of COVID-19. There have been two cases reported. Both of the people infected are students who have been recently repatriated from the Philippines. The process for repa...
September30, 2020
Battling COVID-19 amid dwindling government finances: An update from the Solomon Islands
In April this year, scores of public servants, those considered nonessential, were briefly put out of work. Although they have now been reinstated, their ministries’ budgets remain expurgated and workplans shelved. Many are content that they are still on the government’s payroll. Rightly so. It coul...
September28, 2020
Good neighbours? Supporting countries of the Pacific in meeting COVID-19 challenges
COVID-19 and its attendant health and economic impacts have left no part of the world untouched. As the year has progressed, bilateral and multilateral relationships, especially with Australia, have played a very significant part in how Pacific island countries have prepared for and responded to the...
COVID-19 aid to the Pacific
COVID-19 Pacific Aid Tracker
Working as a region to help our Pacific neighbours recover from the fallout of coronavirus
Click on a flag on the map below for a summary of aid to that country or view our searchable aid tracker database for more details.
Other resources
For information about economic responses to COVID-19 by Pacific island governments, see the Pacific COVID Economic Database from the Development Policy Centre at Australian National University.
The International Monetary Fund's Policy Tracker summaries the key economic responses governments are taking to limit the human and economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Publications
Pacific islands tourism during COVID-19: Time for a rethink
Ross Westoby, Johanna Loehr and Chris Fleming
Policy Brief: Strengthening Australia’s relationships with countries in the Pacific region
Tess Newton Cain and Wesley Morgan
Policy Brief: Activating greater trade and investment between Australia and Pacific island countries
Wesley Morgan and Tess Newton Cain
Oceanic hydro-politics: Exploring contemporary geopolitics of the Blue Pacific
Wesley Morgan
The state of the step-up: Australia's engagement with the Pacific
Tess Newton Cain
Griffith University-South Pacific Central Banks Joint Policy Research Working Papers
South Pacific Centre for Central Banking
Pacific news
Climate change and regionalism in the Pacific islands
A climate for change in the Pacific
Griffith and ADB host forum on Pacific Island COVID-19 impacts
Australia joins US and Japan to fund Palau highspeed internet cable
Calls for a COVID 'kava bubble' as supply from Pacific to Australia dries up
Is Australia failing Faamanu Faamanatu?
New Caledonia votes for independence a second time
Independence would offer New Caledonia more choice - Goa
Media under strain in Melanesia during challenging era
Why should Australians care about the Pacific?
Pacific island can adapt to climate change if locals take the lead
COVID-19 tracker traces financial aid in Pacific
Tracking COVID-19 assistance to the Pacific
Tracking COVID-19 aid and assistance to pacific island countries
When research meets policy: Second South Pacific conference kicks off in Vila!
Events
Pacific outlook regional commentary
The Pacific Outlook brings focus to the Pacific region through a weekly bulletin as well as expert commentary from experts in the field... Pacific voices on Pacific issues.