In a powerful display of cultural and family pride, Brisbane Broncos powerhouse Payne Haas has revealed the deeply personal reason behind his decision to represent Samoa on the international stage.
The 25-year-old, a four-time representative for the Australian Kangaroos, spoke at Suncorp Stadium about the moment that cemented his choice: the anthems played before a clash with Samoa during the 2023 Pacific Championships.
“There was a moment when I played for Australia when we versed Samoa, the anthems were playing and my mind started racing back to lots of memories with my mum and her making us sing the national anthem of Samoa a lot in the back of the car,” Haas said, a red Samoan ula resting on his shoulders.
“From that moment onwards I wanted to play for Samoa and represent my mum’s side, the Taufua side, and make them proud and my grandparents as well.”
The journey to don the blue of Samoa is a full-circle moment for Haas, who was inspired by his uncle, Mark Taufua, a former Samoan Test player and now a staff member with the team.
“He played for Toa Samoa as well. I remember watching him do the Siva Tau (war dance) and I always wanted to do it,” Haas said.
“We used to always do it in front of the TV. So I get my moment now to play for Samoa, something I always wanted to do. I’m just privileged and blessed.”
Haas, who also has Filipino and Swiss heritage, said his mother, Joan Taufua, gave him her full blessing for the switch.
“It was more my mum and having her blessing. I spoke to her on the phone and she was all for it,” he said.
“To have my mother’s blessing means the world. I just want to make her proud and do our Taufua name proud.”
His decision has been met with respect, even from his former Australian coach. Haas said he spoke with Kevin Walters, who “took the news ‘well’ and understood his reasoning.”
With other top players like Tino Fa’asuamaleaui and Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow reportedly considering a similar move, Haas offered a simple message to them: “Follow their heart.”
“Hopefully we get a few more boys over,” he said.
Haas is set to make his debut for Toa Samoa in the Pacific Cup against Tonga at Suncorp Stadium on October 26. He acknowledged the trailblazing efforts of Jason Taumalolo, who switched from New Zealand to Tonga in 2017 and changed the international landscape.
“He is someone that inspired me to make this move as well,” Haas said.
“I feel like versing Tonga here is just fitting. It is going to be massive. I can’t wait.”
The Pacific Cup is just the beginning. The ultimate goal for Haas and the Samoan squad is the Rugby League World Cup, which will be co-hosted by Australia and Papua New Guinea in 2026.
“I feel like we can win it with the team we have got now,” Haas stated confidently.
“We have great players and it is our goal to win the World Cup.”
The Pacific Islands Forum Fisheries Agency (FFA) announced that it has received a US$60 million payment for 2024 from the United States government under the Economic Assistance Agreement (EAA) associated with the Treaty on Fisheries.
The payment, which was confirmed by U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau earlier in the week, will be allocated to the 16 Pacific Island Parties that comprise the FFA’s membership.
“This is a positive and welcome development, and a clear demonstration of the US Government’s commitment to the EAA, the Treaty, and its cordial relationship with Pacific Island States,” said FFA Director-General Noan David Pakop.
Pakop expressed confidence that the initial payment would be a positive sign for the future of the agreement.
“We are confident that this initial payment will pave the way for the approval of the 2025 payment and future payments under the EAA,” he said.
The Treaty on Fisheries, which allows U.S. purse seine fishing vessels to operate within the Exclusive Economic Zones (EEZs) of the Pacific Island Parties, has been in effect for 37 years since it came into force in 1988.
Its terms and conditions have been periodically renegotiated, with the latest extension concluded in June 2024, extending the agreement for the next 10 years (2023-2033) with revised terms and a new financial package.
The 16 Pacific Island Parties involved are: Australia, Cook Islands, Federated States of Micronesia, Fiji, Kiribati, Marshall Islands, Nauru, New Zealand, Niue, Palau, Papua New Guinea, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Tonga, Tuvalu, and Vanuatu.
SOLOMON Islands Prime Minister, Jeremiah Manele’s recent decision to exclude global powers from the upcoming Pacific Islands Forum (PIF) leaders’ meeting has sparked considerable debate in Western media.
While some outlets have framed it as a snub or a sign of growing Chinese influence, a closer look at Manele’s background as a seasoned diplomat suggests a more strategic motivation.
Having served in various diplomatic roles prior to becoming Prime Minister, Manele is known for his measured approach and deep understanding of international relations.
His comments regarding the PIF decision, therefore, should not be dismissed as mere oversight or the result of external pressure.
Diplomatic Background drives Strategic Move
Prime Minister Manele’s decision is deeply rooted in his extensive background as a career diplomat. For decades, he has worked to advance the Solomon Islands’ interests on the international stage, giving him a unique perspective on managing relationships with powerful nations whilst prioritizing regional unity.
Manele’s experience includes serving as a counselor and later Chargé d’Affaires at the Solomon Islands Permanent Mission to the United Nations in New York from 1997 to 2002.
He also held senior roles within the government, including Permanent Secretary of the MFAET and Secretary to the Prime Minister and Cabinet. These positions have given him a comprehensive understanding of the domestic and international considerations that shape his nation’s foreign policy.
In explaining the rationale behind the move, Manele explicitly referenced the 2023 Rarotonga Leaders’ Communique.
“It is a sovereign decision for Solomon Islands as the host. We are deferring the dialogue partners meeting because the process for the review and reform of the Post-Forum Dialogue is ongoing,” Manele says.
This emphasis on regional ownership and the need for a strengthened internal approach to engaging with external partners emphasizes a strategic objective.
Manele is seemingly prioritizing the unity and autonomy of the Pacific Islands Forum, while allowing member states the space to define their own terms of engagement before being potentially pulled in different directions by competing global interests.
“The deferral aims to give the region time to strengthen our collective approach to engaging with our partners,” he further elaborated.
While the potential participation of Taiwan and China’s strong opposition are widely speculated to be a contributing factor, Manele’s public statements have consistently focused on the procedural aspects and the need to reinforce the Forum’s internal processes.
This diplomatic manoeuvring could be interpreted as an attempt to prevent a divisive issue from overshadowing the core agenda of the PIF, which traditionally centers on pressing regional concerns like climate change, the protection of the Pacific Ocean, and sustainable development.
The decision has elicited varied reactions from both within, and outside the Pacific.
While some leaders have voiced concerns, others appear to understand the strategic rationale.
President of Palau, Surangel Whipps Jr, whose nation maintains ties with Taiwan, has publicly supported the deferral, suggesting a degree of regional understanding for Manele’s approach.
Ultimately, Jeremiah Manele’s diplomatic background lends assurance to the interpretation that the decision to defer dialogue partners is a calculated move, prioritizing regional solidarity and a more unified approach to external engagement.
Whether this strategic gambit will serve the long-term interests of the Blue Pacific remains to be seen, but it undoubtedly reflects a deliberate and well-meaning effort to navigate the complex geopolitical landscape with the region’s best interests at heart.
Solomon Islands Prime Minister, Jeremiah Manele is setting a clear example for transparent governance in the Pacific.
Manele hosts a press conference twice every month, to brief journalists on the government’s latest activities, policies, and plans.
It is a commitment, he says, reflects his administration’s view of the media as a vital bridge between government and citizens.
“It’s important in terms of transparency and accountability,” Manele told InsidePNG and In-depth Solomons in an exclusive interview.
“It’s an opportunity where we can inform our people through the media on the implementation of government programs, policies, activities, even upcoming visits or the outcome of those we’ve undertaken.”
A Positive Shift from Past Leadership
His approach has been praised as a welcome departure from previous leadership styles.
“Manele’s decision to face the media and field questions from journalists is a huge step towards open government, transparency and accountability,” said Ofani Eremae, President of the Media Association of Solomon Islands (MASI).
“This is something that had been missing under the last leadership of Manasseh Sogavare,” he added.
“Regionally, I think Manele’s approach aligns more closely with norms seen in countries like Papua New Guinea, where Prime Minister James Marape holds media engagements, though sometimes more sporadically.”
Solomon Islands Broadcasting Corporation’s News and Current Affairs editor Fredrick Kusu said the fortnightly press conferences are welcome news for journalists in Solomon Islands.
“The decision to conduct regular press conferences with journalists is a positive development because it allows journalists to ask questions about governance directly to the Prime Minister,” Kusu said.
“This transparency enables the public to stay informed about what is happening in the country, especially at the government level,” he added.
In Solomon Islands, Journalists at a recent press conference hosed by the Prime Minister, Jeremiah Manele. [[Photo/SI PM’s Media]]
Countering the Rise of Misinformation and AI Manipulation
This practice is rare among regional leaders and comes at a time when AI-generated fake content and disinformation campaigns are rife online.
“What goes out to our people must be factual and true,” Manele said. “Misinformation can be a source of instability and disunity.”
Eremae agrees.
“Journalists must treat the challenge of disinformation and AI-generated content as both a professional and civic duty, adapting their skills and vigilance to protect truth, democracy, and public trust,” he emphasized.
“Our member organisations are aware of these challenges and have internal mechanisms to safeguard their content.”
PNG Media Calls for Greater Access and Structure
In neighbouring Papua New Guinea, media leaders have also recognised the need for more structured engagement with the government.
“PNG government leaders and state agency heads would benefit more from a robust and direct engagement with the media,” said Neville Choi, President of the Media Council of PNG (MCPNG).
“Transparency and accessibility are important to get their message out to the people, which is why the media continues to push for more in-person conferences and open communication.”
He added that while PNG has media access channels, much of it is informal and reliant on personal relationships with officials; a system that lacks consistency.
“Much of the access comes through direct contact with particular journalists or through government media units, and when the PM decides to hold an in-person media conference,” Choi said.
Information Access with a Responsible Framework
Access to government information in Solomon Islands is guided by its commitment to freedom of expression, though some limitations apply based on subject sensitivity according to PM Manele.
Once cabinet conclusions are formally adopted, journalists could approach the relevant ministries for further details.
“It depends on the nature of the subject,” Manele noted. “Some issues, particularly those related to national or international security, are understandably sensitive.”
MASI has been working to ensure that journalists are well equipped to handle such responsibilities professionally.
“One of MASI’s goals is to ensure the media acts responsibly and ethically,” said Eremae. “But government authorities also have a responsibility to provide reporters with information when it is requested. That’s how fair and balanced reporting happens.”
Building Journalistic Capacity and Awareness
Both MASI and MCPNG are actively strengthening their respective media sectors through training and advocacy.
“The MCPNG is currently supporting the roll-out of the Foundations of Journalism training program,” said Choi. “This training is an extremely effective mechanism which will bridge a perceived gap between the journalism knowledge and principles in media training schools, with skills received on the newsroom floor.
“We’re also compiling a discussion paper on AI and its implications for PNG’s media,” Choi added.
“There is a clear need for newsroom leaders to better understand AI tools and risks, especially as we approach the 2027 elections.”
Foreign Policy and Media in a Multipolar Pacific
On regional dynamics, PM Manele reiterated Solomon Islands’ “friends to all” policy.
In a landscape where global powers are increasingly vying for influence across the Pacific, including through media initiatives, he emphasized that his government remains focused on partnerships that advance national development.
“We are friends with Australia, China, the US, Japan, everyone. Our interests are developmental.
“We’re a geographically spread country with major infrastructure, health, and education challenges. So, we work with all partners to meet those needs.”
Collaboration Across Borders: A Shared Media Mission
As cross-border issues like environmental crime, organized corruption, and digital manipulation grow, both MASI and MCPNG say newsroom collaboration is crucial.
“Many of today’s biggest stories; corruption, organized crime, environmental destruction, do not stop at national borders,” Eremae said.
“Working together across the region helps expose these issues and strengthens journalism overall.”
“Collaborations like that of InsidePNG and In-depth Solomons foster exchange, deepen understanding of local contexts, and improve the quality of reporting,” said Choi.
“These efforts also make it harder for misinformation or criminal networks to escape scrutiny across jurisdictions.”
Climate change isn’t just a distant threat for our Pacific island communities; it’s a daily struggle impacting homes, food, and livelihoods.
Helen Tony, who lives in the small, low-lying village of Unakap on Vanuatu’s Nguna island, knows this reality all too well.
For 15 years, Helen has seen how a changing climate makes life harder. Growing fruits and vegetables has become a challenge, especially after cyclones bring destructive insects. Her husband too, is catching fewer fish because the reefs and ocean ecosystems are damaged by extreme weather, warmer waters, and ocean acidification.
Their family of five relies on income to buy food from local markets, but even Helen’s traditional craft of weaving mats, fans, purses, and baskets from pandanus leaves has been hit.
“To weave them… the leaves need to be dry but more rain than is typical has been shrinking her output and the cash she generates selling her wares.”
A Constant Battle for Recovery
Vanuatu, an archipelago familiar with volcanoes, earthquakes, tsunamis, and landslides, is no stranger to disaster and the long road to recovery. However, the added burden of climate change impacts and more intense cyclones and storms is making it increasingly difficult to bounce back.
Pallen Abraham Philip, World Vision’s humanitarian emergency security affairs manager, notes that while cyclones have always been part of life, they’re now stronger and hitting out of season.
“They’re still in the recovery mode, then the next hits,” he explains.
This was evident with Category five Cyclone Pam in 2015 and the twin tropical cyclones Judy and Kevin that tore through just days apart in 2023.
Finding Solutions, Facing New Challenges
Significant funding is crucial for vulnerable regional and rural communities to recover and adapt. Vanuatu receives support through various programs, including the Green Climate Fund on Nguna and neighbouring islands, backed by the Vanuatu government and Save the Children.
Australia’s $50 million contribution to this is part of its broader $100 million Pacific Resilience Facility, which supports small, high-impact initiatives to help communities prepare for disasters.
Whitely Tasaruru, the Nguna and Pele area climate change manager for Vanuatu’s Community-based Climate Resilience Project, works to ensure adaptation measures like coastal tree planting, seawall construction, and coral restoration work together.
For Nguna, the long-term goal is to gradually relocate low-lying villages to higher ground. In the short term, communities want to protect buildings and infrastructure, including the road connecting coastal communities.
Mr. Tasaruru says planting more vegetation and trees along the shoreline will help, as will a planned seawall in an erosion-prone spot.
However, climate solutions can sometimes create new problems. For example, building a road to higher ground for relocating households has involved mining sand from the island’s beach for the cement structure.
“But extracting the sand has created openings and channels on the beach that are leaving nearby settlements more exposed to storm surge and wash damage.”
“Many community members here have concerns,” Mr. Tasaruru shares, suggesting sourcing sand from Port Vila on the mainland island of Efate as a better option.
Innovation Amidst Adversity
On neighbouring Pele, Salome Kalo from Pilliura village has championed a solar-powered food dryer. With sandy, less productive soil, food security is a concern, especially with storms.
The dryer, which uses warm air to preserve produce, “helps us a lot,” says Ms. Kalo. Unfortunately, their dryer was destroyed in a storm a few months ago. “We have to build that again this month.”
Like Nguna, Pele communities are also scouting higher ground for future relocation. Edward Lani from Pilliura village expects their way of life to change when they move away from the beach.
“There are people who live along the coast, they depend entirely on the ocean for food but if they move inland, it would change their way of getting food for the household,” he explains.
But for Mr. Lani, moving inland isn’t his biggest worry. He’s more concerned that young people will leave the island entirely to escape the worsening environmental conditions.
This initiative, part of a long-standing inter-parliamentary cooperation, underscores Bougainville’s commitment to strengthening democratic institutions as it navigates its post-referendum path.
The visiting delegation, comprising Peter Topura, Clerk of the Bougainville House of Representatives; Adrian Hihiru, Assistant Legal Counsel; and Wesley Porake, Director of Finance and Administration, represents a focused effort to gain practical insights from a fellow Pacific Island nation.
A FOUNDATION OF REGIONAL COOPERATION
The attachment is a direct outcome of a parliamentary twinning arrangement established in 2007 under the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association’s Pacific Twinning Program.
This partnership, which also includes the Parliament of New South Wales (NSW), Australia, aims to strengthen institutional capacity, promote democratic governance, and nurture regional parliamentary cooperation.
Clerk of the National Parliament of Solomon Islands Jefferson Hallu explained that under the twinning program “each state parliament in Australia is paired with one or two island countries in the Pacific.”
“The main aim is to foster collaboration, knowledge-sharing and capacity building. It’s something that is important in our legislatures,” he added.
“Apart from Australia, there are only other Pacific countries and in order for ‘Birds of the same feather to flock together’, we have to collaborate, share our common challenges and learn from each other, strengthen the democratic processes and procedures and in a way, strengthen Pacific parliaments and the parliamentary democratic process.”
Hallu noted that past activities under the twinning program typically took place in Sydney, Australia.
“The activities we have engaged in the past include, training placements, we’ve had good opportunity to be placed with respective departments in the more matured jurisdictions in New South Wales; and NSW has sent colleagues to us.”
BHOR’s visit to the Solomon Islands is a first of its kind within their twinning partnership and it has been very exciting and insightful.
Clerk of the Bougainville House of Representatives, Peter Topura(Left) and Clerk of the National Parliament of Solomon Islands, Jefferson Hallu.
Clerk of the Bougainville House of Representatives, Peter Topura said, the visit by BHOR had a focus on committee work and procedure, however, he has now decided to include the Finance aspect in Parliamentary service to their list of learnings.
“Now my thoughts are to include the finance aspect in parliamentary service so we can understand how parliamentary service finance works in parliamentary procedures and legal service work here in the Solomon Islands.
“Because our focus is to learn and twinning is part of collaboration and learning from each other.
“In Papua New Guinea, we have a parliamentary partnership with the National Parliament and we do an attachment with PNG, that is within the country. This one is outside of the country under the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association,” Topura added.
He explained that BHOR joined the CPA in 2006 and has since attended various conferences, seminars, and workshops.
When the twinning concept was introduced in 2007, BHOR officially became part of the partnership in 2010.
Both Hallu and Topura, who were appointed between 2024 and 2025, said the partnership has helped them exchange knowledge and grow professionally and contribute to their respective parliaments.
GAINING PRACTICAL EXPERTISE FOR BOUGAINVILLE’S FUTURE
Throughout their time in Honiara, the Bougainville officials are engaging directly with key departments of the National Parliament of the Solomon Islands.
This immersive experience is designed to provide first-hand insights into the administrative, procedural, and legal functions vital for effective parliamentary operations.
Meetings are scheduled with the Parliamentary Procedure Office, Finance and Administration, Committee Secretariat, Library, Research and Information services, Public Engagement Department (including Civic Education and Media), and the Hansard Department.
When asked about their specific objectives for the attachment, Topura shared, “in terms of politics and what we do at the Parliamentary level, we are more focused on building parliaments, that’s what we do”.
“In terms of finance, how parliament is supported by the Government in doing its work; committee work and supporting members constituency responsibilities.
“In terms of procedures we are understanding how bills are brought to parliament and what stages they go through and basically how the parliament prepares its bills; where does it go until the bill is passed.”
The delegation expressed optimism about applying these learnings to Bougainville’s unique context.
Topura said context in any situation, any location can be different but the processes of any parliament remain the same.
This targeted learning is particularly crucial as Bougainville continues its journey towards greater autonomy and self-determination.
BUILDING RESILIENT INSTITUTIONS
Hallu and Topura also reflected on the broader challenges and opportunities facing their respective Houses.
“One of the values we hold dear to our work in Parliament is to remain apolitical and not to let political convictions and abuse affect our work as a staff of parliament,” said Hallu.
In the same tune, Topura added that their roles are to be impartial and neutral at all times, however, within the Melanesian societies where our ways are deeply rooted to our culture, it poses the biggest challenge.
He said in Australia, they’ve barely seen this as much of a challenge, hence amplifying the significance of their partnerships with the PNG and Solomon Islands parliaments.
“That’s something we are working on and discussing with the PNG National Parliament and Solomon Islands National parliament, we want to learn how to deal with this.”
A MESSAGE OF COLLABORATION
This visit reaffirms the unwavering commitment of both the Bougainville House of Representatives and the National Parliament of Solomon Islands to ongoing collaboration and mutual learning.
For the National Parliament of Solomon Islands, hosting such programs also offers reciprocal benefits.
“Now we are in discussions on how we can work together, and they (SINP) can come to Bougainville as part of the Twinning Program,” said Topura.
In agreement, Hallu said “SINP is looking forward to strengthening the partnerships by reciprocating visits and exchanges between the BHOR and SINP.”
Looking ahead, the commitment to regional stability and democratic development remains paramount.
And while they appreciate the support and training from international relations including that they have received in twinning placements in NSW parliament, both BHOR and SINP agree that greater collaboration among Melanesian nations and the wider Pacific region is crucial to strengthening regional unity and stability.
Ultimately, this attachment program underscores the vital role of regional partnerships in building resilient parliamentary institutions, laying crucial groundwork for Bougainville’s self-governing future and reinforcing the Solomon Islands National Parliament’s contributions to a stronger, more democratic Pacific.
Two emerging investigative newsrooms in the Pacific – In-depth Solomons and Inside PNG – have launched a new collaboration designed to strengthen cross-border investigative journalism in the region.
As part of the partnership, two Inside PNG journalists are currently in Honiara on a two-week attachment with In-depth Solomons.
The initiative aims to strengthen collaboration between the two newsrooms, both member centres of the Organized Crime and Corruption Reporting Project (OCCRP), the world’s leading network of investigative journalists.
In-depth Solomons co-founder and editor Ofani Eremae said the initiative is about more than just newsroom exchange.
“It’s about building lasting professional ties and working together on stories that transcend national borders,” Eremae said.
“Our vision is to strengthen collaboration between investigative journalists in the Pacific,” he added..
“By working side by side, sharing skills, and tackling stories together, we can better expose issues that affect our countries and the region as a whole.”
New Zealand’s Deputy High Commissioner to Solomon Islands, Her Excellency Rebecca Williams (third from right) with staff from the Organized Crime and Corruption Reporting Project (OCCRP), Inside PNG and In-depth Solomons during a lunch meeting this week, at Mendana Hotel, Honiara. The New Zealand Government is also a proud partner supporting both independent newsrooms in their mission to strengthen investigative journalism across the Pacific.
Inside PNG Managing Director, Kila Wani, who is part of the visiting team alongside colleague Helen Sea, said the partnership offers a unique opportunity for Pacific journalists to share experiences and perspectives.
“This attachment is not just about learning – it’s about collaborating on real stories and strengthening the ties between our newsrooms,” Wani said.
“We’re excited to work with the In-depth Solomons team and explore ways to tell stories that matter to our people.”
Both newsrooms have been recognised for their fearless reporting on corruption, governance, and environmental issues.
This partnership, Eremae says, will help amplify their impact and contribute to a stronger, more connected investigative journalism community in the Pacific.
The exchange is expected to include joint story projects, newsroom training, and ongoing collaboration beyond the attachment period.
It marks the first of its kind in the Pacific, setting a precedent for regional media cooperation on investigative reporting. It also lays the groundwork for future joint investigations into pressing issues like transnational crimes and political accountability within the region.
“We share a common mission,” Eremae said. “And together, we can make our stories – and our voices – even stronger.”
This article is a joint collaboration by Inside PNG and In-depth Solomons.
In the Papua New Guinea highlands, tribal violence is an unfortunate way of life and, increasingly, death.
In February 2024, bystanders were among 49 people killed in a gun battle between clans in Wabag, the capital of the Enga province.
That clash was the destructive climax of a spate of fierce inter-tribal battles in Enga, where hundreds have been killed and thousands displaced, fearing for their lives.
The reasons behind the violence are complex, including land ownership, with displacement of tribes causing cascading issues around custodianship of country.
The arrival of industry, including forestry and mining, can upset traditional community authority structures, and challenge chiefly systems.
The single greatest impact behind the swollen death tolls is perhaps the arrival of modern weaponry which replaces traditional weapons with lethal firearms.
The UN estimates there are 112 inter-group conflicts in Papua New Guinea, and recent massacres extend beyond Enga.
In 2019, more than 20 died in Hela province after an initial attack, which killed six, led to a retaliation including the murder of pregnant women and children.
It was in Hela and Morobe provinces that agency Conciliation Resources began a peace-building project, drawing from years of expertise and a scoping assessment of the likelihood of success.
“It was to enhance the skills and capacities of the people working on these conflict challenges,” Ciaran O’Toole, Melbourne-based regional director, tells AAP.
“Working to enable specific communities, in particular those affected by violence, to design and develop their own peace-building work (and) provide … small grants for them to conduct dialogue or provide livelihood for some of the young men engaged in violence.
“It was very targeted on what we would call the drivers of the violence.”
That was, until a stop-work letter arrived early this year.
“It was quite blunt. It was very quick. There wasn’t any lead time to wind down. It was just ‘stop work’,” Mr O’Toole said.
The peace-building project was one of thousands axed by the US President Donald Trump’s executive order to pause and re-evaluate foreign aid in January.
Alongside peace-building programs, multi-billion dollar health initiatives to treat HIV and malaria, food provision, and climate-mitigation projects funded by USAID were ended.
Months later, it is estimated that roughly 90 per cent of USAID’s $A53 billion annual spend has been cancelled, representing roughly a third of all foreign aid.
Australian development agencies are among those counting the cost.
In a survey of members, peak body Australian Council for International Development (ACFID) has revealed at least $A400 million worth of projects have been defunded by the United States.
ACFID believes that is a lowball figure, given many NGOs are yet to see the full picture of cuts, and others were not able to complete the survey during the upheaval.
“This means communities losing access to healthcare, girls losing access to education and families losing access to food programs,” ACFID chief executive Matthew Maury said.
The hardest-hit region for Australian agencies is the Pacific, with the loss of $A113 million worth of support, predominantly climate change resilience and disaster preparedness, health and gender projects.
Other axed projects include education and nutrition projects in Timor-Leste, drought recovery in Fiji, climate-resilient food systems in Nauru, and sexual and reproductive health services right across the Pacific.
Given the challenges and sensitivity that comes with securing funding from donor governments, not every agency is keen to speak on the record about their loss.
Caritas Australia programs director Dan Skehan said Caritas partners in Fiji and Samoa were also hit by USAID cuts.
“They were receiving USAID funding specifically for WASH, which is water, sanitation and hygiene work … delivering water to much needed communities, be that schools, communities or in some instances health facilities,” he tells AAP.
In this instance, Caritas Australia – part of the world’s second largest humanitarian grouping, second only to the Red Cross – was able to redirect support to these programs at a reduced scale.
“(Where) something like vital water to community hasn’t been delivered, we’ve made decisions to at least finalise the project activities,” he said.
The aid sector has also been plunged into chaos, and in many cases, retrenchment by the USAID cuts.
Caritas has shed hundreds of jobs in places like Bangladesh, and a smaller number in the Pacific.
“This is an enormous funding cut … there’s been an enormous amount of disruption in the sector,” Mr Skehan said.
“There would be large number of staff who have been serving communities of very skilled workers who no longer, unfortunately, have a job.
“What’s most important, and we’ve always got to hold at the centre, is it’s the communities and the vulnerable people that we serve that are most impacted.”
It’s not just the US which is cutting development assistance.
In April, the UK cut foreign aid by 40 per cent – a move which shocked many given it came from a centre-left Labour government – while last month, New Zealand axed $A91m in climate-related assistance.
Mr O’Toole said the huge US retreat on aid had “given permission to other governments to cut back on their aid budgets as well”.
“We’re all feeling the hurt across all of this change and I think all aid organisations are feeling this pain,” he said.
The sector hopes Australia, which has made incremental increases under Anthony Albanese, will step up to fill the gap.
There are some positive signs from Canberra, including a flexibility afforded to agencies to move funds earmarked for one purpose onto others in light of cuts.
Mr Maury hopes future budgets will see aid rise not just in real terms but as a percentage of the budget.
“Australia has a proud history of supporting development, particularly in the Pacific,” Mr Maury said.
“Yet as global needs rise, our aid budget has fallen to just 0.65 per cent of the Federal Budget … restoring aid to one per cent would reaffirm our commitment and secure Australia’s place at the forefront of development.”
Australia is giving $A11 million (about 25 million Kina) to help fix roads in the Solomon Islands.
This is happening as the Solomon Islands gets ready to host the Pacific Islands Forum (PIF) leaders summit in September.
Australia’s Minister for the Pacific, Pat Conroy, said this money will be used by local Solomon Islands companies.
“We are making sure our projects are delivered by local companies,” he said.
“This is the best way we can ensure economic benefits flow to Solomon Islands from day one, and that these projects create more jobs for locals.”
This means that the work will create jobs and help the economy of the Solomon Islands directly. This is different from how some other countries do things, where they might bring in their own workers for projects.
Fixing Roads and Connecting Communities
The money will fix 12 roads: four on the island of Malaita and eight in the capital city, Honiara. Honiara’s roads often get very busy, and heavy rain can cause floods because of poor drainage.
Minister Conroy said that good roads are very important.
“We know the impact of deteriorating roads for getting to work, getting produce to market, getting children and family members to school or health services,” Mr Conroy said.
He mentioned that in Malaita, some communities were cut off for two years because the South Road was too damaged to use.
“Communities along Malaita’s South Road were effectively cut off from essential services for over two years due to the South Road being impassable,” he added.
“Farmers of Malaita’s sweetest pineapples could not get to Auki market, women could not get to hospital for complicated child births, many children stopped going to school, and the price of goods doubled.”
He said Australia helped fix the South Road last year, which made a big difference.
“The reopening of the South Road last year – with support from Australia and the great work of local contractors – has restored that vital link from Auki to Bina and beyond,” he said.
Boosting Power and Protecting Our Seas
Australia also announced another $A7 million (about 16 million Kina) for a big power project called the Tina River Hydro scheme.
This project, which Australia has given a lot of money to already (now totaling $A70 million), will provide most of Honiara’s electricity when it’s finished.
Finally, Australia also promised to double its money to help watch out for illegal fishing in the Pacific region. Minister Conroy has been visiting different Pacific countries this week, including Fiji and Papua New Guinea.
In Fiji, he was the first Australian minister to attend a special meeting for Melanesian countries.
In Port Moresby, he was there when they announced the new board for the PNG rugby league team that will join the NRL competition.
Migrant women working in rural Australia are carrying unplanned pregnancies, having unwanted abortions or even giving their babies to authorities due to fear, poverty and poor healthcare coverage.
This is the “unseen population” that NSW general practitioner Trudi Beck wants every Australian to know about.
Dr Beck, a GP obstetrician from Wagga Wagga, told a NSW parliamentary inquiry into modern slavery that she routinely sees pregnant Pacific Islander workers, who are not entitled to free or subsidised healthcare in Australia.
The vast majority of those women opted for an abortion, though it didn’t always appear to be their preference, Dr Beck said.
The women, who are usually working under the Pacific Australia Labour Mobility (PALM) scheme, fear they will breach their visa conditions if they cannot work due to pregnancy.
“I find it really difficult to provide termination services for a woman where that’s not her deeply-held desire … that’s the crux of the matter for me,” Dr Beck told the inquiry sitting in Griffith on Thursday, in sometimes emotional evidence.
“If this woman was in her home country and had the means to live above the poverty line, she would have this baby.
“That is just such an ethics and values clash for me and that’s what makes me want to reach out to people to say: can we make this better?”
Some women who could not access abortion services in time gave birth in their home countries while on annual leave, Dr Beck said.
The inquiry has been told PALM workers are particularly vulnerable to exploitation because their visa does not allow them to change employers, forcing some to abscond.
Many disengaged workers have settled in the NSW Riverina, where they live in hiding, Leeton Multicultural Support Group chairman Paul Maytom said.
Mr Maytom said 10 pregnant migrants have approached the organisation for help, including one woman who gave her prematurely-born baby to authorities after her older child was also taken in as a ward of the state.
“She said, ‘I didn’t know what to do because I have no money, so I agreed to it, but I want my babies back’, Mr Maytom said.
“That’s tough.”
Griffith domestic violence service Links For Women supported 47 female PALM workers in 2023-24.
The women were assaulted by either male employers or their co-workers, forcing them to flee, manager Madeleine Rossiter said.
It’s estimated more than 40,000 people are enslaved across the nation, subject to violence, threats, punishing hours, low pay, poor housing and restricted movements.
More than 16,000 are believed to be trapped in modern slavery in NSW, one of the few states that does not regulate the hire companies central to migrant recruitment.
The inquiry continues. Reports of modern slavery can be made to 1800 FREEDOM (1800 37 333 66)
