The South Pacific Islands: policy taboos, popular amnesia and political failure

Abstract

This paper was originally presented as part of the Menzies Research Centre Lecture Series: Australian Security in the 21st Century. Here the well-known Australian journalist Graeme Dobell argues that Australia should accept its unique role in the Pacific as a great gift, not a burden. We should abandon the strangely defensive posture we have adopted from the day the South Pacific Forum was created. It is time for Australia to lead