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Articles by Kerryn Baker
Bleak economic growth and political instability plagued Solomon Islands in 2025
In 2025, security and geopolitics continued to dominate headlines in the Solomon Islands. But under this window-dressing, traditional undercurrents of political instability and economic anxiety endured. And as with 2023’s Pacific Games, the Pacific Islands Forum Leaders Meeting proved that above all, Honiara knows how to put on a show. The biggest event on the political calendar in 2025 was the 54th Pacific Islands Forum Leaders Meeting, held in Honiara in September 2025.
Addressing disability inequality on polling day is just the beginning
This is a further instalment in the Pacific Family Matters series. Australia’s development strategy is world-leading in how it foregrounds the issue of disability equity and rights, along with gender equality and climate change — three issues that are of huge importance to the Pacific Islands region.
New leaders face old problems in Solomon Islands
After an eventful year, Solomon Islands’ politics ended 2024 not with a bang but a whimper. A vote of no confidence against Prime Minister Jeremiah Manele was filed in early December but later withdrawn. Manele — who only assumed office in May — managed to secure his parliamentary base and maintain his position heading into 2025. Solomon Islands began 2024 on a high after hosting a successful Pacific Games in late 2023.
Geopolitische Reibungen dominieren das Pazifische Inselforum.
Die pazifischen Inseln – eine Gruppierung, die größtenteils aus kleinen Inselentwicklungsstaaten besteht - befinden sich inmitten eines zunehmend umkämpften strategischen Raums. Die regionale Politik wird damit immer mehr zu einem wichtigen und genau beobachteten Schauplatz. Ende August trafen sich die Staats- und Regierungschefs der Inseln zu ihrer jährlich stattfindenden Konferenz im Rahmen des Pazifischen Inselforums auf Tonga.
Who speaks for the Pacific?
The Pacific Islands – a grouping largely made up of small island developing states – is in the middle of an increasingly contested strategic space, making regional politics an important, and closely observed, site. At the end of August, Pacific Islands Forum heads of government met in Tonga for the organisation’s annual leaders’ meeting. Along with the Pacific heads of government, other dignitaries were also present, including United Nations Secretary General António Guterres.
Understanding popular political attitudes in Vanuatu
The Pacific Attitudes Survey: Vanuatu gauges the views of ordinary ni-Vanuatu across a range of themes, including how ordinary citizens engage with and trust their political institutions; their broader understandings of democracy and tradition; and attitudes to key issues like climate change and labour mobility. This is the second Pacific Attitudes Survey (PAS), following the first survey in Samoa.
This Year's Pacific Island Elections Have One Thing In Common — Ova
By Kerryn Baker, Australian National University CANBERRA, July 2 – It’s shaping up to be a busy year for elections in the Pacific Islands. Tuvalu and Solomon Islands have already gone to the polls for national elections, and Vanuatu recently concluded its first national referendum. National elections will be held later in the year in Palau and Kiribati. Meanwhile, the largest country in the region, Papua New Guinea, has local level government elections scheduled for the latter half of the year.
Women's Political Representation in Solomon Islands - Solomon Times Online
After a 12-month delay, the 12th Solomon Islands national general elections were held on 17 April 2024. For the first time, joint elections were held, with most provincial assemblies and the Honiara City Council also going to the polls. For women, the results were mixed. Eight women were elected overall — three to the national parliament, two to Honiara City Council and three to provincial assemblies — representing significant individual achievements.
Women's political representation in Solomon Islands
After a 12-month delay, the 12th Solomon Islands national general elections were held on 17 April 2024. For the first time, joint elections were held, with most provincial assemblies and the Honiara City Council also going to the polls. For women, the results were mixed. Eight women were elected overall — three to the national parliament, two to Honiara City Council and three to provincial assemblies — representing significant individual achievements.
Women hold the key to Pacific elections - Openforum
It’s shaping up to be a busy year for elections in the Pacific Islands. Tuvalu and Solomon Islands have already gone to the polls for national elections, and Vanuatu recently concluded its first national referendum. National elections will be held later in the year in Palau and Kiribati. Meanwhile, the largest country in the region, Papua New Guinea, has local level government elections scheduled for the latter half of the year.
Understanding popular political attitudes in Vanuatu
The Pacific Attitudes Survey: Vanuatu gauges the views of ordinary ni-Vanuatu across a range of themes, including how ordinary citizens engage with and trust their political institutions; their broader understandings of democracy and tradition; and attitudes to key issues like climate change and labour mobility. This is the second Pacific Attitudes Survey (PAS), following the first survey in Samoa.
This Year’s Pacific Island Elections Have 1 Thing in Common
It’s shaping up to be a busy year for elections in the Pacific Islands. Tuvalu and Solomon Islands have already gone to the polls for national elections, and Vanuatu recently concluded its first national referendum. National elections will be held later in the year in Palau and Kiribati. Meanwhile, the largest country in the region, Papua New Guinea, has local level government elections scheduled for the latter half of the year.
Could liberating education be the solution to Indonesia’s democratic backsliding?
On 22 April 2024, Indonesia’s Constitutional Court concluded the presidential election by dismissing all lawsuits led by Prabowo Subianto’s rivals alleging fraud — paving the way for Prabowo and legitimising his landslide victory earlier in 2024. With five judges in majority and three in dissent, this decision holds significant implications for the future of Indonesian democracy.
Turning TikTok views into Malaysian votes
Malaysia’s state elections in August 2023 convinced many that TikTok was the country’s new political zeitgeist, but it might be a weaker force than people originally thought. TikTok became a major talking point in Malaysian politics following the 15th general election in November 2022, which foreign and domestic commentators dubbed the ‘TikTok election’ because it was the first since the voting age was lowered from 21 to 18.
Taiwan’s new president Lai must unify a divided population
As Taiwan welcomed its new president Lai Ching-te on 20 May 2024, the political atmosphere was charged with both anticipation and apprehension. Taiwan stands at a crucial juncture, with its future hinging on how the relationship evolves between the newly elected administration and the Legislative Yuan — Taiwan’s highest legislative organ.
Women’s potential in Solomon Islands politics curtailed by structural barriers
After a 12-month delay, the 12th Solomon Islands national general elections were held on 17 April 2024. For the first time, joint elections were held, with most provincial assemblies and the Honiara City Council also going to the polls. For women, the results were mixed. Eight women were elected overall — three to national parliament, two to Honiara City Council and three to provincial assemblies — representing significant individual achievements.
Union sundown - Openforum
Reconciliation set the scene in 2023 in the Pacific. In January, newly elected Fijian Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka, also chair of the Pacific Islands Forum at the time, visited Kiribati, seeking to convince the government not to leave the Forum. After Rabuka officially apologised on behalf of the Forum, Kiribati President Taneti Maamau confirmed that the country would remain.
New sovereignties and old divisions shaping Pacific politics
Reconciliation set the scene in 2023 in the Pacific. In January, newly elected Fijian Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka, also chair of the Pacific Islands Forum at the time, visited Kiribati, seeking to convince the government not to leave the Forum. After Rabuka officially apologised on behalf of the Forum, Kiribati President Taneti Maamau confirmed that the country would remain.
New sovereignties and old divisions shaping Pacific politics
Author: Kerryn Baker, ANU Reconciliation set the scene in 2023 in the Pacific. In January, newly elected Fijian Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka, also chair of the Pacific Islands Forum at the time, visited Kiribati, seeking to convince the government not to leave the Forum. After Rabuka officially apologised on behalf of the Forum, Kiribati President Taneti Maamau confirmed that the country would remain.
Increasing women’s representation in Pacific politics: ‘give it time’ is not the answer
By Kerryn Baker and Theresa Meki Independent states in the Pacific region have the lowest levels of women’s political representation in the world. Fewer than seven percent of Pacific politicians are women, compared with 27 percent globally. The absence of women’s voices in political decision-making has been consistently raised in regional forums, although progress has been slow.
Boosting women’s representation in Pacific politics - Openforum
Independent states in the Pacific region have the lowest levels of women’s political representation in the world. Fewer than 7% of Pacific politicians are women, compared with 27% globally. The absence of women’s voices in political decision-making has been consistently raised in regional forums, although progress has been slow. Yet, in November 2022, a milestone was reached: for the first time, there was at least one elected woman in every Pacific parliament.
Increasing women’s representation in Pacific politics: ‘give it time’ is not the answer
Independent states in the Pacific region have the lowest levels of women’s political representation in the world. Fewer than 7% of Pacific politicians are women, compared with 27% globally. The absence of women’s voices in political decision-making has been consistently raised in regional forums, although progress has been slow. Yet, in November 2022, a milestone was reached: for the first time, there was at least one elected woman in every Pacific parliament.
One Step Forward, Two Steps Back: Women’s Political Representation in the Pacific - Australian Institute of International Affairs
Despite positive rhetoric toward building women’s leadership and political representation in the Pacific, progress has been slow and uneven. New approaches to building gender equal political spaces are necessary. Independent states in the Pacific region have the lowest levels of women’s political representation in the world. Fewer than seven percent of Pacific politicians are women, compared to 27 percent globally.
Book Review: Helpem Fren: Australia and the Regional Assistance Mission to Solomon Islands - Australian Institute of International Affairs
In this telling of Australia’s long-term assistance mission to the Solomon Islands, author Michael Wesley dives deep into Australia’s foreign policy and the decisions that led the country’s eventual turn from regional observer to regional leader. This is a must read book. The Regional Assistance Mission to Solomon Islands (RAMSI) – an ambitious and broad-ranging state-building intervention that began in 2003 and officially ended 14 years later – was a pivotal era in Australian foreign policy.
Working hand in hand to build efficient, inclusive, resilient and sustainable agrifood systems in the Pacific
In recent years, I have often had the chance to see for myself the incredible resilience and determination of Pacific Islanders. Small Island Developing States in the region grapple with unique challenges such as the impacts of climate change and frequent natural disasters, limited land and water resources for domestic food production, crises of non-communicable diseases and malnutrition, and market volatility.
A changing Pacific landscape this International Women’s Day
When the women and men of our Blue Pacific work together, with equal access to opportunities, incredible things happen. On International Women’s Day we celebrate the achievements of women and girls, taking time to reflect on progress made but also re-committing efforts to address the challenges ahead to improve gender equality.
On her own terms: Jacinda Ardern steps down as New Zealand PM
For many, this will be seen as a short tenure, despite the fact Ardern has managed monumental crises, both local and global. She navigated New Zealand through the COVID-19 health crisis, ambitiously aiming for elimination of the virus rather than suppression or mitigation. She shed tears alongside those who lost loved ones in the Christchurch terrorist attack and again when Whakaari (also known as White Island) volcano erupted.
Concerns for Pacific democracy, but no crisis yet
Author: Kerryn Baker, ANU In 2022, considerable pressure was put on democratic norms and practices in the Pacific Islands. Taken together, the year’s events paint a bleak picture of democratic resilience in the region. But there are also bright spots of progress to celebrate, notably in terms of women’s political representation. The two largest Pacific Islands states both went to the polls in 2022.
Economic diplomacy: New supply chains to Jakarta and beyond
Sixth time lucky Prime Minister Anthony Albanese made a textbook start to re-engagement with Indonesia taking a substantial delegation of ministers and businesspeople on his first bilateral visit – and then getting out of Jakarta to the broader country in Makassar.
Cause and effect: The right security architecture for the Indo-Pacific
The Indo-Pacific maritime security order consists of international treaties, multilateral diplomatic forums and, increasingly, minilateral security initiatives. The first two are under stress due to China’s assertive behaviour in the maritime domain and have led to the formation of the latter. The principal treaty underpinning the rules-based global maritime order is the 1982 UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS).
Solomon Islands: cops bearing gifts
The pre-Christmas announcement that Solomon Islands’ government was going to accept China’s offer of six police advisers and a swag of emergency riot equipment generated consternation in Canberra. The ABC’s Andrew Greene reported discomfit from his “defence and diplomatic” sources. The offer came on the heels of a contingent of Australian police and military arriving following riots in Honiara in November.
History repeats itself in 2021 for the Pacific Islands
15 January 2022 Author: Kerryn Baker, ANU In 2021, the Pacific Islands saw dramatic change with the threatened exit of Micronesian states from the Pacific Islands Forum and the fall of the region’s longest serving political leader, former Samoan prime minister Tuilaepa Sailele Malielegaoi. But in these and other major events we see echoes of the past and threads of continuity in Pacific politics and international relations.
Gender quotas and the 2021 Samoan constitutional crisis
In the aftermath of this year’s constitutional crisis, law reform is necessary to ensure the country’s future stability, Kerryn Baker writes. While parliamentary gender quotas have been increasingly adopted around the world since the 1970s, they have proved less popular in the Pacific region. To date, the only independent Pacific state to adopt a parliamentary gender quota is Samoa, which introduced what was colloquially known as the ‘10 per cent law’ through a 2013 constitutional amendment.
Samoa’s first woman prime minister finally takes office
9 September 2021 Author: Kerryn Baker, ANU The prolonged constitutional crisis that had engulfed Samoa since the 9 April 2021 election finally concluded on 23 July with a Court of Appeal ruling. The court ruled that the 24 May swearing-in of Fa’atuatua i le Atua Samoa ua Tasi (FAST) party leader Fiame Naomi Mata’afa and her government — held in a tent outside the parliament after they were locked out of the building — was constitutional, making FAST the legitimate government.
Reframing Suffrage Narratives: Pacific Women, Political Voice, and Collective Empowerment
ABSTRACT Dominant narratives of women’s suffrage have been shaped in ways that marginalize Pacific women’s experiences. Such narratives have emphasized the struggles of Global North women to achieve individualized political empowerment, primarily through the right to vote, from the late 19th century. By measures of struggle, individual empowerment and temporality, Pacific women have been characterized as passive recipients of the vote in the late 20th century.
A fast end to an era of political dominance in Samoa
Samoan elections are usually as predictable as they come: while there are invariably upsets in individual seats, the same party – the Human Rights Protection Party (HRPP) – has been in power almost continuously since 1982. Leading up to the 2021 election, Prime Minister Tuilaepa Sailele Malielegaoi was the second longest-serving prime minister in the world, having been in the role since 1998.
Timor-Leste’s floods and Covid lockdown aggravate political rifts
The recent floods in Timor-Leste have now caused 45 deaths and some 10,000 people to be displaced, including 7000 in the capital, with widespread damage to roads and bridges, and around 4500 dwellings destroyed. The government has called for international assistance, as a number of local non-government initiatives mobilised to feed and shelter the displaced.
How extremist messaging co-opts emergency events
Australia experienced two major emergency events in 2020 – the summer bushfires followed shortly after by the coronavirus pandemic. Throughout these events, social media played a critical role in providing information, facilitating social connection and public discussions. However, there was also a deluge of mis- and disinformation, often spread through coordinated networks.
Bougainville's election and the road to independence
Tagged: election Election oceania Oceania 03 Sep 2020 Polling has just wrapped up in Bougainville for a milestone election on the road to potentially becoming the world’s newest independent nation. Polling has just wrapped up in Bougainville for a milestone election on the road to potentially becoming the world’s newest independent nation. Late last year, a referendum on self-determination resulted in a huge majority (97.7%) in favour of independence from Papua New Guinea (PNG).
Lessons from the Bougainville referendum
The 2019 Bougainville referendum offered valuable lessons for future elections, Kerryn Baker and Thiago Oppermann write. In late 2019, Bougainville held a non-binding referendum on its future political status, with voters asked to choose between greater autonomy within Papua New Guinea (PNG) or independence. A team of researchers from The Australian National University and the University of PNG observed the referendum, including the polling and counting processes.
Revisiting the concept of political participation in the Pacific
Revisiting the concept of political participation in the Pacific Written by Julien Barbara, Kerryn Baker In April 2019, the announcement of Manasseh Sogavare as the new Prime Minister of Solomon Islands sparked riots in the capital of Honiara.
Currents of change in the Pacific dwarfed by rising tides | East Asia Forum
3 January 2020 Author: Kerryn Baker, ANU The past year has been a time of considerable change for the Pacific Islands, with new leadership, new partnerships and even the potential for new nations all coming into being. The one constant is the enduring threat of climate change, with 2019 ultimately a disappointing year for Pacific climate activists. In 2019, a series of political leadership transitions occurred throughout the region.
The Pacific and a “third option” to the independence question
The Pacific Islands is in a period of transition, with two new potential independent states on the horizon. In New Caledonia and Bougainville, referenda on self-determination are the culmination of decades-long peace processes. The first referendum was held in New Caledonia in November 2018. While it returned a 56.7% majority “no” vote, the closer-than-expected result boosted the hopes of the pro-independence side for the future.
The 2019 Solomon Islands election: how will women fare?
In terms of women’s representation in politics, Solomon Islands lags behind much of the world. In April, Solomon Islands will hold the first general election since the departure of the Regional Assistance Mission to Solomon Islands (RAMSI). There is one incumbent female MP. This means Solomon Islands ranks 50 out of 52 Commonwealth countries in terms of women in parliament, beating only neighbours Vanuatu and Papua New Guinea, which both currently have no women MPs at all.
Experiences of female candidates in the 2017 Papua New Guinea general election - Devpolicy Blog from the Development Policy Centre
Papua New Guinea went to the polls in June–July 2017 for its ninth general election since independence. Despite a record number of women standing — around five per cent of the total number of candidates — no women were elected in any of the 111 seats. This report draws on discussions from a debrief in Port Moresby in September 2017 with 26 women who contested the election.
Women in politics in PNG: A zero-sum game?
After a fiercely-contested election in Papua New Guinea, not a single female MP was elected to parliament, despite many faring well at the polls. More significantly for the women of PNG, there will be no female voices advocating on their behalf for the next five years.
The highest glass ceiling - Devpolicy Blog from the Development Policy Centre
In January 2016, President of Marshall Islands Casten Nemra was defeated in a no-confidence motion after just one week in office, the shortest tenure in Marshallese history. The following day, more history was made as Dr Hilda Heine was elected with 24 votes by the 33-seat Nitijela as Marshall Islands’ first female president.
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