By Michael Shoebridge*
In November 2018, Prime Minister Scott Morrison announced his version of Australia’s ‘Pacific step-up’, which was about taking ‘our engagement to a new level, launching a “new chapter in relations with our Pacific family”’.
Under the step-up, Australian engagement in Papua New Guinea and across the South Pacific has responded to the broad-ranging regional challenges identified by Pacific leaders and communities themselves, including fostering security partnerships; strengthening climate and disaster resilience; sustaining economic growth; and supporting the promotion of healthy, educated, inclusive populations.
