The Wire

As ethnic tensions and political disappointment boil over on the streets of the Solomon Islands capital, Honiara, commentators are scrutinising the role of the Australian Government. Associate Professor in History at the University of Queensland, Dr Clive Moore, says while regional intervention was meant to deal with graft in the Solomons political system, Australia’s involvement has inadvertently helped to preserve the nation’s corrupt political elite. Tim O’Connor from AID WATCH says that while development is an important part of the solution, he has strong reservations about the development plans being proposed by the Australian government.