The Wire

This week the Solomon Islands have formally appointed an alleged paedophile to the highest legal post in the land, Attorney General. The move has been seen as a thumbing of the nose to Australia, who until now, has been looking after the Solomons in its role as Leader of the Regional Assistance Mission. The appointment of new Attorney General, Julian Moti, brings to a head months of bickering between the two countries. Australia has attempted to extradite Moti on child sex charges and the Solomons have continually blocked those moves. ANU senior fellow of Pacific and Asian studies Sinclair Dinnen says Moti’s appointment and the style of Australia’s reaction has the power to affect the stability of the whole region.