Evan Wasuka
Evan Wasuka is a reporter for ABC Radio Australia's Pacific Beat program, covering news and current affairs in the Pacific. You can follow him on Twitter: @wasukaevan
Latest by Evan Wasuka
New wave of violence in New Caledonia as activists sent 17,000km away to detention in France
By Doug Dingwall and Evan Wasuka with wires
A new wave of unrest has hit New Caledonia amid warnings the decision to send seven activists charged over deadly riots to France has mobilised pro-independence supporters.
Solomon Islands has a new PM — and some say he will 'lower the temperature'
By foreign affairs reporter Stephen Dziedzic, Solomon Islands reporter Chrisnrita Aumanu-Leong, Evan Wasuka and Doug Dingwall
Former foreign minister and diplomat Jeremiah Manele has been elected as the new prime minister of Solomon Islands — and he's expected to maintain close ties with China.
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China critic regains seat in Solomon Islands, vows to block Chinese investment as election counting continues
By foreign affairs reporter Stephen Dziedzic, Pacific Beat's Evan Wasuka and Sam Seke
Early results are starting to flow in Solomon Islands in the wake of Wednesday's elections, with prominent China critic, ousted Malaita premier Daniel Suidani, regaining his provincial seat.
It's the Pacific's 'mini Olympics' — some say it's more like 'a war zone'
By the Pacific Local Journalism Network's Nick Sas, Solomon Islands reporter Chrisnrita Aumanu-Leong and Evan Wasuka
Seven years in the making — and hundreds of millions of dollars later — this week Solomon Islands officially plays host to the 2023 Pacific Games, the region's "mini Olympics". But there's many other games going on.
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'The droughts are coming': This year El Niño is coming at a particularly dangerous time for the Pacific. Here's why
As farmers in PNG recover from a long drought and rush to replant in Vanuatu after twin cyclones last month, a forecast El Niño weather pattern could hamper recovery efforts and threaten food supplies.
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'Very significant': Government to introduce bill for Pacific permanent residency visa
By Toby Mann and Evan Wasuka
Under a proposed two-stage process, thousands of workers and their families from across the Pacific will be offered a path to permanent residency under a visa scheme the government hopes to have running by midyear.
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China to gift Solomon Islands police with new equipment days after Australia donation
By foreign affairs reporter Stephen Dziedzic and Evan Wasuka
At a special ceremony in Honiara, the Chinese ambassador will give two water cannon trucks and a number of vehicles to the Royal Solomon Islands Police Force as competition between Australia and China intensifies.
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'If it's a good hunter, the ears are chopped off': Dognappers target pets for wild pig hunting in Fiji
Animal welfare groups who say wild pig hunters are stealing and mutilating dogs in western Fiji are calling for tighter laws and greater awareness to help protect people's pets. WARNING: Distressing content.
Controversial doomsday sect builds business empire in Fiji with millions from government
Fiji's opposition parties call for an immediate inquiry into a South Korean religious sect accused of abuse and ritual beatings after a report alleges it received millions in Fijian government-backed loans.
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Australia close to joining China and Saudi Arabia at bottom of aid transparency rankings
There are calls for urgent action after Australia dropped to 41 out of 50 countries and organisations in the Aid Transparency Index, revealing a "worrying trend" that has the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade close to hitting the bottom of the list, alongside Saudi Arabia and China.
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Beijing signals Pacific intentions with Chinese Foreign Minister set for marathon trip through region
By foreign affairs reporter Stephen Dziedzic, Marian Faa, and Evan Wasuka
Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi looks set to visit at least five Pacific Islands nations in a marathon trip signalling Beijing's ambitions in the Pacific.
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Solomon Islands Opposition Leader accuses AFP of renting property from government MP for inflated price
By foreign affairs reporter Stephen Dziedzic and Evan Wasuka
Solomon Islands Opposition Leader Matthew Wale is accusing the Australian Federal Police of renting a property from a key government MP and powerbroker for a hugely inflated price.
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Leaked documents reveal Chinese company's aviation plans for Solomon Islands to become a 'regional hub'
Exclusive by foreign affairs reporter Stephen Dziedzic, Evan Wasuka and Iris Zhao
Documents from 2019 reveal one of China's largest defence and aerospace companies promised to upgrade dozens of airstrips in Solomon Islands as part of a plan to transform the Pacific Islands country into an "aeronautical hub" for the region.
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Australia 'deeply disappointed' by controversial security pact between China and Solomon Islands
By East Asia correspondent Bill Birtles, foreign affairs reporter Stephen Dziedzic and Evan Wasuka
China and Solomon Islands have signed a framework agreement on security cooperation — a deal Australia, New Zealand and the US fear could open the door to a Chinese naval base in the South Pacific.
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Leaked docs reveal Chinese failed bid to import weapons after Honiara riots
The Chinese embassy in Solomon Islands made a failed bid to import a sniper rifle, two machine guns and dozens of pistols and rifles into Honiara last year after violent riots roiled the city, leaked documents reveal.
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Micronesia raises concerns about deepening security ties between Solomon Islands and China
Federated States of Micronesia President David Panuelo writes to his Solomon Islands counterpart over fears his country's new security ties could put the Pacific at the centre of geopolitical tensions between China and the US.
Leaked documents suggest Solomon Islands plans to allow Chinese military presence
By defence correspondent Andrew Greene, foreign affairs reporter Stephen Dziedzic, and Evan Wasuka
Australia has been increasingly uneasy about the growing security cooperation between China and the Solomon Islands, where Australia has traditionally been the main security provider.
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Unease builds in Solomon Islands after China ships 'replica guns' to Honiara
By foreign affairs reporter Stephen Dziedzic and Evan Wasuka
Solomon Islands' opposition calls for explanation about exactly what was inside a crate that China shipped to Honiara last month, after reports emerged it contained weapons secretly brought into the capital just months after it was shaken by violent riots.
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Australian intervention in Solomon Islands 'not helpful', says province Premier
Australia is holding up "corrupt leadership" in Solomon Islands says Daniel Suidani, Premier of Malaita, whose supporters are behind protests in Honiara.
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What does China have to do with violent protests in Solomon Islands, why is Australia intervening?
By Max Walden, foreign affairs reporter Stephen Dziedzic and Evan Wasuka
The federal government deploys AFP and ADF personnel to Solomon Islands amid civil unrest in the Pacific country. Here's why Australia is getting involved.
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Fiji welcomes Australia's net zero by 2050 target, but other Pacific countries are sceptical
Fiji's Prime Minister Frank Bainimarama says he does not want any more excuses on climate action from big emitters, including Australia, when they gather for talks at COP26.
For $200K you can become a citizen of Vanuatu. But now the passport scheme is under scrutiny
Vanuatu last year generated $175 million — 35 per cent of total government revenue — from its "honorary citizenship programs" but revelations that "fugitives, politicians and disgraced businesspeople" are buying passports have led the government to cancel at least one recipient's citizenship and re-examine many more.
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Vanuatu's political 'arm wrestle' sees PM lose parliamentary seat
Vanuatu plunges into political chaos with Prime Minister Bob Loughman, his deputy and 17 other government MPs losing their seats in Parliament.
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'It does put pressure on Australia': Chinese vaccine launches in the Pacific
Solomon Islands becomes the first country in the Pacific to use China's Sinopharm as part of its national COVID-19 response, amid talks of a regional vaccine diplomacy battle with Australia.
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A WWII shell detonated this week, killing a man in the Pacific. It's the latest tragedy in a grim legacy
Family of Raziv Hilly, who died when an old World War II shell exploded at a fundraiser in the Solomon Islands, urge foreign countries to clean up the dangerous munitions abandoned in the Pacific.
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