Correspondent's Notebook

The future of Fiji’s media

29 February 2008

For the past week journalists on the Pacific Island nation of Fiji have spent most of their time reporting on themselves, their industry and their future.

This report from Radio Australia’s Pacific Correspondent, Campbell Cooney.

Fiji under Commodore Frank Bainimarama

22 February 2008

This week Fiji’s coup leader and interim Prime Minister, Commodore Frank Bainimarama, confirmed himself as the most powerful person in his country’s history.

Following his coup in December 2006, Commodore Bainimarama became Fiji’s interim Prime Minister, leading a cabinet picked by him.

He also remains the Commander of the country’s military.

Now he’s taken control of the country’s most respected indigenous institution, the Great Council of Chiefs.

Pacific Correspondent Campbell Cooney has been looking at what this means for Fiji.

Australia says ‘sorry’

15 February 2008

Australia’s indigenous peoples – the Aborigines – took centre stage in Canberra this week at the start of the new Federal Parliament.

The first act of the new Labor Government was to move a motion of apology to Aborigines.

Parliament said sorry for the policy followed through much of the 20th century of taking Aboriginal children from their families to be raised in white society in orphanages or church homes.

This Notebook is from our Canberra correspondent, Graeme Dobell.

Interest rates in the Year of the Rat

8 February 2008

It was expected but that didn’t blunt the howls of pain from some sections of the Australian community and media.

Australia’s Central bank – the Reserve Bank – raised its main official interest rate on Tuesday, it was the eleventh consecutive rise.

Karon Snowdon looks at the first decision this year by the bank and the first under the new Labor Government – just three months in the job.

Chinese welcome ‘Year of the Rat’

1 February 2008

Chinese the world over next Thursday (Feb 7th) celebrates the New Year. Connect Asia’s presenter Sen Lam reminisces about the festive season and family reunion dinners, in this, the Year of the Rat for not just those in China, but the Chinese diaspora the world over.