Time to Talk is about politics, society and governance in today's Pacific. http://www.abc.net.au/timetotalk/ Australian Broadcasting Corporation en Radio Australia Time to Talk is about politics, society and governance in today's Pacific. clean When the World Bank and other aid donors talk about governance, they use words like ‘transparency’, ‘equity’ and ‘accountability’. What does this language mean for people in the Pacific? For centuries, indigenous societies in the region have had their own ways of governing family and community. Can these traditional modes of governance now be combined with new institutions? http://mpegmeida.abc.net.au/ra/podcast/timetotalk/ttt01.mp3 Thursday, 10 January 2008 00:00 GMT ABC, Australia, Radio Australia, Asia, free, current affairs, journalism Radio Australia When the World Bank and other aid donors talk about governance, they use words like ‘transparency’, ‘equity’ and ‘accountability’. What does this language mean for people in the Pacific? For centuries, indigenous societies in the region have had their own ways of governing family and community. Can these traditional modes of governance now be combined with new institutions? Last century, Pacific nations were ruled by one or more colonial powers that introduced new systems of government, religion and language. Today, most have achieved political independence, but the impact of colonialism on land, labour and economy still lingers. So how are chiefs, churches and communities tackling the legacies of the past? http://mpegmeida.abc.net.au/ra/podcast/timetotalk/ttt02.mp3 Thursday, 10 January 2008 00:00 GMT ABC, Australia, Radio Australia, Asia, free, current affairs, journalism Radio Australia Last century, Pacific nations were ruled by one or more colonial powers that introduced new systems of government, religion and language. Today, most have achieved political independence, but the impact of colonialism on land, labour and economy still lingers. So how are chiefs, churches and communities tackling the legacies of the past? In most Pacific countries, the framework of independence was laid down by colonial powers as they lowered their flags of empire in the 1960s and 1970s. But did the parliamentary institutions established at independence reflect the aspirations of the people in the new states? http://mpegmeida.abc.net.au/ra/podcast/timetotalk/ttt03.mp3 Thursday, 10 January 2008 00:00 GMT ABC, Australia, Radio Australia, Asia, free, current affairs, journalism Radio Australia In most Pacific countries, the framework of independence was laid down by colonial powers as they lowered their flags of empire in the 1960s and 1970s. But did the parliamentary institutions established at independence reflect the aspirations of the people in the new states? After independence many Pacific countries attempted to decentralise power through provincial governments. Pacific nations also sought to combine the authority of customary leaders and chiefs with new instruments of government such as ombudsmen and auditors. How successful has this been? http://mpegmeida.abc.net.au/ra/podcast/timetotalk/ttt04.mp3 Thursday, 10 January 2008 00:00 GMT ABC, Australia, Radio Australia, Asia, free, current affairs, journalism Radio Australia After independence many Pacific countries attempted to decentralise power through provincial governments. Pacific nations also sought to combine the authority of customary leaders and chiefs with new instruments of government such as ombudsmen and auditors. How successful has this been? Since independence, Pacific island nations have faced the challenges of poor economic management, youth unemployment, urban drift, coups and conflict. Leaders have struggled with issues of economic sustainability, national integrity and integration into global economies. As new elites emerge, governments have found it hard to meet popular expectations. How do Pacific Islanders assess the situation after independence? http://mpegmeida.abc.net.au/ra/podcast/timetotalk/ttt05.mp3 Thursday, 10 January 2008 00:00 GMT ABC, Australia, Radio Australia, Asia, free, current affairs, journalism Radio Australia Since independence, Pacific island nations have faced the challenges of poor economic management, youth unemployment, urban drift, coups and conflict. Leaders have struggled with issues of economic sustainability, national integrity and integration into global economies. As new elites emerge, governments have found it hard to meet popular expectations. How do Pacific Islanders assess the situation after independence? When overseas donors and investors promote the good governance agenda, do they affect the authority of governments? Pacific Islanders are picking and choosing from the governance agenda and adapting it to their own purposes. In the face of economic reform and structural adjustment, what do the critics say? http://mpegmeida.abc.net.au/ra/podcast/timetotalk/ttt06.mp3 Thursday, 10 January 2008 00:00 GMT ABC, Australia, Radio Australia, Asia, free, current affairs, journalism Radio Australia When overseas donors and investors promote the good governance agenda, do they affect the authority of governments? Pacific Islanders are picking and choosing from the governance agenda and adapting it to their own purposes. In the face of economic reform and structural adjustment, what do the critics say? Throughout the 1990s, governance was tied to programs of ‘economic reform’ and ‘structural adjustment’. How can small Pacific nations deal with changing global trends and shrinking aid budgets? Is economic reform home grown, or pushed by agencies such as the World Bank and Asian Development Bank? And how do structural adjustment programs impact on workers, women and rural communities? http://mpegmeida.abc.net.au/ra/podcast/timetotalk/ttt07.mp3 Thursday, 10 January 2008 00:00 GMT ABC, Australia, Radio Australia, Asia, free, current affairs, journalism Radio Australia Throughout the 1990s, governance was tied to programs of ‘economic reform’ and ‘structural adjustment’. How can small Pacific nations deal with changing global trends and shrinking aid budgets? Is economic reform home grown, or pushed by agencies such as the World Bank and Asian Development Bank? And how do structural adjustment programs impact on workers, women and rural communities? Many Pacific Island administrators face pressure to 'bend the rules'. With new resource projects in logging, mining and commerce, corruption for the benefit of a few is on the rise. But what is corruption? Where does it fit within the wantok system and other kinship obligations? And can the legal system treat everyone equally? http://mpegmeida.abc.net.au/ra/podcast/timetotalk/ttt08.mp3 Thursday, 10 January 2008 00:00 GMT ABC, Australia, Radio Australia, Asia, free, current affairs, journalism Radio Australia Many Pacific Island administrators face pressure to 'bend the rules'. With new resource projects in logging, mining and commerce, corruption for the benefit of a few is on the rise. But what is corruption? Where does it fit within the wantok system and other kinship obligations? And can the legal system treat everyone equally? Many Pacific island nations have more than one functioning system of law as they try to integrate customary laws with Western legal systems. So how well do introduced systems of law and justice serve Pacific communities? What is the relationship between people and the legal system? http://mpegmeida.abc.net.au/ra/podcast/timetotalk/ttt09.mp3 Thursday, 10 January 2008 00:00 GMT ABC, Australia, Radio Australia, Asia, free, current affairs, journalism Radio Australia Many Pacific island nations have more than one functioning system of law as they try to integrate customary laws with Western legal systems. So how well do introduced systems of law and justice serve Pacific communities? What is the relationship between people and the legal system? Civil society has been promoted by aid donors as the saviour of, and compensation for, weak states. How do non-government and community organisations operate in a crisis situation (such as the Bougainville conflict) and how do they operate in normal day to day life? Is there a difference between what donors and Pacific Islanders view as civil society? http://mpegmeida.abc.net.au/ra/podcast/timetotalk/ttt10.mp3 Thursday, 10 January 2008 00:00 GMT ABC, Australia, Radio Australia, Asia, free, current affairs, journalism Radio Australia Civil society has been promoted by aid donors as the saviour of, and compensation for, weak states. How do non-government and community organisations operate in a crisis situation (such as the Bougainville conflict) and how do they operate in normal day to day life? Is there a difference between what donors and Pacific Islanders view as civil society? Access to information can contribute to good governance. But there are many obstacles to sharing information, including cultural, political and financial constraints on the media and education systems. What role can the media, community theatre and education play in raising civic awareness? http://mpegmeida.abc.net.au/ra/podcast/timetotalk/ttt11.mp3 Thursday, 10 January 2008 00:00 GMT ABC, Australia, Radio Australia, Asia, free, current affairs, journalism Radio Australia Access to information can contribute to good governance. But there are many obstacles to sharing information, including cultural, political and financial constraints on the media and education systems. What role can the media, community theatre and education play in raising civic awareness? Pacific custom and culture are based on land, family, spirituality and the Church. But in the age of human rights, are there conflicts between individual and collective rights? What about freedom of religion, freedom from violence, freedom to dissent? Can women and young people assert their rights for an equal role in governing the community? http://mpegmeida.abc.net.au/ra/podcast/timetotalk/ttt12.mp3 Thursday, 10 January 2008 00:00 GMT ABC, Australia, Radio Australia, Asia, free, current affairs, journalism Radio Australia Pacific custom and culture are based on land, family, spirituality and the Church. But in the age of human rights, are there conflicts between individual and collective rights? What about freedom of religion, freedom from violence, freedom to dissent? Can women and young people assert their rights for an equal role in governing the community? Conflict in Bougainville and coups in Fiji have gained international attention. But recent clashes in the Solomon Islands have challenged state rule. What are the roots of these conflicts and what can be done to strengthen relations between state and society? http://mpegmeida.abc.net.au/ra/podcast/timetotalk/ttt13.mp3 Thursday, 10 January 2008 00:00 GMT ABC, Australia, Radio Australia, Asia, free, current affairs, journalism Radio Australia Conflict in Bougainville and coups in Fiji have gained international attention. But recent clashes in the Solomon Islands have challenged state rule. What are the roots of these conflicts and what can be done to strengthen relations between state and society?