The Wire

The Australian government is also trying to carefully manage issues elsewhere in the Pacific today, in the continuing fallout of a decision to grant asylum to a group of West Papuan Asylum seekers, causing offense to the Indonesian government. AID WATCH’s Tim O’Connor fears that Australia has resumed ties with the Indonesian military without obtaining guarantees for the safety of Indigenous West Papuans. While a Newspoll released today has shown that 75% of Australians support West Papuan independence – news that’s welcomed by Free West Papua’s Nick Chesterfield.