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While prioritised by Pacific Islanders, employment policy has long challenged their governments. There has been little study of how politics and societal interests shape Pacific employment policy delivery.

This pre-submission seminar presents findings from Stephen Close’s doctoral thesis, which examines politics of employment policy in Solomon Islands and Vanuatu. The research focuses on two prioritised and contested employment policies: overseas tertiary scholarships, and overseas labour mobility. In structurally similar contexts, Solomon Islands and Vanuatu politicians and officials responded differently to pressures including surging demand for higher education and jobs, personalised selection, equity of access and work opportunities overseas.

The research draws on interviews with national policy actors, and analyses policy documents, budget and student data and media articles. Critical policy analysis and policy ethnography identified who had power and how they used it. Important political and institutional differences, including different distributions of power, incentives, accountabilities and societal interests shaped how politicians and officials developed, delivered and reformed policy in ways that were transactional or programmatic. Two distinct patterns of employment policy-making emerged in the two states.

This thesis provides a rare contemporary understanding of the politics of employment policy-making, to better understand policy development, delivery and reform in Pacific states.

Speaker

Stephen started his PhD candidacy with DPA in April 2014. He has a Bachelor of International Studies majoring in Asian Studies, Politics/ International Relations and Languages from flinders University, a Masters of Public Policy (International) from ANU, and a Post Graduate Certificate in Assessment and Evaluation from the University of Melbourne. Stephen has worked on international development with Pacific and South-East Asian countries over 25 years. He developed a passionate interest in Pacific public policy on education and employment through this work in the World Bank, including publications on workforce development in Solomon Islands. He has worked with the Australian Government in Cambodia, Myanmar and most recently as Deputy High Commissioner and Development Counsellor in Nauru, and has advocated internally in DFAT for LGBTQIA+ inclusion actions and reforms.