ABOUT THE EVENT:

An immersive journey through the tumultuous past and fascinating present of Australia's nearest neighbours

On Tuesday 18th March at The Royal Oak, Balmain, join Hamish McDonald in conversation with Oliver Nobetau.

Copies of Melanesia: Travels in Black Oceania will be available for purchase at the venue through Roaring Stories, with McDonald signing copies after the discussion.

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ABOUT THE VENUE

Attendees are asked to arrive at 6.30pm for a 7pm start. Seating is unallocated – another reason to arrive early to secure an optimal spot. Why not make a full evening of it, too, by ordering a meal at the Royal Oak before or after the event? One of Balmain's oldest and most loved pubs, it serves a delicious range of food and beverages.

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ABOUT THE BOOK

Stretching from Fiji in the east to New Guinea in the west, Melanesia is astonishingly diverse. Its islands are home to some 1200 language groups, many of them still isolated from the outside world. In Australia, this complex region tends to make the news only in times of crisis: military coups in Fiji, Kanak unrest in New Caledonia, rioting in Solomon Islands. Melanesia offers readers a deeper insight into the people and places behind these headlines, combining travelogue, history and astute political analysis.

By land and sea, Hamish McDonald travels from one end of Melanesia to the other. Speaking with locals from all walks of life, he uncovers the histories, values, aspirations and tensions that have shaped their communities. He examines the impact of outsiders: the Indians recruited to work in Fiji; the white "blackbirders" who kidnapped Islanders for the Australian cane fields; the Americans during World War II; the Indonesians in New Guinea. And he considers the big changes unfolding today, as shifting demographics and the growing influence of China produce a new balance of power across the region.

Vividly written, Melanesia is essential reading for anyone looking to understand this fascinating part of the world and its growing international significance.

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ABOUT HAMISH MCDONALD

Hamish McDonald is an award-winning Australian journalist. He has been correspondent and foreign editor for The Sydney Morning Herald and the Far Eastern Economic Review, reporting from the Pacific Islands, Indonesia, Japan, Hong Kong, New Delhi and Beijing as well as around Australia. His latest book is Melanesia: Travels in Black Oceania.

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ABOUT THE HOST

Oliver (Oli) Nobetau is the 2024 FDC Pacific Fellow at the Lowy Institute. Working in the Institute’s Pacific Islands Program, he is on a one-year secondment from the Government of Papua New Guinea (PNG).

His research interests include climate change, national security, PNG governance and politics, the Autonomous Region of Bougainville, and broader international relations across the Pacific region. Oliver has experience as a Senior Legal Officer with the Office of the State Solicitor in PNG’s Department of Justice and Attorney General, practicing in international law and representing the Government of PNG in international negotiations relating to security and climate change. He holds a Bachelor of Laws from the University of Papua New Guinea.

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TERMS & CONDITIONS

Refunds

Please note that tickets are non-refundable unless the event is cancelled or postponed due to extenuating circumstances. Refunds are not issued within 48 hours notice of event date. Humanitix fee is nonrefundable.

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This event is presented by Roaring Stories Bookshop Balmain.

With thanks to our venue partner The Royal Oak.

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Hamish McDonald in conversation with Oliver Nobetau

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