Australia’s closest neighbour, Papua New Guinea, is on the verge of a Covid-19 crisis. Thousands of people in the country are now infected, pushing the local health system to the brink. Today, Jonathan Pearlman on the danger facing Papua New Guinea and whether it can be avoided.

As he arrives for talks in Vietnam, Scott Morrison is struggling to match his attempts at diplomacy with his position on climate change.

Climate change is now the defining issue for the Pacific. It is also one of the factors undermining Australia’s relationship with the region.

As China seeks to assert dominance, Australia finds itself upping the stakes in a game it doesn’t want to play.