| No. 334
News
Despite having few or no coronavirus infections, Pacific island nations have not been immune to the economic devastation of the pandemic, leading to a jostling for power as Australia and the US contend with China for regional influence.
By
Nic Maclellan.
Pacific islands take economic hit
As fruit ripens in Australian vineyards and orchards, growers are desperate for pickers. With the departure of tens of thousands of backpackers because of Covid-19, the expansion of Pacific seasonal work programs may provide a crucial harvest workforce for Australian farmers – and a vital source of employment in the islands, which have been economically ravaged by the pandemic.