Democracy That Delivers

422 - Anti-corruption Windows of Opportunity

Moments of political change don't last long — and whether they lead to reform depends on who is ready to act. In this episode of Democracy That Delivers, CIPE's Michele Crymes speaks with Cheri-Leigh Erasmus of Accountability Lab about how civil society can seize democratic windows of opportunity. They explore why trust, coordination, and preparedness matter more than speed, how funding constraints limit response capacity, and why private sector partnerships are critical to sustainable reform. The takeaway is clear: meaningful democratic progress requires relationships built before the moment arrives — and collaboration across sectors is no longer optional.

421 Australian Perspectives on Southeast Asia and the Pacific with Bill Costello

With Australian Foreign Minister Wong explaining [https://www.foreignminister.gov.au/minister/penny-wong/transcript/interview-david-speers-abc-insiders-0] that Australia and China "are in a state of permanent contest in the Pacific" what are Australia's priorities in the Pacific, as well as in Southeast Asia? How does Australia engage in creative diplomacy, and how can the United States and Australia reinforce each other's efforts in supporting market-oriented democracy in this critical region? CIPE's John Morrell is joined by Bill Costello for a conversation about Australia's perspectives on ASEAN and the Pacific. Bill is Assistant Secretary for Southeast Asia Development and Programs with the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade. He was previously Australia's Ambassador to Timor-Leste.

420 - Pacific Pivot with Andrew Harding

As the emerging democracies of the Pacific Islands grapple with development challenges and geopolitics, the region is attracting greater attention from around the world. CIPE's John Morrell speaks with Andrew J. Harding of the Heritage Foundation [https://www.heritage.org/staff/andrew-harding] about his recent article The Pacific Pivot: An American Strategy for the Pacific Islands [https://www.heritage.org/china/report/the-pacific-pivot-american-strategy-the-pacific-islands], which is Heritage's first-ever report outlining a long-term U.S. engagement strategy for the Pacific Islands to support U.S. interests. As part of a special podcast series on Business and Politics in Today's Pacific Islands, Andrew discusses a comprehensive approach to U.S. Pacific policy, and he lays out how to build sustained bipartisan support for increased engagement with Pacific Island Countries.

419 - Chinese Spending and Lending in the Pacific: What Does it Mean?

As part of a special podcast series on Business and Politics in Today's Pacific Islands, CIPE's John Morrell discusses China's growing presence in the Pacific with Paul Barker [https://www.linkedin.com/in/paul-barker-6a19b710/], Executive Director of the Institute for National Affairs (INA) [https://inapng.com/] in Papua New Guinea. INA is the leading independent policy think tank in PNG, and is among the most influential thought leaders in the Pacific region. Paul discusses political developments in PNG, the role of China in political debates in the country and across the Pacific, and the impact of China's influence in Pacific Island Countries. Listeners will hear the perspectives of Pacific people on these geopolitical dynamics.

418 - Business and Politics in Samoa with Sam Saili

As Samoa prepares for a historic election this August, and as the country's economy emerges from the pandemic, CIPE's John Morrell sits down with Sam Saili, President of the Samoan Chamber of Commerce and CEO of SkyEye Pacific, a technology company providing innovative solutions for the Pacific. Sam discusses the state of the Samoan economy and business climate, the work of the Chamber, and he walks listeners through the upcoming election. Listeners will learn what to expect, how to interpret the respective campaigns, the role of the business community in Samoan politics, and what the election results might portend. This episode on "Business and Politics in Samoa" is part of a special podcast series on the Pacific.