Workers for all seasons

Renewed unrest in Solomon Islands and East Timor has prompted debate about the ways in which access to the Australian labour market might help bring social stability to small island states. Australia has jobs with no workers - particularly in the rural sector - while the Pacific Island nations and East Timor have workers with no jobs. Such neat symmetry is appealing and temporary labour schemes may indeed be one strand of a solution to the complex development challenges faced by Australia’s smaller neighbours. [Introduction]