The last couple of years have seen a dramatic deterioration in our local region as Tonga, Fiji, Vanuatu, Papua New Guinea and the Solomons have become trouble-spots.When obscure Victorian Labor MP, Bob Sercombe, was appointed shadow minister for Pacific Island Affairs in October 2004, it was widely seen as something of a cosy sinecure for the last Caucus member to make it onto Mark Latham’s frontbench.Some MPs joked that Mr Sercombe could enjoy his remaining years as a parliamentarian hopping Pa…
