UNSW Professor Calls for Data-Driven Policies on Jobs, Climate and Security

Professor Satish Chand of the University of New South Wales has urged Pacific leaders to ensure that policies on jobs, climate change, and human security are grounded in practical, evidence-based research.

Speaking at the Pacific Regional Tripartite Employment Conference in Nadi, Professor Chand said academic work on labour mobility and fragile economies must translate into actionable policies that serve the realities of Pacific Islanders. “We cannot afford to remain in the realm of theory. The test for policy is whether it improves the lives of our people,” he stressed.

Professor Chand, who has spent much of his career examining the links between defence strategies and economic development, said that security in the Pacific cannot be understood in isolation from economic resilience. He noted that the collapse of livelihoods, combined with the pressures of migration and climate change, can strain social cohesion and create wider instability.

As a recognised expert in labour migration, Chand also highlighted the region’s dependence on overseas work schemes, describing them as both an opportunity and a risk. He said the challenge for Pacific governments is to balance the benefits of remittances with the need to retain skills and strengthen domestic labour markets.

Professor Chand’s extensive background includes research on development in fragile states such as Bougainville, East Timor, and Solomon Islands. This regional perspective, combined with his global academic credentials, made his intervention a key highlight of the conference.

“Professor Chand brings a rare blend of global expertise and regional commitment,” one delegate observed. “His call to action reflects the very spirit of this conference—charting pathways that are both ambitious and grounded.”