Hugo Hodge

Fortress Guam: The Environmental Cost of Preparing For War With China

As the U.S. military expands on Guam to prepare for a possible war with China, residents warn the buildup threatens the island's environment.

The Pesticide Papers - The Margin

Guam Residents Feared the Military Was Poisoning Them. New Records Reveal Decades of Toxic Contamination.

Australia making defence investments on the expected frontline of a China conflict

Experts say these agreements are clear signs of how important an ally the Philippines is becoming in the Indo-Pacific region amid jitters of US security guarantees.

Why there’s ‘high anxiety’ about this new US military base

The United States is investing millions of dollars to revive WWII-era military sites in the Micronesian region. In the strategically located nation of Palau, there’s anxiety among locals that the military build up will see war return to their peaceful islands.

Is the US military build-up on these islands inviting China's missiles?

The United States is spending billions of dollars muscling up across its Pacific Island military outposts, but locals fear their peaceful islands will become a target.

How Pacific countries are winning the battle against illegal fishing

Pacific nations are responsible for protecting some 30 million square kilometres of ocean from illegal fishing. To find out how they do it, The Pacific travelled to Timor-Leste, Papua New Guinea, Solomon Islands and Marshall Islands to investigate how the region looks after its most precious resource.

Vanuatu's capital is a ghost town - some say it might be 'finished'

Vanuatu is one of the most disaster-prone nations on the planet, with cyclones, earthquakes and volcanic eruptions. And its people now face an unsettling question: how many disasters can one nation take?

Billion-dollar Chinese investment proposed in Nauru sparks concern in Canberra

Australia has pressed Nauru for more detail about a claimed billion-dollar investment agreement that it has signed with a mysterious Chinese company, as federal government officials scramble to ensure the Pacific nation is not breaching a landmark treaty it signed with Australia just nine months ago.

How China gains backdoor access to the Pacific Islands

Sister city agreements help China gain influence and backdoor access to invest in the Pacific and the strategy has been successful. Now the US is playing catch-up.

Why the Pacific is nervous about the US election

Pacific countries will be watching closely as the US voters head to the polls on November 5th to elect either former President Donald Trump or Vice President Kamala Harris. Over the last four years, the Biden administration has taken a proactive role in ramping up US aid and security in the Pacific, but what will the next term of US relations look like?

Major construction firm to exit PNG amid Chinese competition

Hundreds of local jobs in Papua New Guinea will be affected as one of the most reputable construction firms, Fletcher Morobe, is leaving the country after 70 years of nation-building projects.

The Pacific won a stunning climate victory. What's next?

Pacific Island nations are weighing up how to use a historic international court ruling in their fight to bring about stronger emissions reductions and climate justice.

'We are humans, we are alive': Tuvalu plans to survive in the metaverse - but not everyone's...

Tuvalu says the impacts of climate change have forced it to create a digital copy of itself in the metaverse. But in the real world, not everyone's convinced.

Can Palau's 'lucky reefs' save our oceans?

Palau's corals have emerged unscathed from the world's devastating marine heatwaves. Researchers are breeding and planting them to save reefs from disappearing.

The world’s corals are dying. But not on this reef

Coral reefs around the world are suffering but Palau hasn’t experienced a mass bleaching event since 1998. The country’s idyllic waters hide an experiment that scientists hope will unlock the extraordinary properties of Palau’s corals and help save the world's reefs from climate change-induced collapse.

What the media won’t show you in Port Moresby

Port Moresby has a reputation for being one of the world’s worst places to live, but is that fair? We explore the city through the lens of everyday citizens and learn about life and happiness in a place often misunderstood.

Why airlines struggle in the Pacific

Air travel is vital to island nations, yet many Pacific airlines have struggled to stay afloat over the years

How this Pacific paradise is remaking itself after a deadly quake

Port Vila is rebuilding after a magnitude-7.3 earthquake - and residents see an opportunity to increase the city's tourism appeal.

'Whatever little money I get, I bet': Has PNG inherited an NRL gambling problem from Australia?

Rugby league is one of Australia's most celebrated cultural exports, but experts fear its ties to gambling are having an insidious effect on Pacific communities.

At least 64 Pacific seasonal workers have died in four years. Their families are often left...

A former striker for Vanuatu's national youth soccer team drowned in a dam while on the job in Australia. He's one of at least 64 Pacific seasonal workers who have died here since 2020.

Papua New Guineans 'think that they can avoid death'. When it happens, families are forced into...

The high cost of burials is forcing Papua New Guinea families to abandon the bodies of loved ones at its public morgue, and many are ending up in mass graves.

Scientists take out full-page New York Times ad calling on Australia to end 'climate annihilation'

Over 200 climate scientists have taken out a full-page ad in the New York Times calling out Australia's "climate annihilation", while Fijian activists impacted by rising sea levels urge Canberra to do more.

Tonga's Dr Afuha'amango Tuipulotu is proving 'everything is possible' for Pacific women in...

From a poor upbringing, to Tonga's first female Health Minister and now the Chief Nursing Officer of the World Health Organization, Dr Afuha'amango Tuipulotu is proving 'everything is possible'.

Tracing the Mayans in Yucatán

On Mexico's Yucatán Peninsula, you can leave the Cancún beach crowds behind for the cultured capital of Mérida, spectacular swimming holes and a quiet exploration of ruins.

Uncovering the Pacific’s hidden ancient wonder

The hills on Palau’s biggest island in Micronesia have been hiding a secret for a thousand years.

How Australia’s segregated colony agitated for independence

The story of Australia as a British colony is well known, but did you know Australia was the colonial ruler of Papua New Guinea for nearly 70 years? As PNG celebrates 50 years of independence, reporter Hugo Hodge looks at the pivotal moments on the journey to nationhood.

The ‘mythical’ vanished island scientists think is real

The mythical story about the lost island of Teonimenu has been told for generations in central Solomon Islands. Scientists now believe this oral history is actually a credible record of a sudden, catastrophic event.

Why this sunken island is changing the way we think about myths

Legend has it a jealous husband used a wave curse to sink Teonimenu into the ocean forever. Scientists have worked out what really happened.

Hundreds of the Pacific's ancestral remains are kept in Australian institutions. Many have no...

Nearly 1,500 Pacific ancestors are held in 13 museums and universities across Australia - but for the most part, the institutions are not repatriating remains and some believe there are cases that "might prove impossible".

A Russian skull collector took 16 skulls from this village. Now they want them back

On a remote coast in Papua New Guinea, Nickolay Miklouho-Maclay Jr has ended a long journey from Russia to tie up a 150-year-old loose end. His ancestor, the famous Russian explorer and anthropologist bearing the same name, took 16 skulls from here in 1877.

Experts dismiss Netflix's Ancient Apocalypse as 'racist' and 'pseudoscience'

Experts on Pacific history hit out at a popular new series on Netflix which they say is founded on "racist ideologies".

Fiji's road to independence

Look back through the ABC archives at Fiji’s road to independence, which culminated in a ceremonial changing of the flag attended by the then-Prince Charles.

Melbourne to Mexico, Animalia connects two underground worlds

Writer Hugo Hodge finds a slice of Naarm/Melbourne in Mexico City, as Kia's beloved label sees the two cities converging over two weekends.

Label Spotlight: VT1S

Writer Hugo Hodge explores how Fiji's most exciting modern label helped replace the country's foreign music idols with homegrown talent.

The Breakfast Club: Freedom from the 9-5 since 2014

As the iconic Naarm/Melbourne-originating after-hours party celebrates a dozen years, writer Hugo Hodge reflects on its enduring and hedonistic legacy.

Samoan rapper and ballroom father JULAI on breaking boundaries

“This is what it's like to be Samoan.” Rapper and dancer JULAI on the power of being Samoan and breaking boundaries in the Australian ballroom scene.

OMC's song How Bizarre was a 90s hit, now the family's forgotten album is gaining new fans after...

Nearly 30 years after releasing an era-defining song, the Fuenama family are back in the spotlight with the reissue of a forgotten but seminal album.

Watch: The family behind the 90s global sensation return to the spotlight

'How Bizarre' was a worldwide sensation when it was released by Ōtara Millionaires Club, aka OMC, in 1995. The singer came from the Fuemana family, a Pacific Islander music dynasty from South Auckland.

FAMILI - where identity, culture and art collide

FAMILI are a collective of artists whose bloodlines hail from Pasifika, Māori, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities. They’ve been recognised for their role in amplifying diverse voices in Australia's arts scene. Their recent show in Melbourne explored challenging notions of identity and belonging.

Port Vila's Club Lit destroyed in a earthquake

The nightclub was a hub for Port Vila’s creative scene and a stage graced by international artists, but it's now closed following a destructive earthquake in December.

Dive into Wansolmoana - 'one salt ocean' - Australia's new repository of Pacific culture and history

The gallery houses artefacts of deep cultural significance to the diaspora in Australia, including a rare 1,000-year-old replica Rotuman headdress.

The band from suburban Sydney that toured in the Soviet Union

A 1989 homecoming concert tour left a profound imprint on Olev Muska whose band, Kiri-uu, toured a nation fighting for its freedom from Russian occupation.

South Africa's amapiano is coming to a club near you

Kwaito culture helped put South African dance music on the map but a new beat bubbling out from the country’s townships is about to take the world by storm. Skylab speaks to Unlimited Soul, an up-and-coming star in the amapiano scene.

After a show stopping year, can music festivals open their gates again?

The coronavirus pandemic brought the live music industry to a standstill in 2020. One year on from the first lockdown, the industry still faces great uncertainty.

The spirit of Use No Hooks lives on

1980s Melbourne post-punk band Use No Hooks are continually bemused by the newfound interest in their music.

Looking out the window - A Q&A with Gregor Kompar

Skylab's Hugo Hodge speaks with the rising prog pop star about his new album 'Destiny'.

Clubbing with compassion: A Q&A with Ayebatonye Abrakasa

Skylab Radio's Hugo Hodge spoke to the Sydney-based DJ about her musical influences and the important work she does in centring the voices of marginalised communities.

The Pesticide Papers | Is the U.S. Military Poisoning Guam’s Water?

Guam’s drinking water has been contaminated by a toxic pesticide linked to decades of U.S. military activity. The Pesticide Papers examines dieldrin contamination near Andersen Air Force Base and what it means for Guam’s water, land, and communities.

Vanuatu's capital is a ghost town — some say it might be 'finished'

‘The Pacific’ spent a week documenting trauma, resilience, and the daunting prospect of rebuilding one of the most disaster-prone nations in the world. Vanuatu is riddled with damage and the next natural disaster could be looming just around the corner.

Danielle's Pacific Break

In the Pacific it's hard for women to launch careers in the music industry, but when singer-songwriter Danielle wins the region's biggest music competition, it kickstarts her breakout year.

FIFA prioritising profit over fans at World Cup, ex-official says

A former FIFA official says the upcoming World Cup has been tainted by corporate greed as two US states investigate ticket pricing and practices.

Excitement and questions in Papua New Guinea ahead of joining Australia's NRL

Papua New Guinea will enter the NRL in 2028 under a new $600 million deal with Australia unveiled on Thursday morning. In return, PNG has entered an agreement designed to stop China gaining a security foothold in the Pacific nation.

Thousands pack Honiara's National Stadium for colourful Pacific Games opening ceremony

The Pacific Games has kicked off with a riot of colour and sound as Pacific nations unite for one of the most significant events of Oceania's sporting calendar.

Is Fijian rugby putting lives at risk in the pursuit of glory?

The death of promising young player, Pasikali Naevo in early 2023 shocked the nation. One year on, Pasikali’s family are still waiting for answers.

The Pesticide Papers | Is the U.S. Military Poisoning Guam’s Water?

Guam’s drinking water has been contaminated by a toxic pesticide linked to decades of U.S. military activity. The Pesticide Papers examines dieldrin contamination near Andersen Air Force Base and what it means for Guam’s water, land, and communities.

Did the U.S. military poison Guam's water?

Uncovering the Pacific’s hidden ancient wonder

The hills on Palau’s biggest island in Micronesia have been hiding a secret for a thousand years.

Excitement and questions in Papua New Guinea ahead of joining Australia's NRL

As Papua New Guinea signs a $600 million deal with Australia to enter the NRL, reporter Hugo Hodge speaks with locals.

Fiji's road to independence

Fijian elders reflect on their nation's journey to independence

TikTok: There’s high anxiety about this new military base

TikTok: Calls to return Pacific ancestral remains in Australian institutions

Reel: Superpowers race to mine ‘potato sized’ rocks from the ocean

Reel: How Pacific women revolutionised ‘male gaze’ beauty pageants

America's Pacific outpost and the banned pesticide in its water

Hugo Hodge joins Johnson Raela on The Pacific.

Guam community endured decades of toxic contamination near US military base - ABC Pacific

Unsafe levels of a pesticide Dieldrin were detected around the Andersen Air Force Base as early as 2008, but residents were not advised about the drinking water risk until 2025.

US Military Privately Knew of Cancer-Linked Pesticides at Andersen AFB Guam For Decades: Report

A joint investigation found residents consumed with disbelief, anger and guilt over perceived ignorance regarding health and wellness.