Will’s Word: Pacific Eyes puts the region in the driver’s seat of international relations

So there's a new idea floating around, something called Pacific Eyes, and it's a plan for New Zealand, Australia, and Pacific nations to, for example, share intelligence. Kind of like the Five Eyes Alliance, but for our region.

I know what you're thinking, that sounds like a little bit of spy talk. But it's really about something simple: keeping each other safe. We all know the Pacific's getting a wee bit crowded. China's been stepping up in recent years, police advisers in the Solomon Islands, new security deals in Fiji and Papua New Guinea, alongside more naval visits.

Add to that cyber attacks, illegal fishing, and climate disasters, and you start to see why the Pacific cannot afford to be caught off guard. This proposal by the Lowy Institute says, instead of waiting for outside powers to tell us what's happening, let's build our own system.

Share info, train local experts, keep our eyes open, together, and honestly, I'm here for it. I think this is a great idea. Knowing what's happening in your waters, your neighbourhood and your data. For too long, Pacific nations have been treated like the background to someone else's game.

But we're not pieces on a chessboard, we're key players. If Pacific Eyes is led by the region, with emphasis on the region, not dictated from Canberra or Wellington, this could be a real turning point in security and geopolitical stability in the region.

It is high time the Pacific started seeing itself through its own lens when it comes to matters of security and geopolitics. Because that's how we stay strong, that's how we stay sovereign. So I'm all for this idea. Let's make Pacific Eyes happen.

That's Will's Word.

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