This week we look at Papua New Guinea. Sir Michael Somare is back in the Prime Minister's office but can he save the country from total collapse? Sir Michael Somare joins Asia Pacific Focus to discuss his plans to bring stability to the troubled nation.

Asia Pacific Focus presenter Michael Maher has been covering the Asia Pacific region for more than fifteen years. He is the ABC's longest-serving Indonesia correspondent, having reported from the ABC’s Jakarta bureau from 1993 to 1998.

His coverage of the world's fourth largest nation and the fall of Suharto made him a winner, finalist or medallist in a range of industry awards, including Australia's highly regarded Walkley and Logie awards, the United Nations Media Peace Awards, the New York Film and Television Festival and the Australian Human Rights Association Awards. Michael is the author of the critically acclaimed book "Indonesia - An Eyewitness Account" and was also a contributor to "Diplomacy in the Marketplace: Australia in World Affairs", a book on Australian foreign policy.

Prior to his Indonesian assignment, he was ABC TV's Canberra-based diplomatic correspondent. He has reported from throughout Asia and the Pacific and interviewed many of its key leaders, including Abdurrahman Wahid, Megawati Sukarnoputri, Lee Kuan Yew, Mahathir Mohamad, Anwar Ibrahim, Xanana Gusmao and Sir Mekere Morauta.

In his current position as the ABC’s Asia Pacific Editor, Michael provides reportage, analysis and commentary on the region for both radio and television.

He is an honors graduate in Asian history and politics and first became interested in the region while growing up in India, Thailand and Burma.