Prior to joining The Australian National University Derek worked as the Deputy Secretary to Prime Minister and Assistant Secretary to Prime Minister at the Office of the Prime Minister and Cabinet in Solomon Islands. He served under the leadership of three Prime Ministers from 2013 to 2017. It was during this period that he developed his interest in Constituency Development Funds and its related nexus to issues pertaining to separations of power, among other issues.

In Solomon Islands, Derek was also the focal point for the United Nations Convention Against Corruption (UNCAC) and represented Solomon Islands in various international meetings pertaining to the UNCAC. Derek holds a LLB, Professional Diploma in Legal Practice and LLM from The University of the South Pacific.

His LLM research encompasses customary land disputes and challenges facing custom dispute mechanism (chiefs/traditional leaders dealing with customary land disputes) in Malaita, Solomon Islands. Therefore, when he had an attachment with the Solomon Islands Law Reform Commission for a year (April 2012 – February 2013) he was part of the legal-policy unit within the Ministry of Justice and Legal Affairs who toured Isabel and Makira Provinces to consult on the Tribal Land Dispute Resolution Panels Bill.

From 2018 to 2019, Derek was a research assistant for Professor Michael Wesley for his book project on the Regional Assistance Mission to the Solomon Islands (RAMSI). During that material time, Professor Michael was the Dean of the ANU College of Asia and the Pacific.

Publications:

• Kanairara, P. & Futaiasi, D., “The Belief in Sorcery in Solomon Islands” in Miranda Forsyth, Richard Eves (eds), Talking it Through: Responses to Sorcery and Witchcraft Beliefs and Practices in Melanesia (ANU Press, 2015). Pp. 261 – 295.

Research interests:

Nodal governance, weak state and state in society.

Legal Pluralism, Pacific Legal Systems, Public Law and Rural Development.

Thesis topic:

Nodes and Networks: The Governance of Constituency Development Funds in Solomon Islands