Dr Kirstie Petrou

Dr Kirstie Petrou is a lecturer in Indo-Pacific Studies at UNSW Canberra.  Her research interests include urbanisation, migration, gender and development in the Pacific. Kirstie's current research focuses on the social impacts of participation in Australia’s Pacific labour mobility schemes. She has worked closely with organisations including the Asian Development Bank, DFAT, the Pacific Labour Facility and the Vanuatu Government on labour mobility research, policy and program design. Kirstie is the author of two books, 'If Everyone Returned the Island Would Sink: Urbanisation and Migration in Vanuatu' (Berghann Books, 2020) and 'Pacific Islands Guestworkers in Australia: The New Blackbirds?' (co-authored with John Connell, Palgrave Macmillan, 2023).  Prior to joining UNSW, Kirstie held positions at Griffith University and the World Bank.