New PM appointed in Vanuatu

Vanuatu has appointed Charlot Salwai as Vanuatu's new prime minister, three weeks after a snap election.

The foreign affairs department is confident Australian aid was not caught up in the Vanuatu bribery scandal, which resulted in the convictions of 14 MPs including a former prime minister.

A Senate estimates hearing in Canberra on Monday was told the scandal had caused some delays to Cyclone Pam reconstruction efforts.