David Jull (Fadden, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is directed to the Minister for Foreign Affairs. What international efforts are being made to support the democratically elected government of Fiji?

Alexander Downer (Mayo, Liberal Party, Minister for Foreign Affairs) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

First, can I thank the honourable member for Fadden for his question and his interest. The government was very concerned at the statements that were made by Commodore Bainimarama, the commander of the Fiji military force, over the weekend. He is threatening the government—demanding the resignation of the Prime Minister and the government. Yet this is a government that was democratically elected only a few months ago, in May. The election observer team from the Pacific Islands Forum, which included some members of this House, concluded that those elections were free and fair.

It is clear that Fiji is on the brink of a coup. This government and I think it is fair to say that this country supports the continuation of the democratically elected government. We support the constitution and we support the rule of law. Last Friday, foreign ministers at the Pacific Islands Forum came together in Sydney. The statement made by those foreign ministers is an important illustration of the unity of the region in support of the constitution, in support of democracy and in support of the rule of law in Fiji. This is not just an Australian or an Australian and New Zealand view. This is the unanimous view of the Pacific Islands Forum.

The meeting in Sydney established the Eminent Persons Group, the composition of which is up to the Pacific Islands Forum Secretary-General, Greg Irwin. We are putting forward a retired Australian military officer, and, hopefully, he will be taken up by Greg Irwin and there will be other members of the Eminent Persons Group who will visit Fiji as soon as possible, I would like to feel, before the government has been forcibly removed by the military. The Eminent Persons Group will have an opportunity to engage constructively with all the players there and, hopefully, to assist. But, so far, Commodore Bainimarama is maintaining his rhetoric and his commitment to destroy democracy, to break the country and to undermine its constitution.

As a government we warmly welcome the statement made by the United Nations Security Council calling for the military to exercise restraint and to avoid taking any action which would undermine the rule of law and run counter to the best interests of Fiji. The American Department of State has expressed similar sentiments, and the Commonwealth Secretary-General likewise. If Commodore Bainimarama wishes to listen to the voices of the world, the voices of the world are saying, ‘Stay with the constitution, stay with the rule of law and allow the democratically elected institutions to do their job.’