Pacific-Aust 'commonality' important in uncertain times

Yahoo

2 days ago

Anthony Albanese has hailed the importance of personal relationships with Pacific nations at a time when other powers are seeking to increase their influence.
The prime minister, who will host Fijian counterpart Sitiveni Rabuka when the Wallabies take on Fiji in their one-off Rugby Union Test in Newcastle on Sunday, reiterated the importance of soft diplomacy in the region.
"Relationships between nations essentially come down to relationships between people," he told ABC Radio on Saturday.
"It is a great way in which our nations can show our commonality. We are all members of the Pacific family."
Australia has provided $10 million over seven years for the Fijian Drua women's and men's teams in the Super Rugby Pacific and Australia Super W competitions.
Some $600 million over a decade for a PNG NRL team had also cemented the relationship between the two neighbouring nations, Mr Albanese said.
He said investments in sports were linked with education and economic development, resulting in better health outcomes and stronger, more secure and smarter Pacific populations.
At a time when the United States is pulling away and China and Russia are trying to increase their influence, the prime minister stressed the importance of positioning Australia as the partner of choice.
"We have a considerable defence and security presence throughout the Pacific and that's very much, in these uncertain times, in Australia's interests," he said.
"One of the ways that we cement that is through those personal relations."
Mr Albanese was keen to highlight Australia's upgraded defence and security relationships with Fiji, PNG, Tuvalu, Nauru and other smaller nations in the Pacific.
"We are family and we assist each other as friends, not with strings attached," he said.
"What we do is we help each other out because of our common interests and our common values."
Mr Rabuka met with Governor-General Sam Mostyn at Government House in Canberra earlier this week.
In a keynote address at the National Press Club on Wednesday, he spoke glowingly of bilateral ties between Suva and Canberra in a deteriorating world.
"Unfortunately for now, I contest the region's outlook is more uncertain than at any time since Fiji's independence in 1970," he said.
"Perhaps we have reached a point in our Fiji-Australia relationship where a renewed and elevated Vuvale partnership needs a further step-up to an agreement for a treaty."