Fiji leader to spruik security, unity to Australia
Sitiveni Rabuka will address the National Press Club in Canberra on Wednesday after he was welcomed to Government House by Governor-General Sam Mostyn on Tuesday afternoon.
Later in the week, Mr Rabuka and Prime Minister Anthony Albanese will attend the Wallabies-Fiji Test in Newcastle to watch the two national teams clash for the Vuvale Bowl in a statement of the cultural bonds shared through rugby.
Fiji's prime minister, whose nation is a key regional ally of Australia, has previously advocated for the concept of the Pacific being the "ocean of peace".
That includes adopting foundational ethics and principles for "Pacific regionalism" and outlines themes of climate protection in addition to managing increasing strategic competition between China and the US.
Blake Johnson, a senior analyst at the Australian Strategic Policy Institute's Pacific Centre, said Mr Rabuka would likely want to elaborate on the proposal in his televised address.
"It's trying to unite the Pacific to push back against some of the competition that's taking place," he told AAP.
"To really focus on taking care of the oceans and getting a more unified approach to getting partners like the US and Australia and others to commit to supporting climate change adaptation projects."
Mr Johnson said the concept also pushed for a cohesive approach from within the Pacific in trying to resolve the region's security challenges.
"That's something that Australia has been getting better at over the last 12 months," he said.
"A lot of its different initiatives are trying to support a Pacific-driven security solution that doesn't involve drawing in all of this additional support from Beijing or from the US."
Any visit by a Pacific leader to Australia was an opportunity for Canberra to spruik its support for the bilateral relationship, Mr Johnson added.
"The security of Australia depends on the security of our surrounding region," he said.
"There can sometimes be unrest in Pacific Island countries and if that all spills over, it creates an unstable region around Australia, and that's not good for our overall security."
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Advertiser
32 minutes ago
- The Advertiser
China denies military base ambitions in Pacific Islands
China's embassy in Fiji denies that Beijing wants a military base or sphere of influence in the Pacific Islands after Fijian Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka said islands were trying to cope with a powerful China seeking to spread its influence. "The claims about China setting up a military base in the Pacific are false narratives," an embassy spokesperson said in a statement on Thursday. "China's presence in the Pacific is focused on building roads and bridges to improve people's livelihoods, not on stationing troops or setting up military bases." Rabuka said on Wednesday his country had development co-operation with China, but was opposed to Beijing establishing a military base in the region. In any case, China did not need a base to project power in the region, he said. China tested an intercontinental ballistic missile in September that flew over Fiji to land 11,000km from China in the international waters of the Pacific Ocean. "If they can very well target an empty space they can very well target occupied space," Rabuka told the National Press Club in Canberra. Washington became concerned about China's ambition to gain a military foothold in the Pacific Islands in 2018 when Beijing sought to redevelop a naval base in Papua New Guinea and a military base in Fiji. China was outbid by Australia for both projects. The concern resurfaced in 2022 when China signed a security pact with Solomon Islands, prompting Washington to warn it would respond if Beijing established a permanent military presence. In November, the outgoing US Deputy Secretary of State Kurt Campbell urged the Trump administration to keep its focus on the region because China wanted to build bases in the Pacific Islands. The Chinese embassy spokesperson said Fiji and China respect each other's sovereignty. "China has no interest in geopolitical competition, or seeking the so-called 'sphere of influence'," the statement said. China has established a police presence in Solomon Islands, Kiribati and Vanuatu. China's embassy in Fiji denies that Beijing wants a military base or sphere of influence in the Pacific Islands after Fijian Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka said islands were trying to cope with a powerful China seeking to spread its influence. "The claims about China setting up a military base in the Pacific are false narratives," an embassy spokesperson said in a statement on Thursday. "China's presence in the Pacific is focused on building roads and bridges to improve people's livelihoods, not on stationing troops or setting up military bases." Rabuka said on Wednesday his country had development co-operation with China, but was opposed to Beijing establishing a military base in the region. In any case, China did not need a base to project power in the region, he said. China tested an intercontinental ballistic missile in September that flew over Fiji to land 11,000km from China in the international waters of the Pacific Ocean. "If they can very well target an empty space they can very well target occupied space," Rabuka told the National Press Club in Canberra. Washington became concerned about China's ambition to gain a military foothold in the Pacific Islands in 2018 when Beijing sought to redevelop a naval base in Papua New Guinea and a military base in Fiji. China was outbid by Australia for both projects. The concern resurfaced in 2022 when China signed a security pact with Solomon Islands, prompting Washington to warn it would respond if Beijing established a permanent military presence. In November, the outgoing US Deputy Secretary of State Kurt Campbell urged the Trump administration to keep its focus on the region because China wanted to build bases in the Pacific Islands. The Chinese embassy spokesperson said Fiji and China respect each other's sovereignty. "China has no interest in geopolitical competition, or seeking the so-called 'sphere of influence'," the statement said. China has established a police presence in Solomon Islands, Kiribati and Vanuatu. China's embassy in Fiji denies that Beijing wants a military base or sphere of influence in the Pacific Islands after Fijian Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka said islands were trying to cope with a powerful China seeking to spread its influence. "The claims about China setting up a military base in the Pacific are false narratives," an embassy spokesperson said in a statement on Thursday. "China's presence in the Pacific is focused on building roads and bridges to improve people's livelihoods, not on stationing troops or setting up military bases." Rabuka said on Wednesday his country had development co-operation with China, but was opposed to Beijing establishing a military base in the region. In any case, China did not need a base to project power in the region, he said. China tested an intercontinental ballistic missile in September that flew over Fiji to land 11,000km from China in the international waters of the Pacific Ocean. "If they can very well target an empty space they can very well target occupied space," Rabuka told the National Press Club in Canberra. Washington became concerned about China's ambition to gain a military foothold in the Pacific Islands in 2018 when Beijing sought to redevelop a naval base in Papua New Guinea and a military base in Fiji. China was outbid by Australia for both projects. The concern resurfaced in 2022 when China signed a security pact with Solomon Islands, prompting Washington to warn it would respond if Beijing established a permanent military presence. In November, the outgoing US Deputy Secretary of State Kurt Campbell urged the Trump administration to keep its focus on the region because China wanted to build bases in the Pacific Islands. The Chinese embassy spokesperson said Fiji and China respect each other's sovereignty. "China has no interest in geopolitical competition, or seeking the so-called 'sphere of influence'," the statement said. China has established a police presence in Solomon Islands, Kiribati and Vanuatu. China's embassy in Fiji denies that Beijing wants a military base or sphere of influence in the Pacific Islands after Fijian Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka said islands were trying to cope with a powerful China seeking to spread its influence. "The claims about China setting up a military base in the Pacific are false narratives," an embassy spokesperson said in a statement on Thursday. "China's presence in the Pacific is focused on building roads and bridges to improve people's livelihoods, not on stationing troops or setting up military bases." Rabuka said on Wednesday his country had development co-operation with China, but was opposed to Beijing establishing a military base in the region. In any case, China did not need a base to project power in the region, he said. China tested an intercontinental ballistic missile in September that flew over Fiji to land 11,000km from China in the international waters of the Pacific Ocean. "If they can very well target an empty space they can very well target occupied space," Rabuka told the National Press Club in Canberra. Washington became concerned about China's ambition to gain a military foothold in the Pacific Islands in 2018 when Beijing sought to redevelop a naval base in Papua New Guinea and a military base in Fiji. China was outbid by Australia for both projects. The concern resurfaced in 2022 when China signed a security pact with Solomon Islands, prompting Washington to warn it would respond if Beijing established a permanent military presence. In November, the outgoing US Deputy Secretary of State Kurt Campbell urged the Trump administration to keep its focus on the region because China wanted to build bases in the Pacific Islands. The Chinese embassy spokesperson said Fiji and China respect each other's sovereignty. "China has no interest in geopolitical competition, or seeking the so-called 'sphere of influence'," the statement said. China has established a police presence in Solomon Islands, Kiribati and Vanuatu.
The Advertiser
33 minutes ago
- The Advertiser
Trump's tax-cut bill heads to a final vote in US House
Republicans in the US House of Representatives have advanced President Donald Trump's massive tax-cut and spending bill toward a final yes-or-no vote, appearing to overcome internal party divisions over its cost. During a marathon overnight session, lawmakers cleared a final procedural hurdle needed to begin debate on the bill in a 219-213 vote about 3.30am. It was not clear when they would hold a final vote. As dawn broke in Washington on Thursday, the top House Democrat, Hakeem Jeffries, was well into what was turning into an hours-long speech, calling out Republican lawmakers by name as he blasted the package as a giveaway to the wealthiest Americans. "This one big, ugly bill - this reckless Republican budget - this disgusting abomination is not about improving the quality of life of the American people," he said, a scathing reference to Trump's name for his signature legislation: One Big Beautiful Bill. "The focus of this bill, the justification for all of the cuts that will hurt everyday Americans is to provide massive tax breaks for billionaires." Democrats are united in opposition to the bill, but on their own lack the votes to stop the bill in the chamber, which is controlled 220-212 by Trump's Republicans. Republicans can afford no more than three defections to get a final bill passed. The past two weeks have shown deep Republican divides on the bill, which would add $US3.4 trillion ($A5.2 trillion) to the nation's $US36.2 trillion in debt and make major cuts to social programs including Medicaid. Republican lawmakers have long railed against the growth of the debt, which has continued during the past two decades regardless of which party was in control in Washington. A handful of Republican holdouts have objected to the bill. One, senator Thom Tillis, opted not to seek re-election after voting against it. Nonetheless, Trump has succeeded in getting the votes to advance the legislation at each step of the way. Votes in the House were held open for hours on Wednesday during the day and overnight as House Speaker Mike Johnson and the White House talked with reluctant members. Johnson expressed optimism on Wednesday night, saying lawmakers had a "long, productive day" discussing the issues. He praised Trump for making phone calls to the holdouts through the early hours of Thursday morning. "There couldn't be a more engaged and involved president," Johnson told reporters. The Senate passed the legislation by the narrowest possible margin on Tuesday after intense debate on the bill's hefty price tag and $US900 million in cuts to the Medicaid healthcare program for low-income Americans. Any changes made by the House would require another Senate vote, which would make it all but impossible to meet Trump's self-imposed deadline of getting the legislation approved by the July 4 holiday. The bill would raise the nation's debt ceiling by $US5 trillion, a necessary step to avoid a devastating default in coming months. The legislation contains most of Trump's top domestic priorities. It would extend Trump's 2017 tax cuts, cut health and food safety net programs, fund Trump's immigration crackdown, and zero out many green-energy incentives. It also includes a $US5 trillion increase in the nation's debt ceiling, which lawmakers must address in the coming months or risk a devastating default. Republicans in the US House of Representatives have advanced President Donald Trump's massive tax-cut and spending bill toward a final yes-or-no vote, appearing to overcome internal party divisions over its cost. During a marathon overnight session, lawmakers cleared a final procedural hurdle needed to begin debate on the bill in a 219-213 vote about 3.30am. It was not clear when they would hold a final vote. As dawn broke in Washington on Thursday, the top House Democrat, Hakeem Jeffries, was well into what was turning into an hours-long speech, calling out Republican lawmakers by name as he blasted the package as a giveaway to the wealthiest Americans. "This one big, ugly bill - this reckless Republican budget - this disgusting abomination is not about improving the quality of life of the American people," he said, a scathing reference to Trump's name for his signature legislation: One Big Beautiful Bill. "The focus of this bill, the justification for all of the cuts that will hurt everyday Americans is to provide massive tax breaks for billionaires." Democrats are united in opposition to the bill, but on their own lack the votes to stop the bill in the chamber, which is controlled 220-212 by Trump's Republicans. Republicans can afford no more than three defections to get a final bill passed. The past two weeks have shown deep Republican divides on the bill, which would add $US3.4 trillion ($A5.2 trillion) to the nation's $US36.2 trillion in debt and make major cuts to social programs including Medicaid. Republican lawmakers have long railed against the growth of the debt, which has continued during the past two decades regardless of which party was in control in Washington. A handful of Republican holdouts have objected to the bill. One, senator Thom Tillis, opted not to seek re-election after voting against it. Nonetheless, Trump has succeeded in getting the votes to advance the legislation at each step of the way. Votes in the House were held open for hours on Wednesday during the day and overnight as House Speaker Mike Johnson and the White House talked with reluctant members. Johnson expressed optimism on Wednesday night, saying lawmakers had a "long, productive day" discussing the issues. He praised Trump for making phone calls to the holdouts through the early hours of Thursday morning. "There couldn't be a more engaged and involved president," Johnson told reporters. The Senate passed the legislation by the narrowest possible margin on Tuesday after intense debate on the bill's hefty price tag and $US900 million in cuts to the Medicaid healthcare program for low-income Americans. Any changes made by the House would require another Senate vote, which would make it all but impossible to meet Trump's self-imposed deadline of getting the legislation approved by the July 4 holiday. The bill would raise the nation's debt ceiling by $US5 trillion, a necessary step to avoid a devastating default in coming months. The legislation contains most of Trump's top domestic priorities. It would extend Trump's 2017 tax cuts, cut health and food safety net programs, fund Trump's immigration crackdown, and zero out many green-energy incentives. It also includes a $US5 trillion increase in the nation's debt ceiling, which lawmakers must address in the coming months or risk a devastating default. Republicans in the US House of Representatives have advanced President Donald Trump's massive tax-cut and spending bill toward a final yes-or-no vote, appearing to overcome internal party divisions over its cost. During a marathon overnight session, lawmakers cleared a final procedural hurdle needed to begin debate on the bill in a 219-213 vote about 3.30am. It was not clear when they would hold a final vote. As dawn broke in Washington on Thursday, the top House Democrat, Hakeem Jeffries, was well into what was turning into an hours-long speech, calling out Republican lawmakers by name as he blasted the package as a giveaway to the wealthiest Americans. "This one big, ugly bill - this reckless Republican budget - this disgusting abomination is not about improving the quality of life of the American people," he said, a scathing reference to Trump's name for his signature legislation: One Big Beautiful Bill. "The focus of this bill, the justification for all of the cuts that will hurt everyday Americans is to provide massive tax breaks for billionaires." Democrats are united in opposition to the bill, but on their own lack the votes to stop the bill in the chamber, which is controlled 220-212 by Trump's Republicans. Republicans can afford no more than three defections to get a final bill passed. The past two weeks have shown deep Republican divides on the bill, which would add $US3.4 trillion ($A5.2 trillion) to the nation's $US36.2 trillion in debt and make major cuts to social programs including Medicaid. Republican lawmakers have long railed against the growth of the debt, which has continued during the past two decades regardless of which party was in control in Washington. A handful of Republican holdouts have objected to the bill. One, senator Thom Tillis, opted not to seek re-election after voting against it. Nonetheless, Trump has succeeded in getting the votes to advance the legislation at each step of the way. Votes in the House were held open for hours on Wednesday during the day and overnight as House Speaker Mike Johnson and the White House talked with reluctant members. Johnson expressed optimism on Wednesday night, saying lawmakers had a "long, productive day" discussing the issues. He praised Trump for making phone calls to the holdouts through the early hours of Thursday morning. "There couldn't be a more engaged and involved president," Johnson told reporters. The Senate passed the legislation by the narrowest possible margin on Tuesday after intense debate on the bill's hefty price tag and $US900 million in cuts to the Medicaid healthcare program for low-income Americans. Any changes made by the House would require another Senate vote, which would make it all but impossible to meet Trump's self-imposed deadline of getting the legislation approved by the July 4 holiday. The bill would raise the nation's debt ceiling by $US5 trillion, a necessary step to avoid a devastating default in coming months. The legislation contains most of Trump's top domestic priorities. It would extend Trump's 2017 tax cuts, cut health and food safety net programs, fund Trump's immigration crackdown, and zero out many green-energy incentives. It also includes a $US5 trillion increase in the nation's debt ceiling, which lawmakers must address in the coming months or risk a devastating default. Republicans in the US House of Representatives have advanced President Donald Trump's massive tax-cut and spending bill toward a final yes-or-no vote, appearing to overcome internal party divisions over its cost. During a marathon overnight session, lawmakers cleared a final procedural hurdle needed to begin debate on the bill in a 219-213 vote about 3.30am. It was not clear when they would hold a final vote. As dawn broke in Washington on Thursday, the top House Democrat, Hakeem Jeffries, was well into what was turning into an hours-long speech, calling out Republican lawmakers by name as he blasted the package as a giveaway to the wealthiest Americans. "This one big, ugly bill - this reckless Republican budget - this disgusting abomination is not about improving the quality of life of the American people," he said, a scathing reference to Trump's name for his signature legislation: One Big Beautiful Bill. "The focus of this bill, the justification for all of the cuts that will hurt everyday Americans is to provide massive tax breaks for billionaires." Democrats are united in opposition to the bill, but on their own lack the votes to stop the bill in the chamber, which is controlled 220-212 by Trump's Republicans. Republicans can afford no more than three defections to get a final bill passed. The past two weeks have shown deep Republican divides on the bill, which would add $US3.4 trillion ($A5.2 trillion) to the nation's $US36.2 trillion in debt and make major cuts to social programs including Medicaid. Republican lawmakers have long railed against the growth of the debt, which has continued during the past two decades regardless of which party was in control in Washington. A handful of Republican holdouts have objected to the bill. One, senator Thom Tillis, opted not to seek re-election after voting against it. Nonetheless, Trump has succeeded in getting the votes to advance the legislation at each step of the way. Votes in the House were held open for hours on Wednesday during the day and overnight as House Speaker Mike Johnson and the White House talked with reluctant members. Johnson expressed optimism on Wednesday night, saying lawmakers had a "long, productive day" discussing the issues. He praised Trump for making phone calls to the holdouts through the early hours of Thursday morning. "There couldn't be a more engaged and involved president," Johnson told reporters. The Senate passed the legislation by the narrowest possible margin on Tuesday after intense debate on the bill's hefty price tag and $US900 million in cuts to the Medicaid healthcare program for low-income Americans. Any changes made by the House would require another Senate vote, which would make it all but impossible to meet Trump's self-imposed deadline of getting the legislation approved by the July 4 holiday. The bill would raise the nation's debt ceiling by $US5 trillion, a necessary step to avoid a devastating default in coming months. The legislation contains most of Trump's top domestic priorities. It would extend Trump's 2017 tax cuts, cut health and food safety net programs, fund Trump's immigration crackdown, and zero out many green-energy incentives. It also includes a $US5 trillion increase in the nation's debt ceiling, which lawmakers must address in the coming months or risk a devastating default.
Sky News AU
2 hours ago
- Sky News AU
One Nation leader Pauline Hanson laments exploding public sector reaching record levels under Albanese government
One Nation leader Pauline Hanson has lamented the Albanese government's bloated public sector and claimed the huge growth in workers was 'making our life worse'. The federal public service has expanded to record levels under Labor, despite Prime Minister Anthony Albanese pledging to bolster lagging productivity growth. New Australian Public Service (APS) data has revealed the federal bureaucracy is set to balloon to a record-breaking 213,000 staff, up from a 14-year low of 144,704 workers at the end of 2019. A considerable number of the growing workforce is made of up compliance, regulation, administrative, and human resources officers tasked with supervising the mammoth public service. The compliance category, which makes up HR, policy and regulation employees experienced the steepest bump, surging by more than 41,000 workers over five years to December 2024. 'They're actually making our life worse,' Senator Hanson told Sky News on Thursday. 'You put in more public servants, that means more taxpayers' money has to pay the wages and then on top of that you've got all superannuation on top and then all your benefits and everything.' Senator Hanson said the expanded public service was a 'drain' of taxpayers' dollars. 'Albanese has also increased (the public service) because public servants will vote for Labor because they've got a job for life and they're just going to not sack them,' she added. Mr Albanese made the topic of the federal bureaucracy a central talking point in the recent election and defended his government's hiring spree while criticising former opposition leader Peter Dutton's plan to cull over 41,000 civil servants in the nation's capital. Senator Hanson said the Liberal Party backing away from the policy to crack down on working from home was a 'big mistake'. 'They should have followed through on that,' she said. Despite Mr Albanese vowing to lift lagging productivity and reduce the workforce's dependency on government support, Australian Bureau of Statistics data released last week showed that the almost one million workers were employed in federal, state, territory, and local government positions. This makes up 6.8 per cent of the Australian workforce.
