Latest news with #NewtonCain
Scoop
2 hours ago
- Politics
- Scoop
New Australia-Vanuatu Deal Won't Replicate Falepili-Style Agreement
A Pacific analyst and commentator says it is unlikely that Vanuatu will agree to any exclusive rights in the new security and economic pact with Australia. Senior ministers of both countries, including deputy prime ministers Richard Marles and Johnny Koanapo, initialled the Nakamal Agreement at the summit of Mt Yasur volcano on Tanna Island, ahead of formal sign-off next month. The two nations have agreed to a landmark deal worth AU$500 million that will replace the previous security pact that was scrapped in 2022. Dr Tess Newton Cain from the Griffith Asia Institute says she does not believe Vanuatu will agree to anything similar to what Tuvalu (Falepili Union) and Papua New Guinea (Bilateral Security Agreement) have agreed to in recent times. She said that the Australian government has been wanting the deal for some time, but has been "progressing quite slowly" because there was "significant pushback" on the Vanuatu side. "Back in 2022, it took people by surprise that there was an announcement made that a security agreement had been signed whilst Senator Penny Wong, Australia's Foreign Minister was in Port Vila. She and then-Prime Minister Ishmael Kalsakau had signed a security agreement. "On the Australian side, they referred to it as having not been ratified. But essentially it was totally disregarded and thrown out by Vanuatu officials, and not considered to [be a] meaningful agreement." However, this time around, Newton Cain said, there has been a significant process of negotiation between Vanuatu and Australian officials. "There has been a lot of high-level engagement. We have had a lot of senior Australian officials visiting Vanuatu over the last six months, and possibly for a bit longer. So, it has been a steady process of negotiation." Newton Cain said the text of the agreement has undergone a much more rigourous process, involving input from a wider range of people at the government level. "And in the last few days leading up to the initialling of this agreement, it was brought before the National Security Council in Vanuatu, who discussed it and signed off on it. "Then it went to the Council of Ministers, who also discussed it and made reference to further amendments. So there were some last-minute changes to the text, and then it was initialled." She said that while the agreement has been "substantially agreed", more details on what it actually entails remain scarce. Vanuatu Prime Minister Jotham Napat said earlier this month that he would not sign the agreement unless visa-free travel was agreed. Newton Cain said visa-free travel between the two countries remains a sticking point. "Prime Minister Napat said he hoped Prime Minister Albanese would travel to Port Vila in order to sign this agreement. But we know there is still more work to do - both Australia and Vanuatu [have] indicated that there were still aspects that were not completely aligned yet. "I think it is reasonable to think that this is around text relating to visa-free access to Australia. There is a circle there that is yet to be squared." Australia is Vanuatu's biggest development partner, as well as the biggest provider of foreign direct investment. Its support covers a range of critical sectors such as health, education, security, and infrastructure. According to Newton Cain, from Canberra's point of view, they have concerns that countries like Vanuatu have a "more visible, diversified and stronger" relations with China. "As we have seen in other parts of the region, that has provoked a response from countries like Australia, New Zealand, the United States and others that want to be seen to be offering Vanuatu different options." However, she said it is not surprising that Vanuatu is looking to have a range of conversations with partners that can support the country. "China's relationship has moved more into security areas. There are aspects of policing that China is involved in in Vanuatu, and that this is a bit of a tipping point for countries like Australia and New Zealand. "So these sorts of agreements with Australia [are] part of trying to cement the relationship [and] demonstrate that this relationship is built on lasting foundations and strong ties."
RNZ News
21 hours ago
- Politics
- RNZ News
New Australia-Vanuatu deal won't replicate Falepili-style agreement
Senior ministers from Australia and Vanuatu initialled the Nakamal Agreement at the top of Mount Yasur. (ABC News: Lillyrose Welwel) Photo: ABC News / Lillyrose Welwel A Pacific analyst and commentator says it is unlikely that Vanuatu will agree to any exclusive rights in the new security and economic pact with Australia. Senior ministers of both countries, including deputy prime ministers Richard Marles and Johnny Koanapo, initialled the Nakamal Agreement at the summit of Mt Yasur volcano on Tanna Island, ahead of formal sign-off next month. The two nations have agreed to a landmark deal worth AU$500 million that will replace the previous security pact that was scrapped in 2022. Dr Tess Newton Cain from the Griffith Asia Institute says she does not believe Vanuatu will agree to anything similar to what Tuvalu ( Falepili Union ) and Papua New Guinea ( Bilateral Security Agreement ) have agreed to in recent times. She said that the Australian government has been wanting the deal for some time, but has been "progressing quite slowly" because there was "significant pushback" on the Vanuatu side. "Back in 2022, it took people by surprise that there was an announcement made that a security agreement had been signed whilst Senator Penny Wong, Australia's Foreign Minister was in Port Vila. She and then-Prime Minister Ishmael Kalsakau had signed a security agreement. "On the Australian side, they referred to it as having not been ratified. But essentially it was totally disregarded and thrown out by Vanuatu officials, and not considered to [be a] meaningful agreement." Tess Newton Cain Photo: ResearchGate However, this time around, Newton Cain said, there has been a significant process of negotiation between Vanuatu and Australian officials. "There has been a lot of high-level engagement. We have had a lot of senior Australian officials visiting Vanuatu over the last six months, and possibly for a bit longer. So, it has been a steady process of negotiation." Newton Cain said the text of the agreement has undergone a much more rigourous process, involving input from a wider range of people at the government level. "And in the last few days leading up to the initialling of this agreement, it was brought before the National Security Council in Vanuatu, who discussed it and signed off on it. "Then it went to the Council of Ministers, who also discussed it and made reference to further amendments. So there were some last-minute changes to the text, and then it was initialled." She said that while the agreement has been "substantially agreed", more details on what it actually entails remain scarce. Vanuatu Prime Minister Jotham Napat said earlier this month that he would not sign the agreement unless visa-free travel was agreed. Newton Cain said visa-free travel between the two countries remains a sticking point. "Prime Minister Napat said he hoped Prime Minister Albanese would travel to Port Vila in order to sign this agreement. But we know there is still more work to do - both Australia and Vanuatu [have] indicated that there were still aspects that were not completely aligned yet. "I think it is reasonable to think that this is around text relating to visa-free access to Australia. There is a circle there that is yet to be squared." Australia is Vanuatu's biggest development partner , as well as the biggest provider of foreign direct investment. Its support covers a range of critical sectors such as health, education, security, and infrastructure. According to Newton Cain, from Canberra's point of view, they have concerns that countries like Vanuatu have a "more visible, diversified and stronger" relations with China. "As we have seen in other parts of the region, that has provoked a response from countries like Australia, New Zealand, the United States and others that want to be seen to be offering Vanuatu different options." However, she said it is not surprising that Vanuatu is looking to have a range of conversations with partners that can support the country. "China's relationship has moved more into security areas. There are aspects of policing that China is involved in in Vanuatu, and that this is a bit of a tipping point for countries like Australia and New Zealand. "So these sorts of agreements with Australia [are] part of trying to cement the relationship [and] demonstrate that this relationship is built on lasting foundations and strong ties."
RNZ News
06-05-2025
- Politics
- RNZ News
Australia-Pacific relations to remain 'more of the same' following Labor re-election
Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, left, wiith Tuvalu Prime Minister Feleti Teo at the Pacific Islands Forum in Nuku'alofa, Tonga on 28 August 2024. Photo: Facebook / Anthony Albanese Anthony Albanese's Labor Party will have another three-year term after a landslide victory over Peter Dutton's Liberal Party. Griffith University's Associate Professor Tess Newton Cain said Albanese and his team felt they had done a good job in the first term "repairing relations that they felt had been let slide". "Basically, their position is that there will be more of the same," Newton Cain said. "A lot of focus on security, and we will also see more of the same of levels of engagement, seeing ministers in the region and high-level visits here to Australia." University of Cantebury's Distinguished Professor Steven Ratuva expects Australia's role in regional security and aid to increase, filling the void left by the Trump administration, which froze foreign aid. "Those would have to change in terms of how Australia is able to adapt to the changing circumstances, particularly with the new security needs and so forth in relation to the Pacific," he said. "But by and large, I think we probably may not see a paradigm shift." The amount of aid going to the Pacific from Australia is the highest it has ever been. The Nauru-Australia Treaty signed by Nauru's President David Adeang, left, and Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese in Canberra. 9 December 2024. Photo: Facebook / Anthony Albanese However, Newton Cain said Australia's aid budget is still "very, very low". "Australia is not a generous donor when you compare with other global donors," the Pacific analyst said. "If Australia did want to take on filling that gap left by USAID [United States Agency for International Development], it would have to be prepared to put some more money into it." In the lead-up to the election, Tuvalu's Climate Change Minister criticised Liberal Party leader Dutton for suggesting a joint Australia-Pacific bid to host global climate talks next year was "madness". Australia and Papua New Guinea signed a bilateral security agreement on Thursday, 7 December 2023. Photo: Albanese Palau's president also criticised Dutton for previously joking about rising sea levels. Newton Cain said there would be some relief among leaders that Albanese has been re-elected. The host of COP31 will not be decided until June this year. "I think it is worth remembering that there are still some caveats around that acceptance, or that joy, if you like, people are still wanting to know exactly what that joint [COP31] offering will look like." She said Pacific nations want to know what the Pacific part of the offering entails and not "greenwashing for Australia". Australian PM Anthony Albanese receives a tabua during the traditional welcome to Fiji at the Black Rock Army Camp in Nadi on 15 March 2023. Photo: Facebook Screenshot / Fiji Government Ratuva said Australia has been seen in a very negative light by Pacific Island states on its climate policy. "One of the most significant aspects of building trust is really the way in which they have to adjust their climate policies in a way which is respectable enough." Pacific campaigner for climate change group said the organisation work is cut out for them, but Labor is in a better position to deliver on climate policies. "They are basically in the right direction of where we want to see climate action. They just need to be held accountable," she said. "Australia does not do enough for climate action, so there is an opportunity here for that partnership to really improve." Newton Cain said Senator Penny Wong would likely remain as Foreign Minister, but she would not be surprised if someone replaces Pat Conroy as Minister for the Pacific.
