Lowy Institute pushes again on Fiji issue

It is being revealed that on the cusp of the Pacific leaders meeting in Auckland, the Lowy Institute is once again pushing for a change in position on Fiji’s situation to revert its continued isolation from the Pacific Islands Forum (PIF) family.

Lowy has apparently commissioned Tebbutt Research to conduct a poll in Fiji and various sources are citing that the findings point to an “overwhelming” support of the illegal and treasonous military regime. Caz Tebutt the principal of Tebutt Research based in Fiji is a member of the Fiji-Australia Business Council.

Now if this poll results do indicate this, how fantastic! All that will now be needed is for Fiji to cement those poll results and the fantastic "64/65% support charter" in an election (with UN/PIF observers) where the resounding truth of democratic votes will not be denied.

What defies logic however in this secret-squirrel exercise pushed by Lowy is that virtually no one in Fiji knew that this was happening.

Secondly in a country where repression, censorship and tyranny reigns – if a stranger such as a researcher accosts you for your opinion of the regime, it is a no-brainer that answer will be pro-regime, out of the sheer fear of repercussions.

The purpose of this exercise is still unclear. Lowy’s proponent of this exercise and complete newbie to the Pacific admits that the PIF will not move on Fiji. So too does the PIF Host, NZ Prime Minister John Key, in addition to the most senior of the PIF statesmen todate, Samoan Prime Minister Tuilaepa Malielegaoi.

Ex-PIF employee, Dr Roman Grynberg’s fervent opportunistic jibes at Aust and NZ shooting from the shoulders of a completely unrelated Fiji issue continuously attempts to remain regionally relevant and confuse Fiji's non-PACER plus trade participation while ignoring fundamental principles of the rule of law and human rights – for even if the regime participates in these trade negotiations, taxpayers are being represented against their will by unelected usurpers.

Planned pro-democracy protests in Auckland targeting the PIF leaders might also show up to challenge the Lowy’s findings.

But the fact of the matter is the PIF in its 40^th years of history has never changed agreed-to positions just like the UN has never changed agreed to points of view.