Media focus on Fiji distracting, says Niue premier

Updated Thu Sep 6, 2012 4:27pm AEST

Niue's premier has lashed out at the region's media, saying it is too focused on Fiji and not on the important issues affecting people in the Pacific.

Premier Toke Talagi told Radio Australia the relentless focus on Fiji had become distracting at the Pacific Islands Forum in Cook Islands last week.

"The media seem to come with pre-set ideas of what they thought the forum should be talking about, which is nonsensical," he said.

"All they want to talk about sometimes is Fiji and nothing else."

Mr Talagi said neither he, nor the forum, spent much time discussing Fiji.

"Fiji has been a distraction in the past few years and we need to focus our attention on the things we need for the people of our region."

He said more attention needed to be paid to issues such as youth unemployment, fishing, marine conservation and telecommunications.

"They [Fiji] need to get their act together and I'm very glad they are progressing towards elections in 2014 and I hope it will be open and democratic," he said.