Australia accused of hypocrisy for allowing Fiji visit

Posted 5 March 2013, 22:03 AEST

The Australian-based Fiji Freedom and Democracy Movement has accused Australia's Government of hypocrisy for allowing a senior member of Fiji's military regime to enter the country.

The Australian-based Fiji Freedom and Democracy Movement has accused Australia's Government of hypocrisy for allowing a senior member of Fiji's military regime to enter the country.

Fiji's Attorney General, Aiyaz Sayed-Khayum, stayed overnight in Sydney on Sunday despite Australia's sanctions on Fiji including a ban on ministerial visits.

Fiji Freedom and Democracy Movement's legal representative, Tui Savu, said Canberra shouldn't be softening its stance when it comes to Fiji's military government.

"I am so disappointed in Senator Bob Carr. Here you know you've got a government trying its appeasement policy with this brutal military regime," he said.

"This man has committed treason, he's the one who's responsible for all the decrees, he's fully aware of the brutality that's been inflicted by the military."

A spokesman for Mr Carr said Mr Sayed-Khayum was changing planes on the way home after attending a conference in Spain and was granted a temporary waiver.

Last year Australia, Fiji and New Zealand agreed to a more flexible implementation of travel sanctions on a case by case basis.