Will Australia Fold on the Fiji Situation?

Watch this video of a debate convened by the Lowy Institute.

If you disagree with the direction this policy view by the Australian Government is taking, then make your views known.

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ANZ bats for Bainimarama's military regime

If there was any doubt before about the colour of ANZ's money and it's tight-knit alliance with the military regime, this story should set it straight.

Let's see if the folks who own the money that you lend out agree with your principles ANZ.

Let your money do the talking people -- those of you in Fiji and those abroad.

This concerted push, as fronted firstly by the wanna-be Melanesian experts at the Lowy Institute and (just like clock-work) backed by the private sector to change Australia's position on Fiji is so self-serving it's hilarious.

ANZ Bank calls for change to Australia's tough stand on Fiji
Updated May 3, 2011 17:09:57

The ANZ Bank says Australia's so-called smart sanctions aimed at securing the return of democracy in Fiji have not worked and it has called on the Australian government to change its approach.

The call follows the launch of a Lowy Institute paper which suggested Australia lift its travel bans on Fiji and put together a coalition of nations, including Asian democracies such as India and Indonesia, to help Fiji with electoral reform in the lead up to a promised poll in 2014.

The ANZ's Pacific CEO, Michael Rowland, says the change to Australia's approach needs to happen now.

Presenter: Jemima Garrett
Speaker: Michael Rowland, ANZ Bank's Pacific CEO
Listen here.
 

ROWLAND: Australia has taken a particular policy stance with Fiji for a number of years and we would say that hasn't been successful.

GARRETT: What impact has that tough stance had on business and on Australia's standing as a business partner?

ROWLAND: We would say that more generally Fiji has suffered from a lack of investment over a longer period of time and unless there is an opening up of the economy and an acceptance of new investment, the Fiji economy will continue to deteriorate and we think quite rapidly.

GARRETT: Now you say that for any approach to Fiji for the restoration of democracy to be successful, it needs to be lead by a country other than Australia. What makes you say that?

ROWLAND: Our view is that the approach by the Australian government to date, which is quite understandable, hasn't worked and we think we really need to look at this differently and it is critical that any approach to the Fiji government works. Therefore there is more of a chance in our view that a coalition of interested nations, preferably lead by a respected Head of State, comes to the party and has open dialogue with Fiji. We think its more than just an Australian issue now. We think it's a regional issue and we think the Fiji government would be more open a multi-coalition approach.

GARRETT: Just how much animosity are you picking up to Australia and is that the reason why you think Australia couldn't lead something like this?

ROWLAND: I think by the Fijian government's actions in relation to Australia, I think they speak for themselves.

GARRETT: Jenny Hayward Jones has suggested that this coalition of nations include the major Asian democracies. Is that a good way to go?

ROWLAND: We think so. We think that Asia has a lot to offer Fiji. We are seeing with ANZ's broader supra-regional approach that there is a lot of investment interest in Fiji from Asia and we think, therefore, that there is a real role to play by a number of the Asian countries. We've seen recently that Fiji has opened an embassy in Indonesia, for example, and we are seeing that there are reasonably good relations being forged with a number of the other non-aligned nations. So we think that an approach from and involvement of Asian nations would be beneficial.

GARRETT: Do you think governments would be as interested as business seems to be in the Pacific?

ROWLAND: We believe so, yes. We are seeing a lot of interest from Asia into the Pacific. The Pacific has a lot of what Asia needs, particularly from an agricultural point of view, but also minerals and resources and we think that will only increase.

GARRETT: At the moment Fiji is excluded from talks from the PACER Plus agreement - the regional trade agreement with Australia and New Zealand. The Lowy institute paper suggests using access to PACER Plus as a carrot to persuade Fiji to accept help for the return of democracy. What is your reaction to that idea?

ROWLAND: I wouldn't say that involvement in PACER Plus should be used as a carrot. We would say that Fiji as the traditional hub in the Pacific, needs to be involved in PACER Plus discussions. But as the Lowy institute paper says it is certainly something that should be encouraged and it would be well received in Fiji if they were included.

GARRETT: Would you like to see that straight away or should it wait until commodore Bainimarama has shown some signs of being willing to go ahead with his timetable for the return of democracy?

ROWLAND: Our view would be that to achieve successful elections in Fiji in 2014 means that work needs to commence now. The paper talks about support for redrafting the constitution and also for electoral reform so we would say that work really needs to be underway very quickly. And so if we all have any chance of achieving what I think is a generally held view that democratic elections in Fiji are a good thing then we really need to start now so the package of measures that are outlined in the policy brief we think are important and they should all be embarked upon as quickly as possible.

GARRETT: Fiji's interim Prime Minister and coup leader, Frank Bainimarama has rejected every overture made to assist with the restoration of democracy so far. What is in it for him in terms of accepting this offer from an international coalition?

ROWLAND: We believe Fiji is sincere in its desire to move towards elections in 2014. I think they would also recognise that to achieve that they need some help around the issues of the constitution and electoral reform so we would think that, given that the Fiji government believes that, and that there is a well-meaning approach to assistance that they would see the benefit and effectively accept the proposal.

Lowy Institute attempts to be relevant

Sigh. It does extremely tiresome when academics totally removed from reality, under the guise of "think tanking" can throw innocent civilians under a bus, just because they think their thoughts matter.

Save it Jenny Jones. Get a clue and actually save Melanesia by getting your hands dirty out there in the trenches, instead of preaching from the comfort of "desktop reviewing" in Australia.

Should Australia needs more clues about how to keep Bainimarama on the straight and narrow -- hit him where it hurts. Keep the peacekeepers  OUT of the UN system because that is his currency where his troops are involved, and keep all those sanctions in place because that too is where all the pro-military sorts seek their solace.

Australia needs a new approach to Fiji says Lowy Institute
Updated May 2, 2011 17:03:02

The Sydney-based think tank, the Lowy Institute says Australia should take a completely new approach to its relations with Fiji.

In a policy paper to be launched today, it suggests Australia build an international coalition, including non-traditional partners such as India and Indonesia, to help Fiji draw up a new constitution and hold elections, as promised in 2014.

The new approach would start with confidence building and an easing of travel restrictions and, if the Fiji regime, accepts the assistance, include a range of new initiatives to improve the relationship.

Presenter: Jemima Garrett
Speaker: Jenny Hayward-Jones, Myer Melanesia Program Director, Lowy Institute, Sydney
Listen here

GARRETT: Since Commodore Bainimarama's coup in 2006 Australia's stance towards Fiji has been firmly aimed at pushing for the immediate restoration of democracy.

That tough love policy has failed according to the Lowy institute's Melanesia Program Director, Jenny Hayward Jones.

She says it has pushed the regime towards other partners such as China, it is damaging Australia's reputation as as effective middle power and hurting otherwise strong people-to-people and business links.

Commodore Bainimarama has made it clear 2014 is the only timetable for elections he is willing to consider.

Jenny Hayward Jones says Australia must try something new.

HAYWARD-JONES: A new approach which acknowledges that timetable, 2014, and brings together a number of other partners. Now Fiji has rejected Australia before. It's rejected the (Pacific Islands) Forum but some of the countries its courting such as Indonesia, Malaysia, South Korea, even Papua New Guinea, could all bring something to the table here and I don't think we have really trialed that. I think Australia needs to reach out to some of the countries that Fiji is indeed reaching out to who have something to offer Fiji in this transition to democracy.

GARRETT: This is a whole new approach to the way of working with Fiji. Would countries like India, Malaysia and Indonesia want to get involved?

HAYWARD-JONES: I'm not sure that countries such as India and Indonesia will see a lot of immediate benefit to this. But, I think as they themselves seek to have a greater role on the world stage, I mean we've seen Indonesian experience in democracy become very important. India's international role is certainly increasing. A number of these countries want to have an international presence and want to be seen to be doing things internationally and I think something relatively easy such as coming together with a group of other countries to assist a small country like Fiji with some options for electoral reform with some constitutional drafting represents a pretty easy way of demonstrating your influence on the world stage. And I think these countries have a lot to offer Fiji and in a way its probably easier for them to come together than for them to offer assistance bi-laterally.

GARRETT: Jenny Hayward-Jones says Australia could demonstrate its new co-operativeness by easing travel restrictions on the families of members of the Fiji regime and by increasing contacts between officials.

If Interim Prime Minister Bainimarama were to accept electoral assistance from the international coalition, she suggests Canberra should move to deepen its engagement by establishing an Australia- Melanesia- Indonesia Leadership Forum - an annual dialogue for thinkers from government, business, civil society and the media, modelled on the very successful United States-Australia Leadership Forum.

HAYWARD-JONES: Indonesia has a lot to offer. It has recently had a very successful transition to democracy. It is growing very quickly and I think would really bring a lot to the table. And a dialogue like this would really help not only Australia's relations with Indonesia, but Australia's relations with the countries of Melanesia as well.

GARRETT: Let's turn now to the politics of all of this. So far Australia has taken a hard line on Fiji. Foreign Minister, Kevin Rudd, has consistently said that it is Commodore Bainimarama that is the problem not the Australian stance. Will Australia be open to changing its position?

HAYWARD-JONES: Well, that's the 64 million dollar question. Australia's hard line has been there for a long time. And it's quite hard to shift away from a hard line like that even when it is not working but I think the Australian government is looking for ideas and looking for other ways it can try to encourage Fiji to return to democracy. While they are still quite strict on not letting this go out to 2014 I think they will eventually have to accept that. But importantly Kevin Rudd has recently been talking about Australia as a creative middle power and in February he gave a speech on Australia's foreign policy interests in the Middle East, and said things like a creative middle power recognises that we have to work in partnerships and coalitions to achieve change, including with non-traditional partners. So I think, if Kevin Rudd is true to his word, I think he needs to approach the problem in Fiji in this way as well.

GARRETT: Jenny Hayward-Jones.

It is not just Australia that has been loath to change its stance. for more than four years Fiji has snubbed every initiative for the return of democracy.

Ms Hayward-Jones acknowledges there is a risk that an offer of electoral assistance from an international coalition would meet the same fate but, as the consequences for Fiji of such a rejection would be more serious, she believes, it is a risk worth taking.

Quotable Quote: Martin Luther King

"On some positions, Cowardice asks the question, "Is it safe?"
Expediency asks the question, "Is it politic?"
And Vanity comes along and asks the question, "Is it popular?"
But Conscience asks the question "Is it right?"
And there comes a time when one must take a position that is neither safe, nor politic, nor popular, but he must do it because Conscience tells him it is right."