Latest news with #VuvalePartnership
ABC News
07-07-2025
- Politics
- ABC News
Australian police to be embedded in Fiji's Police Force under new measures
On the program today Australian Federal Police will be embedded in Fiji's Police Force as part of a new raft of measures to strengthen the Vuvale Partnership between the two countries. A historic chiefly installation is gets underway in the Lau islands in Fiji. Papua New Guinea's Prime Minister James Marape says witnesses to so-called sorcery killings will soon be prosecuted alongside perpetrators. Nuclear radiation survivors in Guam are left heartbroken after being left out of a compensation act under Donald Trump's "Big, Beautiful Bill." Monolithic statues from the remote Polynesian island of Rapa Nui pop up in museums and private collections. And Australia's Victorian Government grants cultural exemptions for the use of machetes.
The Advertiser
07-07-2025
- Politics
- The Advertiser
Australia to grow Fiji ties after Rabuka visit
Fiji Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka's week-long visit to Australia has borne fruit, with Anthony Albanese's government agreeing to bolster aid by tens of millions to the Pacific nation. Australia has agreed to a fresh commitment of $52 million of support, with a focus on border security, taking commitments to the Melanesian nation to just under $500 million over the next four years. Foreign Minister Penny Wong has also announced a deepening of policing and security ties, including officers and advisers to be embedded in Fijian operations. "Australia and Fiji are taking steps to formally elevate and deepen the Vuvale Partnership as we work together to ensure a peaceful, stable and prosperous Pacific," Senator Wong said. The border security funding of $12 million will "strengthen border security by improving shipping container screening at Lautoka and Suva Ports". It's hoped this will tackle the growing illicit drugs crisis in Fiji, with the regional hub increasingly used by trafficking cartels as a gateway to the lucrative Australian market. Mr Rabuka arrived in Canberra last week, meeting with governor-general Sam Mostyn before a series of meetings with Australian officials, including Mr Albanese. He addressed the National Press Club on Wednesday, calling for a deepening of defence ties and raised the prospect of Fijian soldiers serving in the the Australian Defence Forces. He rebuked China's security ambitions for the region, saying Fiji would not welcome a military base in its territory or the wider Pacific. That is in keeping with Mr Rabuka's "Ocean of Peace" proposal, a vision for a peaceful and collaborative region that the veteran prime minister hopes to codify at the Pacific Islands Forum leaders' meeting in September. Australia has offered support for that proposal when it comes before the region's leaders at the annual summit, to be hosted in the Solomon Islands. Senator Wong and Pacific island Minister Pat Conroy, said Australia had also agreed to explore further co-operation with Fiji on several other areas. That includes developing a "modern, cyber-secure border management system", co-operation on transnational crime and policing. Fiji Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka's week-long visit to Australia has borne fruit, with Anthony Albanese's government agreeing to bolster aid by tens of millions to the Pacific nation. Australia has agreed to a fresh commitment of $52 million of support, with a focus on border security, taking commitments to the Melanesian nation to just under $500 million over the next four years. Foreign Minister Penny Wong has also announced a deepening of policing and security ties, including officers and advisers to be embedded in Fijian operations. "Australia and Fiji are taking steps to formally elevate and deepen the Vuvale Partnership as we work together to ensure a peaceful, stable and prosperous Pacific," Senator Wong said. The border security funding of $12 million will "strengthen border security by improving shipping container screening at Lautoka and Suva Ports". It's hoped this will tackle the growing illicit drugs crisis in Fiji, with the regional hub increasingly used by trafficking cartels as a gateway to the lucrative Australian market. Mr Rabuka arrived in Canberra last week, meeting with governor-general Sam Mostyn before a series of meetings with Australian officials, including Mr Albanese. He addressed the National Press Club on Wednesday, calling for a deepening of defence ties and raised the prospect of Fijian soldiers serving in the the Australian Defence Forces. He rebuked China's security ambitions for the region, saying Fiji would not welcome a military base in its territory or the wider Pacific. That is in keeping with Mr Rabuka's "Ocean of Peace" proposal, a vision for a peaceful and collaborative region that the veteran prime minister hopes to codify at the Pacific Islands Forum leaders' meeting in September. Australia has offered support for that proposal when it comes before the region's leaders at the annual summit, to be hosted in the Solomon Islands. Senator Wong and Pacific island Minister Pat Conroy, said Australia had also agreed to explore further co-operation with Fiji on several other areas. That includes developing a "modern, cyber-secure border management system", co-operation on transnational crime and policing. Fiji Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka's week-long visit to Australia has borne fruit, with Anthony Albanese's government agreeing to bolster aid by tens of millions to the Pacific nation. Australia has agreed to a fresh commitment of $52 million of support, with a focus on border security, taking commitments to the Melanesian nation to just under $500 million over the next four years. Foreign Minister Penny Wong has also announced a deepening of policing and security ties, including officers and advisers to be embedded in Fijian operations. "Australia and Fiji are taking steps to formally elevate and deepen the Vuvale Partnership as we work together to ensure a peaceful, stable and prosperous Pacific," Senator Wong said. The border security funding of $12 million will "strengthen border security by improving shipping container screening at Lautoka and Suva Ports". It's hoped this will tackle the growing illicit drugs crisis in Fiji, with the regional hub increasingly used by trafficking cartels as a gateway to the lucrative Australian market. Mr Rabuka arrived in Canberra last week, meeting with governor-general Sam Mostyn before a series of meetings with Australian officials, including Mr Albanese. He addressed the National Press Club on Wednesday, calling for a deepening of defence ties and raised the prospect of Fijian soldiers serving in the the Australian Defence Forces. He rebuked China's security ambitions for the region, saying Fiji would not welcome a military base in its territory or the wider Pacific. That is in keeping with Mr Rabuka's "Ocean of Peace" proposal, a vision for a peaceful and collaborative region that the veteran prime minister hopes to codify at the Pacific Islands Forum leaders' meeting in September. Australia has offered support for that proposal when it comes before the region's leaders at the annual summit, to be hosted in the Solomon Islands. Senator Wong and Pacific island Minister Pat Conroy, said Australia had also agreed to explore further co-operation with Fiji on several other areas. That includes developing a "modern, cyber-secure border management system", co-operation on transnational crime and policing. Fiji Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka's week-long visit to Australia has borne fruit, with Anthony Albanese's government agreeing to bolster aid by tens of millions to the Pacific nation. Australia has agreed to a fresh commitment of $52 million of support, with a focus on border security, taking commitments to the Melanesian nation to just under $500 million over the next four years. Foreign Minister Penny Wong has also announced a deepening of policing and security ties, including officers and advisers to be embedded in Fijian operations. "Australia and Fiji are taking steps to formally elevate and deepen the Vuvale Partnership as we work together to ensure a peaceful, stable and prosperous Pacific," Senator Wong said. The border security funding of $12 million will "strengthen border security by improving shipping container screening at Lautoka and Suva Ports". It's hoped this will tackle the growing illicit drugs crisis in Fiji, with the regional hub increasingly used by trafficking cartels as a gateway to the lucrative Australian market. Mr Rabuka arrived in Canberra last week, meeting with governor-general Sam Mostyn before a series of meetings with Australian officials, including Mr Albanese. He addressed the National Press Club on Wednesday, calling for a deepening of defence ties and raised the prospect of Fijian soldiers serving in the the Australian Defence Forces. He rebuked China's security ambitions for the region, saying Fiji would not welcome a military base in its territory or the wider Pacific. That is in keeping with Mr Rabuka's "Ocean of Peace" proposal, a vision for a peaceful and collaborative region that the veteran prime minister hopes to codify at the Pacific Islands Forum leaders' meeting in September. Australia has offered support for that proposal when it comes before the region's leaders at the annual summit, to be hosted in the Solomon Islands. Senator Wong and Pacific island Minister Pat Conroy, said Australia had also agreed to explore further co-operation with Fiji on several other areas. That includes developing a "modern, cyber-secure border management system", co-operation on transnational crime and policing.
Perth Now
06-07-2025
- Politics
- Perth Now
Australia to grow Fiji ties after Rabuka visit
Fiji Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka's week-long visit to Australia has borne fruit, with Anthony Albanese's government agreeing to bolster aid by tens of millions to the Pacific nation. Australia has agreed to a fresh commitment of $52 million of support, with a focus on border security, taking commitments to the Melanesian nation to just under $500 million over the next four years. Foreign Minister Penny Wong has also announced a deepening of policing and security ties, including officers and advisers to be embedded in Fijian operations. "Australia and Fiji are taking steps to formally elevate and deepen the Vuvale Partnership as we work together to ensure a peaceful, stable and prosperous Pacific," Senator Wong said. The border security funding of $12 million will "strengthen border security by improving shipping container screening at Lautoka and Suva Ports". It's hoped this will tackle the growing illicit drugs crisis in Fiji, with the regional hub increasingly used by trafficking cartels as a gateway to the lucrative Australian market. Mr Rabuka arrived in Canberra last week, meeting with governor-general Sam Mostyn before a series of meetings with Australian officials, including Mr Albanese. He addressed the National Press Club on Wednesday, calling for a deepening of defence ties and raised the prospect of Fijian soldiers serving in the the Australian Defence Forces. He rebuked China's security ambitions for the region, saying Fiji would not welcome a military base in its territory or the wider Pacific. That is in keeping with Mr Rabuka's "Ocean of Peace" proposal, a vision for a peaceful and collaborative region that the veteran prime minister hopes to codify at the Pacific Islands Forum leaders' meeting in September. Australia has offered support for that proposal when it comes before the region's leaders at the annual summit, to be hosted in the Solomon Islands. Senator Wong and Pacific island Minister Pat Conroy, said Australia had also agreed to explore further co-operation with Fiji on several other areas. That includes developing a "modern, cyber-secure border management system", co-operation on transnational crime and policing.
Perth Now
06-07-2025
- Politics
- Perth Now
Albo's scores big with football diplomacy
In the latest display of football diplomacy, Australia and Fiji have agreed to 'deepen' ties after Anthony Albanese and his counterpart Sitiveni Rabuka watched the Wallabies duke it out with Fiji in a dramatic rugby test. Fiji was poised to beat the Wallabies but a last-minute try from captain Harry Wilson saved the day, securing Australia a 21-18 win. The prime ministers posed for photos just before kick-off, with each of them donning scarves for their respective teams. But as much as the match was a friendly sporting rivalry between neighbours, it played out against a backdrop of Pacific politics shaped by an increasingly aggressive China. The Albanese government has pumped billions into countering Chinese influence in the region – an endeavour to which Fiji is key. Little more than an hour after the match, Defence Industry and Pacific Affairs Minister Pat Conroy announced Australia and Fiji were 'taking steps to formally elevate and deepen the Vuvale Partnership as we work together to ensure a peaceful, stable and prosperous Pacific'. Among the key elements outlined were supporting Fiji roll out its new national security strategy and boosting Australian development assistance by $40m over four years. The latest cash commitment put Australia's total assistance to Fiji at $500m from 2025 to 2029. Other key elements included more Australian Federal Police officers embedded in Fiji's police force and tightening up border security at the country's major ports. 'During Fiji Prime Minister Sitveni Rabuka's visit to Australia, we affirmed our support for Prime Minister Rabuka's vision for an 'Ocean of Peace' including family first Pacific regionalism and Pacific-led solutions to Pacific challenges,' Mr Conroy said in a statement. Fijian Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka has said a Chinese base in the Pacific would not be welcome. Martin Ollman / NewsWire Credit: News Corp Australia While defence and security have been top-of-mind, the Albanese government has also prioritised people-to-people links with Australia's 'Pacific family'. Speaking to Newcastle radio on Saturday, Mr Albanese spruiked the match as doing just that. 'It is really important to recognise that relationships between nations essentially comes down to relationships between people,' he told the ABC. 'And that's why we unapologetically have provided support to support rugby in the region. 'That includes support that Australia has provided of $10 million over seven years for the Fijian Drua women and men to participate in those Super Rugby Pacific and Australia Super W competitions.' He noted Mr Rabuka 'timed his visit to Australia' to coincide with the rugby test. 'It is a great way in which our nations can show our commonality,' Mr Albanese said. 'We are all members of the Pacific family.' Speaking in Canberra on Wednesday, Mr Rabuka vowed to fight Chinese efforts to set up a base in the Pacific for as 'long as I'm Prime Minister'. 'There is really no need for them to set up any other bases in the Pacific,' he told the National Press Club. 'If they want to come, who would welcome them? Not Fiji.'
News.com.au
06-07-2025
- Politics
- News.com.au
Albanese watches Rugby Test with Fijian PM in show of football diplomacy
In the latest display of football diplomacy, Australia and Fiji have agreed to 'deepen' ties after Anthony Albanese and his counterpart Sitiveni Rabuka watched the Wallabies duke it out with Fiji in a dramatic rugby test. Fiji was poised to beat the Wallabies but a last-minute try from captain Harry Wilson saved the day, securing Australia a 21-18 win. The prime ministers posed for photos just before kick-off, with each of them donning scarves for their respective teams. But as much as the match was a friendly sporting rivalry between neighbours, it played out against a backdrop of Pacific politics shaped by an increasingly aggressive China. The Albanese government has pumped billions into countering Chinese influence in the region – an endeavour to which Fiji is key. Little more than an hour after the match, Defence Industry and Pacific Affairs Minister Pat Conroy announced Australia and Fiji were 'taking steps to formally elevate and deepen the Vuvale Partnership as we work together to ensure a peaceful, stable and prosperous Pacific'. Among the key elements outlined were supporting Fiji roll out its new national security strategy and boosting Australian development assistance by $40m over four years. The latest cash commitment put Australia's total assistance to Fiji at $500m from 2025 to 2029. Other key elements included more Australian Federal Police officers embedded in Fiji's police force and tightening up border security at the country's major ports. 'During Fiji Prime Minister Sitveni Rabuka's visit to Australia, we affirmed our support for Prime Minister Rabuka's vision for an 'Ocean of Peace' including family first Pacific regionalism and Pacific-led solutions to Pacific challenges,' Mr Conroy said in a statement. While defence and security have been top-of-mind, the Albanese government has also prioritised people-to-people links with Australia's 'Pacific family'. Speaking to Newcastle radio on Saturday, Mr Albanese spruiked the match as doing just that. 'It is really important to recognise that relationships between nations essentially comes down to relationships between people,' he told the ABC. 'And that's why we unapologetically have provided support to support rugby in the region. 'That includes support that Australia has provided of $10 million over seven years for the Fijian Drua women and men to participate in those Super Rugby Pacific and Australia Super W competitions.' He noted Mr Rabuka 'timed his visit to Australia' to coincide with the rugby test. 'It is a great way in which our nations can show our commonality,' Mr Albanese said. 'We are all members of the Pacific family.' Speaking in Canberra on Wednesday, Mr Rabuka vowed to fight Chinese efforts to set up a base in the Pacific for as 'long as I'm Prime Minister'. 'There is really no need for them to set up any other bases in the Pacific,' he told the National Press Club. 'If they want to come, who would welcome them? Not Fiji.'
