May 25, 2022
The National Federation Party greatly anticipates that values such as the respect for democracy, human rights and media freedom will underpin the new Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albenese’s Government's footprint in the Pacific, particularly as Fiji is about to go into elections.
The NFP echoes the many heartfelt congratulations to the new Albanese Government in Australia on its recent win at the polls.
NFP Party Leader Hon Prof Biman Prasad, said the ALP had issued very strong ideas and proposals on its thinking around strengthening the Pacific family particularly on initiatives such as the Australia Pacific Defence School, more support to Pacific Maritime Security, boosted ODA to the Pacific, a Pacific Climate Infrastructure Financing Partnership, an Indo-Pacific Broadcasting Strategy, the reinstatement of Bipartisan Parliamentary Pacific Visits, reforms, expansion and more targetted assistance to the Pacific Australia Labour Mobility Seasonal Worker Program and boosting Pacific permanent migration.
It has not gone unnoticed that the new Foreign Minister, Senator Penny Wong has stepped into her portfolio with a calm and decisive manner.
Prior to her trip with Prime Minister Albanese to the recent QUAD meeting, she took time to personally share her thoughts about the Pacific family.
Of particular interest was the Foreign Minister’s announcement that Australia would have a first ever First Nations Foreign Policy to strengthen diplomacy based on its indigenous peoples approaches when amidst the Blue Pacific family.
We greatly look forward to PM Albanese and Foreign Minister, Senator Penny Wong's visit to the upcoming Pacific Islands Forum Leader's meeting, where there are high expectations on the resolution of regional fracturing such as USP -- the Pacific's CROP institution for higher education, among the myriad of regional issues requiring resolute and just wisdom and leadership, that the outgoing Fiji Government has performed poorly on.
The NFP is confident that the winds of political change in Australia, will also follow in Fiji.
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