11 Oct 2011

Australian national arrested in Fiji to be moved to prison today

11:15 am on 11 October 2011

The Australian government has confirmed an Australian man has been detained by police in Fiji and charged with unlawful access to documents.

This follows the leaking of documents last month which show Air Pacific hired a New York law firm to draw up Fiji's new anti-union decree.

Sally Round reports.

"The statement from Australia's Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade comes in response to queries by Radio New Zealand International about the detention of union official and Air Pacific pilot Shalend Scott. Mr Scott has been remanded in custody at Namaka police station since Friday and will be moved to a prison today. Namaka police referred all queries about Mr Scott's detention to the police cyber crime unit. The Australian government says the Acting High Commissioner in Suva has made representations to senior authorities in Fiji regarding the 37 year old's detention. Meanwhile he is receiving consular assistance and is due to appear in court again on October the 21st. Mr Scott's detention has added fuel to Australian unions' criticism of Qantas which has a 46 percent shareholding in Air Pacific but which has so far refused to be drawn on the issue."