Transcript
Mr Bainimarama told a gathering of the New Zealand, Australia and Fiji Business Councils, despite warm and vibrant personal and commercial ties the two countries needed to work on their relationship. Earlier in the week Wellington had expressed concern about freedom of speech in Fiji after six men including opposition politicians were taken in for questioning following a meeting about the constitution. Mr Bainimarama hit out at the New Zealand Prime Minister John Key in particular for saying the Fiji government didn't need to do anything silly and for accusing Mr Bainimarama last year of "mouthing off" over the Pacific Islands Forum.
"Being silly or mouthing off is what a parent might say about a wayward child or what a teacher might say about a problem student. It does not suggest a relationship of equals. On the contrary it carries a distinct tone of superiority. Some might even call it patronising or condescending."
Mr Bainimarama said Fiji had had a history of civil unrest in the past and his government would not let that happen again. He said Fiji hadn't lectured Australia about its inhumane treatment of asylum seekers nor New Zealand and Australia about the extreme disadvantage suffered by their indigenous people. Australia's Minister for International Development and the Pacific, Concetta Fierravanti-Wells, was a guest at the gathering and said Australia was watching Fiji closely, after the weekend's events.
"The Australian government is well aware of these events and are watching developments. We are viewing them from the perspective of a government that strongly supports as a matter of principle the universal rights of freedom of speech and freedom of assembly."
Ms Fierravanti-Wells says Fiji and Australia are neighbours and need to work better together. Meanwhile Fiji's trade minister Faiyaz Koya reiterated to the business people Fiji had not withdrawn from regional trade negotiations around the PACER plus deal, another sticking point in relations between the countries. He says Fiji will not endorse the agreement's legal text and will only withdraw if Australia and New Zealand do not show flexibility on Fiji and Pacific islands' key concerns.
"And let me emphasise here Fiji wants further negotiations on two very critical issues, on infant industry development and the most favoured nation clause that will have an implication on Fiji's development aspirations."
Mr Bainimarama said investment in Fiji was safe only if there was zero tolerance for civil unrest or other forms of disruption.
