Zed Seselja (ACT, Liberal Party, Minister for International Development and the Pacific) Share this | Hansard source

Senator Scarr is right to reference the outstanding diaspora here in Australia, including in Brisbane. Fiji is one of Australia's closest partners in the region. The pandemic is having a grave impact on Fiji's people, but we're proud to be supporting our Fijian vuvale at this time of need. In addition to our longstanding development program, we've provided over $80 million in emergency budget support to Fiji. We are directly funding doctors and nurses in the Fijian health system, and we've donated over 860,000 Australian vaccine doses. Now, with our support and our vaccines, Fiji is delivering a world-leading vaccine rollout, with first-dose coverage of over 95 per cent of their target population—an incredible performance. And we now have dispatched three Australian and New Zealand medical teams to Fiji. These teams have helped to save countless Fijian lives. Their efforts and their sacrifices will not be forgotten. As Fiji sent its military to help Australia rebuild after the 2020 bushfires, we too are standing by our partners in their time of need. (Time expired)