John Faulkner (NSW, Australian Labor Party, Cabinet Secretary) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr President, I seek leave of the Senate to make a short ministerial statement on threats to the Australian high commissioner and his staff in Fiji.

Leave granted.

I thank the Senate. I would also like to indicate that my colleague, the Minister for Foreign Affairs, is making a similar statement to this in the House of Representatives as I speak. I regret to advise that our high commission in Fiji has today received a second death threat against the high commissioner and his staff.

Senators may be aware that a previous anonymous and grave threat was delivered to the high commission in Suva on 7 May. The Australian government believe these threats to be credible and is extremely concerned by them. Both threats were immediately brought to the attention of the Fiji police and we are grateful for their investigative efforts to date.

Following the first threat, the government has taken urgent steps to fully revise security arrangements for Australian High Commission staff in Fiji and to improve the safety of the staff of the high commission and the security of the high commission premises. Restrictions have now been placed on access to the high commission.

In response to the first threat, the high commissioner met ministers of the interim government and requested agreement for Australian Federal Police officers to join the high commission staff to provide additional close personal protection and security. He also requested additional security services be provided by the Fiji police to high commission staff.

The foreign minister, Mr Smith, has today sent a formal note to the Fiji interim foreign minister reiterating the deep concern of the Australian government about these threats and seeking urgent and full cooperation in responding to our formal requests for additional personal protection and security.

I can inform the Senate that Mr Smith has taken the opportunity, prior to question time in the House of Representatives today, to brief the Leader of the Opposition, Dr Nelson, and the shadow minister for foreign affairs, Mr Robb, about these matters.

Australia’s travel advice for Fiji has, this afternoon, been updated to take account of these threats as well as recent increasing levels of crime in Fiji.

Mr President, the safety, security and welfare of all high commission staff and their families are paramount in Australia’s response to these threats. If, for some reason, these threats are an effort to intimidate the Australian government about its policy on Fiji—or an attempt to intimidate our high commissioner—let me make it very clear that they will have no such effect.

I thank the Senate for allowing me to make this statement.