Sky News with Chris Roe
Monday, 02 January 2012
Subjects: Fiji
E&OE…
CHRIS ROE Fiji’s Prime Minister has announced an end to emergency regulations and the beginning of a process to establish a new constitution. The country has been under emergency rule since April of 2009 but that will come to an end this Saturday. Commodore Frank Bainimarama made the announcement during his New Years address but he insisted that public order would be maintained. Under martial law meetings and protests have been banned in Fiji and media outlets have been censored.Shadow Foreign Affairs Minister Julie Bishop joins us now on the line from Perth. Ms Bishop, what was your reaction to this news today?
JULIE BISHOP This announcement of an end to martial law in Fiji is a welcome development in the country’s recent troubled history. I hope it is a step forward towards democracy and civilian rule.
Fiji is an important economy, it is an important nation in the Pacific and we need to see a return to democracy, civilian law, an independent judiciary as soon as possible so that we can see some peace and stability in the region.
CHRIS ROE Well considering the way the regime has dealt with opposition in the past do you think Bainimarama can genuinely deliver this equitable democratic process that he is promising?
JULIE BISHOP There are deep concerns about people who have been prosecuted under the martial laws and a sign of good faith would be for Commodore Bainimarama to offer these people access to civilian courts. I think that would be a sign of good faith.
He has promised an election by 2014, we would have preferred an election earlier than this, but we must hold him to the date of 2014. He has promised a new constitution and an election, and we need to see a return to democracy and a re-engagement of Fiji in the Pacific and the region as soon as possible.
CHRIS ROE Well given that strained relationship within the region, and of course between our two countries, of course there are sanctions in place as well, how do you feel the government should look to engage with Fiji at this point?
JULIE BISHOP We must take this announcement of an end to martial law seriously. I hope it is an opportunity for Australia and New Zealand to re-engage with Fiji. We do not condone the miliary coup that occurred in 2006. Sanctions have been in place for some time but we need to find ways to re-engage with Fiji so that it can be a participant in the Pacific. Its economy is important to the people in the Pacific and we need to see Fiji emerge from this period of difficulty as a democracy committed to the rule of law and an independent judiciary.
CHRIS ROE Ms Bishop, thank you very much for your time.
JULIE BISHOP My pleasure.
