Canberra hikes Fiji aid relief to $3m

[Stacey King]

Rowan Callick, Asia-Pacific editor | January 17, 2009

Article from: The Australian

FOREIGN Minister Stephen Smith yesterday announced that Australia would increase to $3million its relief package for Fiji, where floods have this week killed 12, forced 10,500 people to be evacuated and devastated the economy.

Canberra has increased its aid despite continuing tense relations with the Fiji Government, led by military chief Frank Bainimarama, who displaced elected prime minister Laisenia Qarase in a coup in December 2006.

Mr Bainimarama, meanwhile, indicated yesterday in a radio interview that he might not attend a leaders' summit of the Pacific Islands Forum in Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea, on January 27, saying he was more needed in Fiji to direct relief efforts.

The summit will consider whether to suspend Fiji from the forum.

Commodore Bainimarama also deplored, in a letter to the forum's chairman, Australia's "punitive, discriminatory and inhumane travel sanctions" preventing members of his Government and their families from coming to Australia.

Canberra this week rejected a visa application from 19-year-old Inoke Ratu to train with the Western Bulldogs AFL club in Melbourne because his father is an army officer.

Canberra's new aid package comprises $1 million emergency flood relief, as forecast in The Australian yesterday, and $2 million for longer-term reconstruction. Mr Smith left open the prospect of further funding, following assessments from Australian officials.

The $1 million element includes $150,000 announced on Tuesday, which has already been disbursed by the Fiji Red Cross.

Much of the Australian Government's funding will be allocated to health needs, to minimise the sanitation risks posed by the flooding through sending water purification tablets, rehydration salts and antibiotics.

Canberra will also deploy a substantial proportion of the longer-term recovery funds towards the hard-hit agriculture sector.

Mr Smith said: "We remain very concerned for the welfare of all those affected by the floods.

"Australian officials will continue to work with the Fiji authorities to determine how the broader assistance will be best used, based on a more detailed assessments of the longer-term needs."

As well as casting doubt on his participation in the forum summit -- which Kevin Rudd has committed to attending -- Commodore Bainimarama yesterday stepped up his row with the forum in a letter to the organisation's chairman, the Premier of Niue, Toke Talagi.

"Since your appointment to the chairmanship," he wrote, "you have neither communicated directly with me in any substantive manner on the Fiji situation, nor visited Fiji to determine for yourself the ground realities.

"This has resulted in your inability to speak rationally and independently on the punitive, discriminatory and inhumane travel sanctions imposed on the citizens of Fiji by two forum members -- namely Australia and New Zealand."

He said that the forum "is built on the spirit of genuine Pacific dialogue and engagement, not on ostracisation and isolation.

"Bullying and neo-colonialism do not feature in the Pacific way."