Fiji PM accuses Australia's Morrison of 'insulting' Pacific island nations

By Lidia Kelly

 

FILE PHOTO: Prime Minister of Fiji and COP 23 President Frank Bainimarama speaks during the COP24 UN Climate Change Conference 2018 in Katowice, Poland December 3, 2018. REUTERS/Kacper Pempel

 

MELBOURNE (Reuters) - Fiji Prime Minister Frank Bainimarama accused Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison of insulting leaders of Pacific island nations during a regional summit earlier this week, and said Chinese officials were far more tactful and better mannered.

 

The Fijian prime minister's comments come after the Pacific Islands Forum failed to agree on tough new climate change commitments at the insistence of the pro-coal Australian government, upsetting leaders of island nations at risk from rising sea levels.

 

Bainimarama said Morrison tried to force his country's policies onto the other nations, and insulted them by saying how much money Australia has given to the region.

 

"The prime minister was very insulting, very condescending, not good for the relationship," Bainimarama told Guardian Australia late Friday, a day after the summit of 18 Pacific nations in Tuvalu.

 

Australia and the United Staves have historically enjoyed virtually unchecked influence in the Pacific, but their sway in the region has been challenged in recent years by China.

 

Bainimarama said there was "no competition" between Australia and China, but when asked whether some Pacific leaders might now seek better ties with Beijing, he said, "nothing can be worse".

 

"The Chinese don't insult us," Bainimarama said. "They don't go down and tell the world that we've given this much money to the Pacific islands. They don't do that. They're good people, definitely better than Morrison."

 

The Fijian premier also called comments by Deputy Prime Minister Michael McCormack, published on Friday by the Guardian, very insulting. McCormack had said that Pacific island nations affected by climate changes will continue to survive because "many of their workers come here to pick our fruit".

 

Opposition Labor Party climate change spokesman Mark Butler said that Morrison has damaged the long-standing relationship with Pacific countries and McCormack's comment "just adds insult to injury".

 

Morrison's office would not comment on Bainimarama's accusations, but earlier on Saturday Morrison said that Australia is committed to the region.

 

"We're there for the difficult conversations, we're there for every type of conversation with our Pacific family, just like any family that comes around the table," he told reporters after addressing a South Australian Liberals conference.

 

"We will always be there and regardless of whatever issues we have to work through at the time."

 

(Reporting by Lidia Kelly; Editing by Simon Cameron-Moore)

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2019-08-18

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Yes of course, China is giving you less grief because they are such decent and well meaning people. It has nothing at all to do with debt slavery or expansionism.

25 minutes ago, rooster59 said:

and said Chinese officials were far more tactful and better mannered

yes Frank  ….  i'm sure they were, they are always better mannered.

No more xmas cards for you Frank ….

 

good job Scott Morrison.

I don't think Australians are known for tact nor subtlety. 

2 hours ago, rooster59 said:

"The Chinese don't insult us," Bainimarama said.

Does us mean the people who voted for him? 

 

Doesn't PM imply the person specified in the title is there as part of a democratic tenancy? 

That there Frank, he don't like elections.

 

Edited August 18, 20196 yr by bendejo

Australia should stop insulting Pacific Islands by reminding them how much support they have received...and stop supporting them...problem solved...

 

In a few years Australia could tell them how much they honor and support their new found poverty...

The average IQ in Fiji is only 85!!

 

https://new-iq-test.com/fiji-average-iq.html

 

To put things rather bluntly, the Chinese policy of offering candy in return for your soul will often work with low-intelligence beings. 

 

Australia and other western countries really need to come down to this kiddie level when dealing with some of these 'toy' countries, unless they want to see a Chinese military base in their back yard.

 

 

Can't win.

 

And the little island countries have realized that they're looking just dandy, in a competition between rich ol' Oz and rich polite Middle Kingdom. Can't lose.

China's long term plans are working.

Australia and other nations have a lot more to worry about without meddling in others affairs. 

Australia is complicit (and following the US) in the task of totally eliminating the middle class and making everyone working debt slaves.

9 minutes ago, pookondee said:

Australia and other nations have a lot more to worry about without meddling in others affairs. 

Australia is complicit (and following the US) in the task of totally eliminating the middle class and making everyone working debt slaves.

Poppycock. Oz is the country where EVERYONE thinks of themselves as 'middle class'. It is the ultimate in bourgeois egalitarianism - a one-class society.

They try to tell OZ to reduce their carbon emissions but then flirt with China who have emissions beyond belief. These small island nations are only after more money (not going to blame them for this) and are willing to deal with "polite" China to get it.

The "climate" issue is just an excuse.

33 minutes ago, DoctorG said:

They try to tell OZ to reduce their carbon emissions but then flirt with China who have emissions beyond belief. These small island nations are only after more money (not going to blame them for this) and are willing to deal with "polite" China to get it.

The "climate" issue is just an excuse.

"The "climate" issue is just an excuse."

They're disappearing beneath the sea, more than 'just an excuse'.

McCormack had said that Pacific island nations affected by climate changes will continue to survive because "many of their workers come here to pick our fruit".

 

Where does a statement like that come from? And of course the Chinese are being favored. They are infinitely more intelligent than the average Australian politician, who are at the bottom of the barrel, comparable to a Trump appointee. When you are being outclassed by others, that have you beaten by 60-90 IQ points, it is hard to look smart. Not saying the Chinese have noble intentions. Anything but. However, they are smart and cunning as hell, and able to avoid the kinds of insulting, demeaning, arrogant, ignorant, inane, and surly behavior of the average Aussie or American politician or negotiator. 

1 hour ago, stevenl said:

"The "climate" issue is just an excuse."

They're disappearing beneath the sea, more than 'just an excuse'.

That is what you are being told. Reality is different.

 

5 minutes ago, DoctorG said:

That is what you are being told. Reality is different.

 

Certainly your idea of reality is different...from that of scientists.

Wonder which will be their country of choice once Fiji is under water, China or Australia?

6 minutes ago, giddyup said:

Wonder which will be their country of choice once Fiji is under water, China or Australia?

Given Austrialia's immigration policy, do you think it will be a choice?

5 minutes ago, bristolboy said:

Given Austrialia's immigration policy, do you think it will be a choice?

How many refugees does China take? Plenty of Fijians have migrated to Australia, as have other South Sea islanders.

Edited August 18, 20196 yr by giddyup

7 hours ago, canuckamuck said:

Yes of course, China is giving you less grief because they are such decent and well meaning people. It has nothing at all to do with debt slavery or expansionism.

How simple minded eh?

 

Before they know it they will be in debt. Forced to allow naval bases. 

26 minutes ago, giddyup said:

How many refugees does China take? Plenty of Fijians have migrated to Australia, as have other South Sea islanders.

Plenty of Fijans are allowed in for up to 3 years to participate in the Pacific Labour Scheme. Not so many anymore as full-fledged immigrants.

24 minutes ago, bristolboy said:

Plenty of Fijans are allowed in for up to 3 years to participate in the Pacific Labour Scheme. Not so many anymore as full-fledged immigrants.

Australia still has a large Islander population. they are as eligible to migrate as anyone else as long as they satisfy the criteria. Not sure the same would apply to China.

6 hours ago, pookondee said:

Australia is complicit (and following the US) in the task of totally eliminating the middle class and making everyone working debt slaves.

Well, if the USA and Australia can keep the socialist from running the Countries, the middle class is safe. Otherwise we'll just have the ruling elite like Putin and Xi Jinping.

9 hours ago, simon43 said:

The average IQ in Fiji is only 85!!

 

https://new-iq-test.com/fiji-average-iq.html

 

To put things rather bluntly, the Chinese policy of offering candy in return for your soul will often work with low-intelligence beings. 

 

Australia and other western countries really need to come down to this kiddie level when dealing with some of these 'toy' countries, unless they want to see a Chinese military base in their back yard.

 

 

The average IQ in Fiji is only 85!!

 

I believe this explains the deragotory comments directed at Australia...????

10 minutes ago, Puchaiyank said:

The average IQ in Fiji is only 85!!

 

I believe this explains the deragatory comments directed at Australia...????

"derogatory",I believe.

10 hours ago, bendejo said:

Does us mean the people who voted for him? 

 

Doesn't PM imply the person specified in the title is there as part of a democratic tenancy? 

That there Frank, he don't like elections.

 

Yes, where are all of the anti coup clan that should be supporting Morrison. Or maybe they do not know the PM's history.

36 minutes ago, Puchaiyank said:

The average IQ in Fiji is only 85!!

 

I believe this explains the deragotory comments directed at Australia...????

Well then they should feel perfectly at ease in Oz.

 

 

*sorry couldn't help myself

Australia, how dare you insult the indigenous people of the Pacific ?

You yourself turned up in Australia, and stole a big bit of land. Supposedly, you also carried out genocide (mass murder) of them people who got to Australia before you did.

Never raise any issues about the indigenous people of any island in the Pacific. You simply highlight the ridiculous situation that you are in.

9 hours ago, stevenl said:

"The "climate" issue is just an excuse."

They're disappearing beneath the sea, more than 'just an excuse'.

 

7 hours ago, DoctorG said:

That is what you are being told. Reality is different.

 

 

7 hours ago, bristolboy said:

Certainly your idea of reality is different...from that of scientists.

 

30 minutes ago, Yinn said:

 

 

 

I have a suspicion the colors on this chart have some meaning, but it is beyond me what it could be.