Fiji unhappy at 2nd-class consideration in Trans-Tasman Travel Bubble plan
Fiji has accused Australia and New Zealand of demoting the Pacific nation to “secondclass consideration” in talks over a trans-Tasman travel bubble plan. As New Zealand’s Foreign Minister Winston Peters complained about ongoing state border closures in Australia on Wednesday, Fiji said it, too, had eliminated COVID-19 and should be able to welcome Australian tourist traffic.
Travel arrangement
Attorney-General Aiyaz SayedKhaiyum told (the leading business and finance newspaper) The Australian Financial Review, Fiji’s success should “burst” the twocountry bubble.
“With no new cases in nearly two months, Fiji deserves better than second-class consideration in a regional travel arrangement,” he said.
“This pandemic has left our tourism industry paralysed. In the interest of the thousands of Fijians who are now unemployed, we’re actively exploring all potential options, and are open to creative ideas – including a state-led resumption of travel between Australia and Fiji.”
Mr Sayed-Khaiyum said if a fraction of the 10 million Australians who travel overseas each year went to Fiji in 2020, the local economy could be quickly revived.
Mr Peters said states keeping their borders closed to tourists amounted to a “roadblock of federalism”. “Let’s not restrain the movement between our two countries based on the slowest state in Australia,” he said.
High Court proceedings
On Wednesday, the High Court has rejected an attempt by lawyers for tourism and travel businesses who wanted access to documents used by the Queensland’s Chief Health Officer Jeannette Young to close the borders.
In an interlocutory hearing in Brisbane, Chief Justice Susan Kiefel rejected the subpoena saying it amounted to a “fishing expedition”. Lawyers for Brisbane suburban travel agent, Travel Essence, argued the documents should be released to show grounds for the media advice to Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk.
Guy Reynolds, SC, for the plaintiffs, was cut off by the Chief Justice after he suggested Dr Young was “hiding behind” the documents.
She later accused the plaintiffs of a “fishing expedition” saying the documents had nothing to do with the constitutional issues with other border closures cases before the High Court.
“My view is this is a constitutional issue,” she said. “I’m quite perplexed. These kind of issues jeopardise your clients case in trying to be heard.”
Mr Reynolds said there was a public interest in the documents being released, saying they were of “critical relevance”.
Lawyers for Travel Essence and other parties argue the state border closures during the COVID-19 pandemic have caused significant financial hardship to their business – pointing to comments by Ms Palaszczuk in state parliament about acknowledging the economic pain from keeping borders closed. Queensland Solicitor-General Sandy Thompson said there was no basis for releasing the documents, saying the plaintiffs were making serious allegations.
Queensland has argued any financial hardship can’t be pinned on state border closures as the national borders are also closed.
Chief Justice Kiefel rejected the application, with all three cases on border closures to be heard before the High Court on Friday.
“There is no basis for making an order for discovery or subpoena. This is par excellence a fishing expedition.”
The hearings on Friday include Queensland businessman Clive Palmer’s action to open up WA’s borders.
Australia expects travel with New Zealand to commence later in 2020. Prime Minister Scott Morrison said state borders needed to reopen by July to kickstart travel.
“This isn’t a partisan issue,” he said.
“This is about ensuring that our economies can open up and I have made this point consistently.”