PM Hopes New Aust Counterpart Will Deliver on His Climate Change Promise
In the 2019 Pacific Islands Forum in Tuvalu, the meeting erupted into a heated debate between all the member countries on one side and Australia standing alone on the opposite side. The dispute was over the forum communique setting the target of reducing global warming to below 1.5 degrees Celsius and announcing a plan for zero emissions by 2050.
In the lead-up to the Australian General Election Anthony Albanese promised to reduce carbon emissions by 43 per cent by 2030.
The figure was much higher than the coalition target of 26 per cent to 28 per cent.
Mr Albanese, the new Australian Prime Minister, is being looked upon by small island developing state leaders in the region, including Prime Minister Voreqe Bainimarama, as their new hope in their climate change battle.
They also hope that Mr Albanese will increase Australia’s foreign aid to the region
The battle is expected to significantly influence regional geopolitics.
Mr Albanese has said that Australia has lost influence in the region by failing to act on climate change and cutting back on foreign aid.
Under former Prime Minister Scott Morrison’ conservative Coalition Government, Fiji had little to complain about to Australia as a development partner.
Our biggest concern, however, was Mr Morrison’s position on climate change – that Australia was not doing enough to meet our expectations.
PIF meeting
In the 2019 Pacific Islands Forum in Tuvalu, the meeting erupted into a heated debate between all the member countries on one side and Australia standing alone on the opposite side.
The dispute was over the forum communique setting the target of reducing global warming to below 1.5 degrees Celsius and announcing a plan for zero emissions by 2050.
Australia wanted the removal of references to coal. It is one of the big coal producers in the region and its economy depends on it to a certain extent.
It had said that it was looking at alternative sources of clean green energy.
Mr Bainimarama told the media that Mr Morrison’s insulting conduct at the forum was condescending and would push forum members closer to China.
There was a feeling in the forum that Australia was using its aid to forum members to throw its weight around and push its own agenda.
Three years later, Mr Bainimarama’s warning proved prophetic. More than two months ago a draft
text of a security agreement between China and the Solomons was leaked online.
The document grants Chinese military and police significant access to the Solomon Islands.
It caught everyone by surprise including Canberra – countries concerned by China’s growing influence in the region. China later confirmed the deal had been signed.
In hindsight, official records show that Australia’s overseas develoment assistance (ODA) to Solomon Islands declined 12.6 per cent from $179 million in 2014-15 to $156 million in the 2021-22 Budget.
But the Government had defended its record before the election, telling the media that in addition to the baseline ODA spending it had outlined over $320m in security, stability and health-focused investments to Solomon Islands from 2018.
It had also said because the Regional Assistance Mission to Solomon Islands (RAMSI) ended in mid-2017 there was a tapering of the costs included in ODA.
Mr Albanese has pledged to take Australia in a new direction to become good neighbours and not alienate small islands developing states in the region.
That’s music to the ears of leaders in the region.
From Fiji’s perspective, Mr Morrison had tried to repair the relations damaged in Tuvalu.
The Vuvale Partnership helped put that relations back on track.
Several assistance packages were signed and they included:
■ Seasonal workers scheme
■ Strengthening of Fijian border security
■ Enhancing of Pacific Partnership Maritime Security Programme with two new patrol boats for Fiji
■ Australia-University of the South Pacific Partnership worth more than $84 million over six years. It will ensure that teritiary education in Fiji will be able to meet future needs.
■ $17.1 million assistance for broadcasters in region that will benefit Fijian operators too.
■ Sports assistance
These are in addition to the major projects like Blackrock and the new Fijian Navy Base.
But climate change and domestic politics conspired against Mr Morrison’s bid for another term in office.