Page 8 - IB August 2024

Whispers Whispers

Trump, the Russians, and then Australia’s nuclear submarine deal with Pack for a tent?
there’s China the Americans. The revelations have set Pacific Islands Forum member
Australia continues to tread cautiously off significant chatter in NGO circles countries with large tourism industries
amid heightened security worries, in the Pacific, upscaling the existing have an advantage when they host the
both in the Pacific and domestically. worries of Pacific Island countries annual Forum Leaders meeting – there
Addressing a public policy think about the build-up of militarisation in are plenty of hotels and guest houses to
tank, Pacific Minister Pat Conroy was the region. Eyes are peeled to watch accommodate the array of delegations,
forthright when he urged China to avoid for New Zealand’s movement on the from 18 countries, 21 Forum Dialogue
“coercion” in the Pacific Islands and agreement. Partners, observer nations, multilateral
to be “more transparent in the aid” and UN agencies, the media, NGOs
it provides. Conroy went as far as to Education and geopolitics etc. Recognising the limited housing,
acknowledge a “state of permanent It seems that the escalating the Tongan government planned
contest” between China and the West. geopolitical machinations in the Pacific construction of a new housing estate to
Added to that tussle is the sleepless are extending into the region’s tertiary accommodate delegates – but as time
nights and hectic days in Canberra (that education sector. Heads of Melanesian wore on, it was clear that construction
spread to a few other key centres across national universities met in Port Vila, would be pushed down to the wire. For
the Australian landscape) in recent times mid-July. Behind the noble aspirations latecomers who haven’t booked a room,
over the Russian-led breach of security is said to be a very distinct push from you may want to pack a tent.
in which a Russian-born Australian army the Australians to support this grouping,
private and her husband who arrived as a way of building further influence Signals
in Australia about 10 years ago were into the tertiary education sector in the In what’s being seen as a huge signal
accused of trying to steal military Pacific. There are those who are silently from the Fiji Government this month on
secrets for Moscow. Coming as it did just worried about how this will impact pushing ahead with a review of the 2013
around the attempt on Donald Trump’s upon areas such as research – and Constitution, the Fiji National University
life, the Russian incident set off the whether academics will then have to hosted a senior Australian academic
Aussies on a major hunt to figure out be “predisposed” in a certain direction to dissect the possibilities in what has
how the breach happened. All in all, because of the Australian money coming so far been thought of as a virtually
keeping an eye on the shadows in the in. But then, who are they to have a say impossible task. The fact that everyone
Pacific, as well as keeping up the rear when someone else is paying? Tertiary from Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka
guard on the home front makes for some education has become big business, so to a large part of his Cabinet were
interesting fodder for discussion among the implications are endlessly worrying present at the presentation underlined
those with a keen eye for these things for those that really care. its significance to the direction things
in Canberra. While it’s said every once will take in the near future. While the
in a while by some in Canberra that Lobbying for a seat possibility of finally being able to move
the whole ‘China threat’ notion is more There’s been some serious lobbying by away from what’s always been seen as
imaginary than real, those close to the a major Pacific Island entity for a seat a document imposed against the will
circles where the action takes place at the top table of the Pacific Islands of the people is already the cause of
weren’t exactly unperturbed in August. Forum, to the extent that it’s gotten optimism in Fiji, it may be too early to
That double whammy was in very real everyone talking and the big guns within celebrate. Because it seems that the
effect on the ground. And there’s no the particular entity worrying about the underlying problems of poor governance
reason to expect any change in the optics of it all – as well as the agenda that’s very quickly become an acquired
geopolitical scenario, any time soon. So, behind it. It’s a big push and it does hallmark of the Rabuka-led Coalition,
expect to see more power games unfold not make sense to those in the know, is quite likely to continue unabated.
in the Pacific. except that it’s been made rather If the widely criticised pay rise for
obvious that the person(s) at the top parliamentarians and an expensive
AUKUS flare up are looking to be treated on the same party at the Grand Pacific Hotel for
Meanwhile, there’s been a very level as heads of state. There were government members were disasters,
public flare-up over revelations that worries previously about where this is then there could be some outcomes
a new AUKUS Treaty allows for the heading, which means this big drive has coming up soon that could be on an
actual transfer of nuclear material folks in top regional circles seriously even greater scale, from what we’re
from the United States to Australia concerned about how this might end up. picking up.
as opposed to the exchange of “naval
nuclear propulsion information”, under

8 Islands Business, August 2024