Rt Hon HELEN CLARK (Prime Minister) Link to this
I wish to make a ministerial statement under Standing Order 348 in relation to the situation in Fiji.
I am sure that all New Zealanders today will share the shock of the Government and this Parliament at the unconstitutional actions by the military and the President of Fiji. I have been advised this morning that the President of Fiji has now acted outside his constitutional powers and supported the removal of the democratically elected Prime Minister by the military. I have spoken again to the Fiji Prime Minister, Mr Qarase, within the last hour and a quarter. He is showing great courage in the face of huge threats and intimidation by the Fiji military, led by Commodore Bainimarama. The Prime Minister has told me again that he has no intention of resigning. He is deeply concerned that the President has acted outside his constitutional powers in supporting the military.
The message of the New Zealand Government to the President and to the commodore is very clear. They should pull back, even at this late stage, from their unconstitutional actions. If they do not, they will cause irreparable damage to the Fiji economy and people. Given the events that have already taken place, the New Zealand Government is now imposing travel bans on senior republic of Fiji military officials and their families, and it is discussing with the Commonwealth Secretary-General the inscribing of Fiji on the Commonwealth Ministerial Action Group list, with the likelihood that if this coup is not stopped, Fiji will again be suspended from membership of the Commonwealth. As of now, New Zealand is suspending bilateral defence ties, with the exception of maritime patrolling, disaster relief, and search and rescue activities.
A range of further measures is available to the New Zealand Government, and will be based on our reactions to coup activity in 2000 and previously. These measures will be implemented progressively unless the commodore and the President withdraw from their unconstitutional actions.
The New Zealand Government fears for the future of Fiji, when a democratically elected Government acting within the constitution is put under this kind of pressure by a military acting outside the law. We commend Prime Minister Qarase and his Government for standing up to this bullying, undemocratic, and unconstitutional action. We call on all parties in this Parliament to join us in sending this message to Fiji.
JOHN KEY (Leader of the Opposition) Link to this
The National Party joins with the Government in expressing its deep concern at what has taken place in Fiji over the past few days. It is now clear that we have a coup either taking place or about to take place in Fiji. This illegal act by the Fijian military and its commander is likely to have grave consequences for many innocent and law-abiding Fijians. We support the New Zealand Government in its efforts to convey to the commodore that such illegal action does not come without a price and that there will be serious consequences. National calls on the Government to stand by the statements it has previously made about the ramifications for Fiji.
It is sad for New Zealand to be facing an outbreak of instability yet again amongst our Pacific Island neighbours. We trust that the Government will now move without delay to put in place moves to achieve the sanctions that are now due. This serves to reinforce the importance of the role New Zealand needs to play in the Pacific Island region as we try to achieve greater stability amongst our Pacific neighbours. This is a time when, unfortunately, we need to take strong measures and send the clearest possible message that it is unacceptable to tamper with democratically elected Governments.
KEITH LOCKE (Green) Link to this
The Green Party fully supports the Prime Minister’s statement, and that of the leader of the National Party, that we should unite as a House to convey to the Fiji military, in particular, to draw back at this critical moment and not lead Fiji into such a catastrophe that will result from a coup—the fourth coup in a couple of decades. I also endorse the Prime Minister’s role so far in trying to mediate between the parties, and I think that should continue. If a coup takes place, I think we would have to combine the sanctions and criticism of the military regime with close support and dialogue with the democratic forces in Fiji, be they the elected Government or the non-governmental organisations. One final note, in terms of something that perhaps we can learn from this experience, is that we should not necessarily be encouraging countries such as Fiji—and the same applies to Tonga, which I visited last week—to have significant armed forces when they face no external enemy, and when those defence forces are actually used against their own people. Thank you.
Hon PETER DUNNE (Leader—United Future) Link to this
On behalf of United Future I am more than happy to endorse the actions that the Prime Minister has already taken and has announced this afternoon in respect of the bizarre and inexplicable coup in Fiji. I want, too, to acknowledge the work the Minister of Foreign Affairs has done over the last week. I thought it was a very brave and far-sighted attempt to broker a deal. It was unfortunate that the good faith that the Minister and the Government showed was not honoured by at least one of the participants.
I also want to express admiration for Prime Minister Qarase, and the courage he is showing at the moment, and to send a message from this Parliament that this country stands by his steadfast support of democracy. As the Leader of the Opposition said, this is a chance for New Zealand to show leadership in the Pacific area, and the best way we can do that in this very fraught situation is to demonstrate our solidarity and support for those people who uphold democracy in Fiji, to encourage them to continue their valiant stand for freedom, and to do what we can behind the scenes to play an influential and constructive role. I am more than happy to endorse the stand the Government has taken to date.
RODNEY HIDE (Leader—ACT) Link to this
The people of Fiji are our friends, our neighbours, and our family, and they are in our thoughts and prayers today. I too rise on behalf of the ACT party to support the Prime Minister’s statement, and indeed Mr Peter Dunne, and the work Helen Clark, our Prime Minister, and the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Winston Peters, have done in trying to avert this tragedy. We should stand firm behind the Prime Minister of Fiji as the duly elected leader of that country. Although we greatly admire the ability of the Fijian soldiers, it is important that this House remind them that they are the servants of the people of Fiji, and that it is not their job to overturn the Prime Minister of Fiji, it is not their job to subjugate the people of Fiji, and that they should return to their proud tradition of being soldiers in the service of the Fijian people, and not become the thugs and the bullies that their current commander is leading them down the road to becoming. The ACT party stands with the rest of this House in condemning the actions of the Fijian military in attempting to overturn and usurp the legitimate authority of the duly elected Fijian Government.
Rt Hon HELEN CLARK (Prime Minister) Link to this
I thank the members who have spoken for the stand they have also taken in support of democracy in Fiji. I believe no one could have done more than the New Zealand Government has endeavoured to do in the past couple of weeks to avert this course of events. I want to give particular credit to the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Winston Peters, who has been assiduous in attending to that relationship, and we continue to call for dialogue. We have always believed that was the best way through. We know that in the year 2000, when the coup was attempted by George Speight, Commodore Bainimarama got a lot of credit for standing up to that. To see him today carve out a position for himself as the Speight equivalent in 2006 is tragic. He should reflect on that and pull back from where he is today.