This is the image that shows just how far Australia is prepared to go to ingratiate itself with the Prime Minister, Sitiveni Rabuka, after he praised China at the Pacific Islands Forum and against all the evidence, said it had no designs in the region.
The Australian Prime Minister, Anthony Albanese, is doubtless grateful to Rabuka for describing Australia’s new $A400-million Policing Pact with the region as a “godsend” in bolstering Fiji’s ability to deal with the crisis in the Fiji Police Force, the erosion of law and order and the drugs calamity. But to many island eyes, this kind of touchy-feely public gesture borders on the patronising. And Rabuka is certainly being given no opportunity to keep his distance in deference to his new Chinese pals or any notion of dignified independence. Filipo Tarakinikini – Rabuka’s man at the UN – looks decidedly underwhelmed and so will other Fijians who see it.
It is perilously close to being a pat on the head except that everyone knows you can’t touch someone’s head in Pacific culture. But in casting him like a schoolboy getting the teacher’s tick of approval for getting his sums right, Anthony Albanese is inevitably going to be seen locally as using Sitiveni Rabuka as a prop. It is simply condescending and yet another sign that Australian politicians just don’t understand appropriate behaviour in the Pacific context. Australia is IN the Pacific but not OF the Pacific and this is a glaring example of that.
It’s the second year running that Albanese has been photographed hovering over the Prime Minister in a far-too-obvious play to the Australian media and public about the closeness of the relationship. Last year, it was a massage in front of the cameras. But we have been mercifully spared a repeat of that and the latest pic appears to stop short of a neck rub. But only just.
The message for a domestic audience in Australia is that Canberra is bending over backwards to keep Fiji and the other island nations out of the clutches of the Chinese. Unfortunately, this includes turning a blind eye to the Coalition’s excesses in Fiji, including such things as the government’s workplace ethnic cleansing in the civil service and offices of state and blatant violations of the Constitution.
The only thing that matters in Canberra, Wellington and Washington is keeping Sitiveni Rabuka on side and as far as possible away from Beijing. But unfortunately that is proving very difficult to do when Rabuka returns from a ten day trip to China saying that it has been an eyeopener in convincing him that China is a good thing for the Pacific.
Perhaps Anthony Albanese should have given him a massage after all, though it’s difficult to image him being able to replicate the skills of the fictional Lin Da – who was a central character in our recent spoof on Sitiveni Rabuka’s China odyssey.
A real life version is a traditional part of the Chinese diplomatic repertoire and something with which the Australians can’t compete. Alas, all they can offer is “Albo”. Or is that an Al Bo?
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Could these photos perchance be related?
Ah, body language. It tells us such a lot.
Another telling image from the PIF at the start of The Guardian’s video coverage. Some island leaders openly expressed concern about not be dragged into big power politics. And in this photo, PNG’s James Marape looks as if he’d rather be almost anywhere else, as would anyone else being used so blatantly as a prop.
Awwwwww, Albo that’s so nice, not as good as Lin Da but close enough. Absolutely pathetic on both leaders who have no morals. Shame on Albo and Rambo
The gorilla gets a massage from its master.
They are all coming out if their closets. Pathetic queens. Is this the caliber of the world’s leaders now. To be seen rubbing shoulders with coup makers.
You are talking about Albo. He is a person who has never worked in his life, out of uni into politics, and he will do what ever it takes to stay relevant.
Albo will loose next election
It seems kinda hard for Aussie, NZ and USA to get Fiji on their side and will do anything to stop Rambo getting the Chinese influence into Fiji.
If this happens again they will surely lose trade with Fiji big time. Like during the Covid the trade got suspended and Australia, New Zealand had factories closing down which caused loss of millions of dollars in trade and big time loss of employment.
Looks like the Chinese have brainwashed Rambo and are ready to invade Fiji with more heavy trade options at a minimal price which the other 3 countries can not match.
It now depends on the Snake to go along with China or to lose relationship with Aussie, NZ and USA. It is a tough decision and I hope he picks the right country
and don’t fall for chinese sweet talk.
ABC widely reported about the ‘smiles across many departments in Canberra’ as Australia successfully negotiated the Policing deal, which is being sold as ‘Pacific led’ and paid for by Australia. What a joke! It’s primary objective to keep China out.
Well, if it takes the Australian PM to show his affection openly by massaging Rabuka, that is a small price to pay by Albanese acting in his capacity as the US sheriff in the region. It is already acknowledged that Fiji is in bed with Australia which is given opportunities like leading review of Fiji’s white paper on foreign affairs, defence etc. Biman Prasad’s soul is already sold to Australia as he can not survive without the Aussie $$s.
I guess time will tell when the great ‘snake’ will turn around and bite back, no doubt he needs to satisfy Beijing as well, especially after his recent visit and all the commentaries.
But Rabuka has established himself as a joke, incapable and untrustworthy, unable to deal with rogue Ministers in his own government, putting up a facade of apologising to anyone and everyone, the latest to PIF on the Kanaky mission, and endeavouring to make himself relevant in the region with dubious ‘peace’ crusades. To claim Fiji provides any sort of climate leadership is the biggest insult to the region where Ministers from may of the small states are making their mark internationally.
If Australia thinks it can continue to ‘buy’ itself the credibility, support and recognition it needs internationally, good luck. It still needs to understand the region will never say no to any offers of $$s but will vote with their feet from their capitals.
The senile serial liar and treasonous thug is a useful idiot advancing neocolonialism.
A tool surrounds himself with low information tools appointed solely based on ethnicity and tribal allegiance.
Albanese may be rubbing the treasonous thug’s shoulders, but Australia is simply rubbing their hands with glee. It’s never been this easy to get Fiji to toe the line.
The Chinese know this all well too. This will not be any skin off their back. The Chinese sent in the bigge$t delegation to this forum. They have the $taying power.
PM doing persistently well with his travel allowances; a cool $50k in 2 weeks. $30k in China and $20k in Tonga, while families back home struggle with daily needs. Teachers are crying as Ratu Peceli lamented this week. Sure work for the Aussies as crime rises. The $3k questions: where to next and for how long, PM?
The informal dress and being in relaxed Tonga does not mean laxed behaviour is appropriate.
The Australian PM’s action is very poor judgement.
The occasion and environment has clouded his judgement.
Get a grip PM, you are in a formal role discharging your duties as leader of Australia and a senior leader of a bloc of nations. It’s not a high school reunion.
My take, you read way too much into this. Leaders tend to build the relationship over time and at such gatherings (G7, G20, NATO, PIF) display such personal touch, it does not mean that they are pandering or agreeing with the others and compromising their core values and that they don’t have differences on policy and issues.
It’s called soft diplomacy .
Not everything must have a smack down GD.
Relax mada.
Rajiv, can you imagine Sitiveni Rabuka going up to Anthony Albanese at a summit meeting and putting his arms around him with cameras present, let alone giving him a massage?
My take is that you don’t understand appropriate conduct under the circumstances and especially when the Australians know, or they should, that Rabuka is walking a tight rope between Canberra and Beijing.
There is nothing “soft” about this diplomacy. And nothing to “relax mada” about any of it. The biggest delegation at the PIF was China, not Australia and NZ. And Rabuka has just been to China and come back extolling its virtues.
This is deadly serious. And anything with the potential to appear disrespectful of the island leaders shouldn’t be happening. It is not an ALP conference and an encounter between “mates”. He can hug him as much as he likes behind the scenes but liberties are being taken in a situation like this.
Well we differ on our observations and that is OK.
If you lol at the overall geopolitics, I think Rabuka is really smart in that he is paying China against the West, courting China and at the same time leveraging this with the West to court favors and support etc.
It’s a smart move , look at India they never criticize Russia over Ukraine ( there’s more to this as it relates to deep rooted historical ties between India and Russia ) and the West does not criticize India or impose sanctions against India for buying oil from Russia as the West needs India for various reasons.
My point is, do you see parallels here? Oh well I know you will slam me for saying that Rabuka is smart but to get the point I am making.
I grant you that he has rat-like cunning. But smart? His government is unravelling and the clock is ticking towards the next election, with the electorate deeply disillusioned and with Narube and Chaudhry on his case plus whoever else might emerge from the shadows before 2026.
If he was really smart, he would be in a lot more control than he is. Whether it is allowing Lynda Tabuya to run riot or saying Christopher Pryde should be paid when seven weeks later he still hasn’t, the notion that Rambo is in control of anything more than his bodily functions is a fantasy. And even that may now be in doubt.
Imagine Albanese doing the shoulder rub to Xi Jinping. Or vice versa?
Imagine a U.S. president doing this to a British PM. Or vice versa?
Imagine the French president and German chancellor? Imagine Albanese pulling this patronizing schtick with the French president? Albanese and German chancellor?
Imagine the Japanese pm and the Korean president? Or the other way around?
Imagine Albanese trying this move on the PNG pm. The Tongan pm?
Diplomatic protocol dictates conduct, equal standing and respect for sovereignty.
Albanese has shown outrageous disrespect for the Fiji pm and her people, and the Pacific region and it peoples. A shameful demonstration of ‘big brother patronizingly and deliberately that indicates the Fijian pm and his delegation as subordinate.
Albanese would never imagine pulling this schtick off on Voreqe, even in private.
Soft diplomacy my ass. You are soft in the head.
Remember, China is going to get the iTaukei out of poverty. So that is an important consideration in the PM’s as well as all the Chief’s eyes. They all are so full of wisdom, I mean the PM and the Chief’s of Fiji.
The iTaukei are the luckiest people in the universe because they are very special, if you did not already know. Just ask the PM and the Chiefs and the members of government.
Something is wrong with these soldier politicians of ours. They can’t seem to handle concepts beyond their narrow security mindset, yet we entrust them to make the right decisions that affect our daily lives, our spiritual well being and the well being of our future generation. Rabuka is the wordy of them, and the rest are not too far behind.
Why talk up China as having no bad intentions for the region while a few hours later stand up in a line up of four PI PMs to talk up Albo’s regional policing initiative that everyone can see is clearly aimed against China?
Surely Rabuka doesn’t expect us to be that stupid?
Clearly he has lost it in Tonga. It musta been obvious to Australian PM Albo who is a health freak himself so should know when to read the signs.
Rabo can’t cope and must be forced to under take a health abd cognitive function test.
It is pitiful to watch Albo’s fatherly massage of Rabuka.
He can only be hanging in there for the money.
Rajiv most probably lives in Beverley Hills and has a nice stash stashed away somewhere. What’s on show isn’t the “soft touch diplomacy” but rather a very patronising display of arrogance. Australia has Rambo and Fiji by the nuts, and China has Rambo by the short and curlies. Rambo is so stupid, and he also doesn’t care about his own people. Whatever lines his pocket is all that matters atm. He’s got to put something away for when Naboro beckons. Million $$ question is, “what do we the electorate do?”
Aust should stop pumping money into Fiji and let it fend for itself.. Wasting hard earned tax payer money to please selfish Pacific leaders should stop. China is no longer providing the aid..Aust should follow suit. Enough spoon feeding..
Someone said this before and I repeat.
“Australia needs Fiji and Fiji doesn’t need Australia”.
Oh really? I suppose that would be the case if Fiji became a province of China. But until that happens, Fiji needs Australia more.
Vinaka Rambo
Your dysfunctional government is chasing your people to Ozzie and supplying us the cheap labour we need. Keep up the good management.
Australian tax payers struggling with high home loan interest rates, high cost of living, rental crisis, land taxes, utilities etc and here Albanese throwing 400 million dollars to Coalition Government God knows whose pockets these funds are going into.
Awkward
Awkward
Awkward
This comical caper illustrates how 400 million AUD can have greater positive influence than Albo’s 368 000 million AUD commitment for nuke subs.
GD, you need to make a podcast. Easy way to displace the most consumed and underrated medium of communication in Fiji: The radio.
Thank you for your confidence in me. Shall we call it Radio Gaga? 🙂
Dunno if the mercurial genius of the late Freddy would’ve approved of radio gaga.
Radio Lasa, on the other hand is free as much as both of Albo’s hand are not.
Hahaha. Just one problem. Not much lasa around and too easy for my critics to turn it into Radio Lasu.