Topics: Albanese’s visit to the Pacific, China’s nuclear-capable weapon launch, State of Origin
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CHRIS KENNY: Joining me on the desk now is Dave Sharma, Shadow Assistant Treasurer. Dave, I was really keen to catch up with you after the Prime Minister's trip to the Pacific. You also have a shadow portfolio looking at the Pacific. It was a pretty sensible trip for the country, wasn't it? A lot of people whinge about the money we spend in the Pacific, but Underpinning defence relations with Fiji and Solomon Islands and the region in general is pretty important, right?
DAVE SHARMA: It is important, and I'm glad the Prime Minister made the trip, and I think the signing of the security agreements on that trip was a welcome step, and the Coalition certainly welcomed it. It's about making sure Australia's positioned as the partner of first choice in a region that's more contested and where outside powers are taking a much closer interest in a way that could be deeply harmful to Australia's interests.
CHRIS KENNY: And Fiji, that defence deal is pretty significant. It's a significant country with a— What, would it have the strongest military in the South Pacific?
DAVE SHARMA: Probably the most capable military. They're not the largest country in the Pacific, but they're one of the largest economies, and they're the host of a lot of regional institutions and secretariats, and they've got the best transport links. They're probably the most sophisticated economy. They— mean, the Fijian military participates in peacekeeping exercises around the world, so they've got a high level of professionalism and discipline. And I think that security agreement is a very important one because they have one of the most vital countries in the Pacific from their location but also their capability.
CHRIS KENNY: Yeah, another country that's pretty important because of the history there, the history of domestic strife and what is— and the role Australia's played there is Solomon Islands. That's right. Anthony Albanese went there and their Prime Minister, because of that Chinese missile test, we've been worried about them getting too strongly into the Chinese orbit. He was actually moved to say about China, don't threaten us. That was an encouraging sign, maybe a miscalculation by China.
DAVE SHARMA: I think it has— I think I think this test should be seen as a miscalculation by China. I met with the Solomon Islands Prime Minister a month or two ago when he was in Canberra with some of my Coalition colleagues, and I was very impressed with his clear-sighted strategic picture in the region and the sense that he wanted to move his country closer to Australia and strengthen security and defence ties, which this visit has now done. But I think, look the region has been big for some time on making sure that outside powers don't use their areas of contest for military influence. And I think China's testing of a submarine-launched intercontinental ballistic missile that overflew their airspace and landed in their waterways can only be seen by them as a destabilizing and threatening action.
CHRIS KENNY: Do we think it could have been timed to coincide with Anthony Albanese's visit, or would this have all been set in place a long time ago?
DAVE SHARMA: Look, obviously I don't have the answer to that, but my suspicion is that these things these testing protocols take some time to prepare and take some weeks to prepare. It's not the sort of thing you can turn on a dime and turn on in a matter of hours or days. So I think the timing was more, fortuitous from China's perspective. But I think it is— the contrast is quite important that here is Australia tightening relationships in a way that supports the countries of the region with these alliances, at the same time that China is basically rattling a saber at the region.
CHRIS KENNY: I don't like to give Anthony Albanese too much credit because he's lied and broken promises and he's been weak on so many issues when it comes to foreign affairs, especially in the Middle East. But at the risk of overdoing it, it's not a bad move by him on the back of this, taking some of these Pacific leaders to the State of Origin in Brisbane tonight. It's good soft diplomacy, isn't it? They love their league.
DAVE SHARMA: It is. They love rugby league. I think it's great that they're all at the final State of Origin match. Hopefully the Blues win. I know that we're playing at Lang Park. Tough ask. It's a big ask, but if we can repeat that performance from game 1, I think we're in with a good shot.
CHRIS KENNY: I hope they do, mate, but I'll tell you what, if I can sit here and praise Anthony Albanese's diplomacy, then maybe the Blues can get up tonight. Thanks for joining us.
DAVE SHARMA: Thanks so much, Chris.
CHRIS KENNY: Dave Sharma there, Shadow Assistant Minister for Treasury and also responsible for the Pacific.
[ENDS]