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Attorney-General and Minister for Justice, Anti-Corruption, Public Enterprises, Communications, Civil Aviation, Tourism, Industry and Trade

Mr Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum

Fijian Attorney-General Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum released the following statement today:

“The Australian Council of Trade Unions’ call to place Fiji on the blacklist of the Labor Party platform, alongside Zimbabwe and Burma, is absurd and a gross abuse of unionist influence over Australian foreign policy—especially coming on the heels of a report by the Australian government’s own think tank saying how such isolation tactics against Fiji have only hindered Australia.

“The Bainimarama Government is particularly disappointed having received correspondence that ACTU plans to visit Fiji on a fact finding mission. We assumed the visit would provide the organization with an opportunity to see first-hand our country and to meet with some of the more than 70 affiliated unions with tens of thousands of members who operate freely throughout Fiji—despite the ACTU’s erroneous claims otherwise.

“Yet the ACTU has destroyed any sense of credibility by moving to conduct its fact-finding mission after declaring our free and open country akin to nations torn apart by violent atrocity. This is not only an affront to Fijians, it devalues the rightful plight of stricken Zimbabweans and Burmese.

“While we welcome any credible fact finding mission, as we have nothing to hide, in no way can we now believe that the ACTU will conduct a visit with objectivity and fairness. They have already made up their mind—wilfully ignoring the Bainimarama Government’s hard work:

• to outlaw institutionalized racism and other discriminatory practices;
• to codify equal rights for women;
• to provide open Internet access for all;
• to eliminate or cut taxes for 99 percent of taxpayers, putting money back in the hands of Fijians; and
• to enact extensive reforms on our path to the first elections in Fiji’s history that will have universal suffrage—one person, one vote, one value.

“Ultimately, we wonder upon what evidence the ACTU has been using to form its outrageous conclusions—or if it is simply asserting its patronising agenda based on the biased claims of a few selfish people, while putting at risk the livelihoods of hardworking Fijians.”

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ENDS

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