Select Committee Trip to Suva

Day one: The committee had a number of engagements based at the Fijian Parliament, first meeting with the Speaker of the Parliament, His Excellency Hon. Ratu Epeli Nailatikau and the Secretary General to Parliament, Mrs Jeanette Emberson.

This was followed by the committee meeting members of the Commonwealth Women Parliamentarians and the Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs and Defence. The committee was then shown around the Fijian Parliament.

Topics of conversation throughout the day included strengthening the relationship between the two Parliaments, adapting to virtual/hybrid sittings, increasing women engagement with Parliament, the effects of climate change on the environment, defence, and IUU Fishing.

The day ended with a reception hosted by the High Commissioner, Her Excellency Charlotte Darlow, at her official residence where the committee met with civil society, regional, multilateral, and diplomatic core contacts.

Day two began with a visit to the Fiji Navy where Hon Jenny Salesa, chairperson of the committee, received a guard of honour and the committee were received by RFN Chief of Staff, Commander Ledua Yaco. The committee received a comprehensive briefing focusing particularly on naval operations in the Pacific, search and rescue, and IUU fishing. New Zealand’s long-standing relationship with Fiji was a strong theme throughout discussions.

The morning continued with a visit to the Ministry of Health and Medical Services. The committee met with the Assistant Minister, Hon Alexander O’Connor, and were joined virtually by the Permanent Secretary, Dr James Fong. The committee was interested to learn about Fiji’s COVID-19 response while working to address ways in which New Zealand could further work to provide assistance to our Pacific neighbours.

After meeting with the Reserve Bank Governor Ariff Ali over lunch to discuss a number of matters regarding the Fijian economy, the committee had a roundtable discussion with the Pacific Island Forum Secretariat. This engagement provided a number of topics for discussion, especially given that the Pacific Island Forum annual meeting was held in Fiji last month. Regional issues, strategic partnerships, international advocacy, and governance were some of many matters discussed.

The day finished with a visit to the National Disaster Management Office warehouse, where the committee was welcomed by Assistant Minister, Hon Vijay Nath. After some opening remarks the committee were then given a tour of the warehouse showcasing the real impact that New Zealand’s aid has had in assisting Fiji’s risk management and response to disasters.

Day three: The committee met with the Permanent Secretary for Fisheries, Mr Pene Baleinabuli at the Fiji Ministry of Fisheries. The committee’s ongoing inquiry into Illegal, Unregulated and Unreported fishing was a key reason for the committee’s trip to Fiji, and it was the focal point of discussion with the Permanent Secretary. The committee were interested to learn about the extent of IUU fishing, strategic planning for addressing IUU both now and in the future, and how New Zealand could contribute to the response to IUU in the Pacific. Addressing the effects of climate change on the environment and biodiversity was also discussed.

Following the Ministry of Fisheries, the committee met with officials from the Pacific Community (SPC). The Pacific Community is an international development organisation working in the Pacific and is the principal scientific and technical organisation in the region.

Again, IUU fishing and environmental issues were the focus of discussion, although agricultural development, food security, governance, and gender issues were also discussed in depth.

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