Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka has revealed that he was not aware that Pacific journalists were denied access to a media conference held by the Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese during the Pacific Islands Forum (PIF) meeting in the Solomon Islands this week.
However, he said that the conference was held by Mr Albanese alone and had nothing to do with the forum.
“No, I did not know that,” he said when asked by The Fiji Times about the incident.
“The press conference was his so his press people would have made that arrangement, and they might have restricted the access to it, and it’s got nothing to do with Pacific Island Forum.”
The incident reportedly occurred a day before Mr Rabuka’s departure from the Solomon Islands and has been highlighted by media organisations within the Pacific as a worrying trend for regional press access.
When asked about the matter by an Australian journalist, Mr Albanese said “I don’t know what you are talking about mate,” without any further explanation.
The PIF meeting ended last Friday.
