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Australia Reserves $4.2 Million in Fiji Hotel Rooms for Pre-COP Meeting, Expects Most Costs Recovered
Abc reported that Pacific Island Affairs Minister Pat Conroy defended the government's $4.2 million reservation of luxury hotel rooms in Denarau, Fiji, for an October pre-COP gathering. He said most costs would be recovered from foreign delegations.
Jul 20, 5:12 PM·1m read1 source
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Pacific Island Affairs Minister Pat Conroy on July 21 defended the Australian government's reservation of $4.2 million worth of luxury hotel rooms in Denarau, Fiji, for a pre-COP meeting scheduled for October, telling Channel Nine that the outlay followed standard practice for organizing conferences and that most costs would be recovered once foreign leaders and delegations paid for their rooms.
Conroy added that the meeting would highlight Pacific climate experiences. He noted that other countries, including China, were seeking closer ties with the region.
Australia had earlier struck a deal with Türkiye to give up hosting rights for COP31 in return for Climate Change Minister Chris Bowen leading the negotiations. In a separate live interview on the same day, One Nation MP Barnaby Joyce spoke to ABC's 7.30 program from Tamworth.
His dog interrupted the broadcast with several barks, prompting Joyce to shout commands before he apologized and continued.
Joyce said he did not know whether mining magnate Gina Rinehart had paid for Pauline Hanson's recent trip to Sicily and added that Rinehart received nothing from her relationship with One Nation.
