Australia Signs Defence Pact with Fiji, Plans Meetings with Pacific Leaders

Australian officials signed a defence agreement with Fiji on Monday. The pact advances efforts to strengthen ties with Pacific island nations. The prime minister is scheduled to meet leaders from Fiji, Papua New Guinea, Tonga, and India during the week. Officials will also host the leaders of Papua New Guinea and Tonga at a rugby match in Brisbane.

The agreement forms part of a broader approach to expand defence cooperation in the Pacific region. Officials described the move as a step to limit external influence in the area.

At home, officials are addressing criticism of comments the prime minister made about a performer during a podcast appearance. The foreign minister stated that a recent long-range missile test by another country was viewed as destabilising to the region.