Fiji Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka has welcomed the supply of 14 Australian-made Bushmaster military vehicles and the green light of a Pacific visa scheme during an official visit to Brisbane.
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Mr Rabuka was joined by the Defence Industry Minister Pat Conroy at the Gallipoli Barracks to see the Bushmasters first hand, even going for a test drive with delegates.
It followed Mr Rabuka and Prime Minister Anthony Albanese signed a renewed Vuvale Partnership on Wednesday to strengthen economic and trade partnerships between the nations.
Mr Rabuka said acquiring the Bushmasters was very important, citing how eight captured Fijian soldiers in Lebanon did not have armed mobility vehicles, leading to him having to personally negotiate their release.
"We managed to release our soldiers but we didn't have our own protective mobility vehicles or APC's (armoured personnel carrier) at the time, so these will be very good for us," he said on Friday.
Mr Conroy said the armoured vehicles would aid in international peacekeeping deployments by Fijian and Australian armed forces in the Middle East.
Mr Rabuka also welcomed the go-ahead of a Pacific visa scheme that will secure employment and upskilling for Fijians.
"It will benefit us so long as nobody abuses it," he said.
"We would like Fijians who come here under that to respect the rules.
"Those who come here are the ones who cannot find employment at home.
"They have not been up-skilled enough for the requirements of the labour force and the fault there is in our education system, particularly the technical content of our curriculum."
Australian Associated Press
