August 29th 2024.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese expressed concern about the ethics of a New Zealand journalist who recorded his private conversation with a high-level United States official during a Pacific leaders summit. Albanese was openly discussing his satisfaction with gaining support for a regional policing scheme from members of the Pacific Islands Forum with US Deputy Secretary of State Kurt Campbell. The conversation took place in Tonga and Albanese jokingly asked if the US would be willing to split the cost of the initiative. Campbell, the Biden administration's Indo-Pacific expert, replied in a hot mic-style conversation, "It's great that you did that."
During their exchange, Campbell also revealed that Australian Ambassador to Washington Kevin Rudd had lobbied for Canberra to take the lead in announcing the joint policing policy. This information was captured on video by Radio New Zealand reporter Lydia Lewis. Pacific Minister Pat Conroy, who was standing nearby, can be heard telling Lewis, "Come on Lydia."
When asked about the incident by journalists, Albanese told them to "chill out." He described his chat with Campbell, whom he considers a friend, as a private and jovial conversation. He also expressed disappointment in the journalist's actions, questioning their ethical standards. Albanese believes that journalists should hold themselves to a high standard of professionalism and should not resort to secretly recording private conversations.
The Pacific Policing Initiative, which aims to strengthen the law enforcement capabilities of nations in the region, has also been seen as a way for Australia and New Zealand to counter the growing influence of China in the Pacific. However, Albanese stressed that the initiative is primarily focused on supporting each other in times of need and promoting regional security.
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