Brad Johnstone

Brad Johnstone

Brad Johnstone, a former All Black who owns a resort in Fiji, says New Zealand should keep out of Fijian politics.

Other New Zealanders in Fiji are struggling to attract tourists to their resorts and are angry that Prime Minister Helen Clark is warning people to stay away.

Helen Clark said New Zealanders should think twice before visiting Fiji, warning that resentment against New Zealand could boil over.

Mr Johnstone, who owns the Funky Fish Beach Resort in the Mamanuca island group, said that was "a load of rubbish".

"Fiji was safer during the coup than Queen St on a Saturday night."

The former prop forward played 13 tests for the All Blacks from 1976 to 1980 and coached the Fijian rugby side. He built his resort just 15km off Nadi two years ago.

He said occupancy was down about 20 per cent from last year.

"It's only been the Australians and New Zealanders not coming."

Mr Johnstone said he did not agree with sanctions that hit the small people: "Why should New Zealand tell another country how to run its affairs?"

Jim Sherlock, a New Zealander who for eight years has run the Lagoon Resort on Viti Levu, said New Zealand could take some of the blame for the deterioration in relations between the two countries.

"It is petty politics on both sides."

He said stopping New Zealanders visiting Fiji would achieve nothing but damage to the local economy and harden the military's attitude.

Mr Sherlock said he had been hit particularly hard because of his resort's perceived proximity to Suva even though it was 50km away at Pacific Harbour.

On Friday he had four no-shows from New Zealanders booked into his resort and another four emails cancelling trips yesterday - "So thank you Helen Clark."

Mr Sherlock said he had never felt under threat because of his nationality and there was no obvious tension.

Adrian Walters, who manages the Wananavu Resort on Viti Levu's northern coast, said it was normally running at 70 per cent occupancy but was now down close to 30 per cent.