KEY POINTS:
A return to democracy in Fiji is not looking promising even in the medium term, says the expelled High Commissioner Michael Green who arrived back in Auckland yesterday.
Mr Green told journalists after arriving at Auckland International Airport that he hoped it would happen but the signals and
trends he was getting over there were "not terribly promising" at the moment.
He said there was an enormous disparity between what Commodore Frank Bainimarama's Administration said it stood for in terms of good governance, transparency and accountability, and the reality.
Mr Green thought his expulsion was an arbitrary act and said a lot of good people in Fiji had been treated in that way. "I see myself as someone in that same position."
Mr Green said he was not given a reason for his expulsion although he had been formally warned over a speech he made about six weeks ago stating the New Zealand Government's policy towards Fiji. He had not spoken publicly since.
Mr Green said he had been given a week's warning to leave Fiji and in that time Foreign Affairs Minister Winston Peters had worked hard to stop it. He was grateful to Mr Peters, Prime Minister Helen Clark, his colleagues at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and his team in Suva for their support in a very difficult week.
"I wouldn't want too many people to go through that kind of experience."
When asked if he had been meddling in Fiji's affairs, he replied: "I was just doing my job."
Mr Green said the remaining New Zealand staff at the commission in Suva would face a difficult time although there was no indication they were being paid "any special attentions" by the Fijians.
Ten staff will continue to run the New Zealand Commission in Suva under Joanna Kempkers, the deputy high commissioner.
Mr Green said he had not feared for his safety but had had very good security arrangements organised by his staff during the past week.
There was also a period last year when he was under police protection.
When asked how safe New Zealanders should feel visiting Fiji Mr Green said they should continue to take note of travel advisories and decide for themselves whether they wished to go.
Mr Green said he had decided to end his diplomatic career but had intended to stay longer in Fiji. "I suppose you could see this as an occupational hazard of this job we do."
He regretted that he would be leaving friends behind and had not been able to say goodbye to some of his staff.
Mr Green was also upset that his wife's career had again "been messed up by mine" as she had been about to start a job at the University of South Pacific in Suva. He was now planning to go on holiday in South America.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs supplied the speech that prompted the Fiji authorities to give Mr Green a formal warning - a fact that he revealed yesterday.
It was to a school "unity carnival" in Navua, in April. The following is an extract:
"Democracy is a political system that empowers ordinary people to have a say in how they are governed.
"In the absence of a Parliament, and now of the Great Council of Chiefs, there are no proper avenues for Fiji's citizens to be consulted about the kind of changes those currently in authority in Suva are proposing to make in a wide range of economic, social and political matters. This means that ... decisions affecting everyone are being made by a small number of people in Suva, according to their own notions of what is good for Fiji's people. That is not a recipe for good policy ... "
- additional reporting, Audrey Young
Michael Green's speech
