Alexander Downer’s Vice Regal Tour To The Solomons

Media Statement - 17 December 2002

Once again Minister – too little too late

Foreign Minister Downer arrives in the Solomons today to be met with the comprehensive failure of the Townsville Peace Agreement that he announced with fanfare to the world two years ago.

Part of the peace process was to ensure the return of all weapons to the Solomon Islands Police from the gangs who have undermined law and order in the Solomon Islands in recent years. The peace process was also to see the return of a professional Solomon Islands Police Force.

To achieve both of these objectives, Alexander Downer has had the Australian taxpayer contribute $36 million to the Solomon Islands over the last two years.

But $36 million and two years later there is nothing to show.

The Solomon Islands remain awash with weapons. Practically no weapons have been returned to the police armoury.

And despite training programs for the Solomon Islands police force little apparent progress has been made.

All this was graphically on display earlier this week when elements of the police force reportedly fired shots above the Prime Minister's official residence in order to secure a better pay deal from the government. This brings a new edge to the practice of enterprise bargaining.

Nobody pretends that law and order in the Solomons is an easy problem to solve. It is not.

The basic fact remains that over the last six years on Alexander Downer's watch as Australia's Foreign Minister the domestic security crisis situation across much of Melanesia has deteriorated from problem status to crisis status.

Together with terrorist threats across South East Asia the security crisis in the South West Pacific compounds to create for Australia an "Arc of Instability" – or more accurately an Arc of Insecurity across our north.

And all this occurring at a time when both the Prime Minister and the Foreign Minister, far from having their eye on the regional ball, have instead had their eye on grander schemes beyond our region.