Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has suggested that a New Zealand journalist needs to “think about their own ethics” after recording and publishing what he says was a private conversation between himself and a U.S. official.
Albanese was in Tonga’s capital, Nuku'alofa, this week for the Pacific Islands Forum leaders meeting where he spoke to his “good mate” U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Kurt Campbell.
During the forum, the Pacific Policing Initiative (PPI) was signed off on, which puts Australia in charge of a police force in the Pacific that can respond to major incidents.
The move comes amid concerns the Chinese Communist Party has been implanting security and police personnel throughout the Pacific under the guise of “police training.”
In the Aug. 28 conversation, Albanese refers to getting the PPI through as a “cracker,” saying it would make “such a difference.”
Campbell then said: “It’s great. I talked with Kevin [Rudd] about it. We were going to do something ... but we did not.”
“Take the lane,” he said, referring to Australia taking the lead role in the South Pacific region.
“You can go us halvies on the cost if you like. It will only cost you a bit,” Albanese said jokingly in reply.
There have been suggestions the video is evidence Australia was involved in the policing initiative either with the United States, or because the U.S. government had failed in its own attempts.
Journalists are also expected to behave professionally and not record or report private conversations.
On Aug. 29, Albanese dismissed the footage as a simple chat.
Albanese said there was no U.S. partnership on policing, only that he'd had a discussion with Australia’s Ambassador to the U.S. Kevin Rudd about it.
“Chill out people,” he said.
“It’s up to them, to whoever did that, to think about their own ethics when it comes to journalism,” Albanese said.
“People are coming up behind [in the Forum], trying to try and take conversations ... that’s up to people to argue themselves that’s ethical.
“I myself, if I were a journalist, I would not do that.”
In response, Radio New Zealand has stood by its journalist.
“Having spoken to our reporter, there is nothing to suggest they acted unethically or outside of our rigorous editorial policies,” Chief News Officer Mark Stevens said.
Australia has invested $400 million (US$271 million) into a regional police force in the Pacific, which has been largely viewed as an effort to keep Chinese police out of the region.
The PPI will include multiple police units in the Pacific, training centres, and a Brisbane-based hub.
“This is something that has arisen from the Pacific family to look after the Pacific family, ourselves,” Albanese said.
“Our Pacific neighbours stand with each other, and we help each other in times of need.
“Making sure that by working together, the security of the entire region will be much stronger and will be looked after by ourselves.”
The prime minister is now in Vava'u for a leaders’ retreat, where issues such as climate change will be addressed.
