Australian Prime Minister-elect Kevin Rudd said his government will try to improve the strained relations with South Pacific Island countries left behind by the John Howard government.

While, the Howard government was known for its hard stand taken against the interim government in Fiji, and also had issues with the PNG and Solomon Islands governments'.

Rudd said that is why he has appointed Duncan Kerr as parliamentary secretary for the South Pacific with the task of rebuilding relations with Pacific governments.