One of the strongest critics of Fiji, former Australian Foreign Minister Alexander Downer said Australia has been pretty absent from the field on the Fiji issue for the last couple of years.

Downer has told The Australian that the government during their time took measures in December 2006 but Australia seems to have run out of policies since then.

Downer said Fiji is important to Australia and Australia has simply done nothing, and that is bad.

He said the Pacific is Australia's sphere of influence and they need to make sure it runs as best they can.

Downer said and I quote "Leaving Bainimarama the room we have, is more than embarrassing, it's pretty shameful really" end quote.

He said he had represented John Howard at two forum meetings because of imminent elections.

Downer said if Australia's Prime Minister Julia Gillard was unable to attend the Engaging With the Pacific Summit, that's understandable but it is really offensive for the region if they don't even send a Foreign Minister.

Meanwhile Fiji's Prime Minister Commodore Voreqe Bainimarama said Australia has been embarrassed in the eyes of other Pacific nations over its failure to derail the Pacific meeting being hosted by Fiji from today.

Commodore Bainimarama said his "Engagement with the Pacific" summit is a meeting of the Melanesian Spearhead Group plus other nations, the summit he originally sought.

He said Australia's diplomatic effort to prevent it had backfired and more Pacific nations are gathering under his Chairmanship to express solidarity with Fiji.

With Papua New Guinea Prime Minister Sir Michael Somare arriving later today and Solomon Islands Prime Minister Doctor Derek Sikua already in the country, Permanent Secretary for Information, Sharon Smith-Johns said Canberra now has Aegg on its face" because so many Pacific nations had chosen to defy its appeals not to attend the Fiji summit.

Solomon Islands Prime Minister Dr Derek Sikua, Kiribati President Anote Tong, Prime Minister for Tuvalu Apisai Ilemia are already in Natadola.

Other country representatives are from Tonga, Vanuatu, New Caledonia, Marshall Islands, the Federated States of Micronesia, Nauru, Niue, Tokelau, East Timor and Wallis and Futuna.


Story by: Vijay Narayan