Fiji businesses want more Aust market access

Transcript

The Fiji-Australia Business Council has welcomed the full restoration of diplomatic relations between the two countries, saying it represents a new dawn.

In a joint announcement on Friday, Australia lifted all remaining sanctions against Fiji, as well as announcing that the two countries would exchange High Commissioners, following September's election.

The Council's vice president, Rajeshwar Singh, says the door has now been opened to step up trade between the two countries.

He told Jamie Tahana there needs to be easier access for Fiji businesses into the Australian market.

RAJESHWAR SINGH: More so would be the Fiji entrepreneurs exporting our products, so meaning the trade balance is more of an imports versus exports. So we would like to actually export more. Also the labour mobility which is another big thing for us so Fijians can go across and work in industries in Australia, and also we are inviting investors from Australia in our SME sector here in Fiji to actually come and invest because the time is right -- we now have a parliamentary democracy, the reforms have all been taking place and most of them have been completed and the climate is just right for investors to come in this country and do it.

JAMIE TAHANA: And of course to attract investors to Fiji, a very consumer-driven economy, things like the IMF and ADB have pointed that out, are you looking for a more kind of stable investment as opposed to the main attraction, tourists, which have been declining from Australia.

RS: We would like to actually have a broad-based economy and exactly that's what's happening. Yes, tourism is our major foreign dollar earner and it will continue to be up there, but at the same time there have been major reforms that have taken place in the sugar industry but having said that, there are other industries that need to be pushed up.

JT: The Asia Development Bank in a report last year questioned some of the stability of Fiji and said further reforms are needed. Is this something you'd agree with?

RS: I've been part of some of the discussions and yeah, it's a continuous process and what is actually happening is they've recommended, the Fijian government has taken that on board -- there are a lot of reforms that have taken place that are very good reforms, you know, from a legislative point of view in terms of building the constitution itself as a starting point and then everything else has just fallen in. So, yeah, I think it's all good for the country, for the economy and for the future of this country.

JT: You've labelled it a big new horizon?

RS: Oh, it's just the beginning mate, there's a lot we can do and we all have to work together to towards this, there's no turning back and waiting for others to do it, we have to do it ourselves and we must have the passion to drive this. We the Fijians, this is our economy and I think the relationship we have with Australia, the traditional relationship, will never be forgotten and if anything, it's going to get stronger by the day.