Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has directed Australian officials to continue negotiations for a new bilateral security treaty with Fiji. This decision follows his meeting with Fijian Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka during the Pacific Islands Forum (PIF) leaders meeting.

The Australian government expressed frustration after failing to finalize a $500 million agreement with Vanuatu during Albanese's recent visit. However, officials remain optimistic about securing the pact in the near future. The government is also focused on strengthening ties with larger Pacific nations, particularly Papua New Guinea and Fiji, which have shown a willingness to engage more closely with Australia.

Rabuka initially proposed a treaty with Australia during a visit to Canberra earlier this year. At the start of their meeting, Albanese noted that Rabuka had recently reached out to him to initiate negotiations. "We are certainly up for it, and I think we should get our officials working together to make sure we take this important relationship to the next level," Albanese stated.

During a press conference later, Albanese refrained from confirming whether Australia would provide Fiji with security guarantees similar to those offered to Tuvalu under the Falepili Union. However, he indicated that Australia is open to enhancing defense ties, which could include increased interoperability and expanded training initiatives, such as the Pacific Policing Initiative.

Albanese also addressed a question regarding his use of a vehicle provided by the Chinese embassy for the PIF leaders meeting in the Solomon Islands. Both China and Australia contributed vehicles to assist with the event, with China donating 27 cars. Albanese responded, "Seriously? It's a car. Cars get you from A to B."

Additionally, the Prime Minister reaffirmed Australia's commitment to contribute $100 million to the Pacific Resilience Facility, which is set to be ratified by Pacific leaders. He emphasized the importance of addressing climate change, stating that it is a global challenge requiring collective action. "Some people … argue we shouldn't do anything on climate change because Australia doesn't represent 100 percent of global emissions," he said. "There's a contradiction there. We need to be not just [taking] action ourselves, we need to encourage positive actions for others as well. And in the Pacific, we need to provide support for our Pacific family members."