Campbell: US lets Australia keep policing operations in Pacific

Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Kurt Campbell pose for a photo after Australia announced its Pacific policing plan.

“We can share the cost if you want” – Albanese

Details revealed at the 53rd Pacific Islands Forum Leaders’ Meeting in Tonga suggest the United States may not be involved in supporting and developing the Pacific region, with Australia taking the lead.

A Radio New Zealand Pacific reporter filmed Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and US Deputy Secretary of State Kurt Campbell following a press conference where Australia announced it would invest about A$400 million over five years to ensure the Pacific Policing Initiative (PPI) delivers on the aspirations of Pacific nations.

During the shoot, the two began discussing policing issues.

Mr Albanese said getting an Australian-led Pacific policing plan passed would take a huge effort.

“We are very pleased today that the Pacific Policing Initiative has been passed; it is very important and will have a huge impact,” Albanese said.

Leaders of the Melanesian Spearhead Group hold their final meeting before the Vava’u leaders retreat.

Kurt Campbell responded:

“marvelous……”

“I talked to Kevin about it and we were going to do something but he asked us not to do it so we didn’t – we gave you the lane so you take that lane.”

Albanese jokingly responded: “We can split the cost if you want.”

Not all Melanesian leaders cross the line

After the last Melanesian Spearhead Group meeting before the Leaders’ Pacific Islands Forum Retreat lasted about two hours, the Melanesian Spearhead Group sent a statement from Melanesian Spearhead Group Chairperson and Vanuatu Prime Minister Charlotte Salwai and a speech from Melanesian Spearhead Group Director General Leonard Luma to the media awaiting the conclusion of the meeting.

“The Pacific Policing Initiative (PPI) is another important initiative to be discussed at the Pacific Islands Forum meeting,” Salwai said in the statement.

“Ironically, however, this collective policing approach is not a new concept for MSG.

“I raise these points as a reminder that we need to ensure that this PPI is tailored to our purposes and not to accommodate the geostrategic interests and geostrategic denial security posture of our larger partners.”

Is the Australian deputy sheriff back in town?

Pacific geopolitics expert Associate Professor Dr Anna Powles told RNZ Pacific she was “shocked” that Campbell had made it clear the US was considering something similar to the Pacific policing initiative announced at the forum today.

She said Campbell’s claim that he gave up the runway to Australia was actually “letting Australia take the lead”.

Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Kurt Campbell pose for a photo after Australia announced its Pacific policing plan.

In response to this widespread suggestion – that the US is even considering the potential for involvement in Pacific policing in the same way as Australia’s Pacific Policing Initiative – Dr Powles said:

“Obviously Australia is located in the region and is deeply integrated into the fabric of the region, whereas the United States is not integrated into the region at all.”

She said it also indicated there was a feeling or perception that Washington would delegate power to Canberra, which would manage the region from a security perspective.

“It does bring back those old sayings that Australia is the deputy sheriff of the United States and the Pacific,” Powles said.

Dr Marco de Jong, an expert on Pacific regionalism and an academic at Auckland University of Technology, said the exchange demonstrated “Australia’s efforts to align the region with US strategic interests”.

“Whether this kind of imperialism is appropriate for New Zealand, a champion of Pacific regionalism and its priorities, remains to be seen,” he said.

U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Kurt Campbell answers media questions in Tonga.

The full text is recorded as follows:

“We’re crossing the Pacific, you know, just a trip.”

“We are very pleased today that the Pacific Policing Plan has been passed, it is so important and will have a huge impact.”

“marvelous……”

“I talked to Kevin about it, so you know we were going to do something, but he asked us not to do it, so we didn’t do it, and we gave you the lane, so you take that lane.”

“We can split the cost if you like.”

“It only costs a little bit of money.”