Interview with Andy Park, RN Drive

Andy Park: Hundreds of Australians are still waiting to be evacuated from New Caledonia after deadly riots broke out against the new Paris-imposed voting reforms there. Defence aircraft are being used to fly people out. With more than 80 Australians arriving in Brisbane last night and a further 100 set to arrive tonight, the situation has become so serious that French President Emmanuel Macron is set to arrive in the French territory shortly in an effort to allay tensions. Pat Conroy is the Minister for International Development and the Pacific. Welcome back to Drive, Minister.

Minister for International Development and the Pacific, Pat Conroy:: Afternoon, Andy.

Andy Park: Six people have been killed as far as we know. How concerned are you at the present situation in New Caledonia?

Minister Conroy: Oh, look, we're obviously very concerned about the situation and we're calling for calm to return and we pass on our condolences to all the families impacted by those six tragic deaths.

Andy Park: How many Australians are still left in New Caledonia? What do you know about their access to food and medications, that sort of thing?

Minister Conroy: So, the latest advice I have is that before last night's transport, there were 500 Australians and their families in New Caledonia, 300 who had registered interest in repatriation flights and the first 84 left last night and arrived in Brisbane. So, there's about around 400 still in New Caledonia and our embassy there, our High Commission is in regular contact with as many of those as possible and we urge all citizens of Australia to register their details at DFAT.

Andy Park: So, by my calculations, after the flights arrive home tonight, there's about 150 or so left in the next few days. Are you undertaking to repatriate all of those Australians?

Minister Conroy: Well, we're working so that there's options for every single Australian who wants to leave. The French authorities have advised that they'll continue to conduct flights to enable the safe departure of tourists. And we're working with the French authorities to support the departure of all Australians who want to leave.

Andy Park: When did the Australian government start warning people of potential unrest? One traveller has told the ABC it should have done much more.

Minister Conroy: Well, there are regular updates on the Smartraveller website on DFAT. I don't have the exact details of what date that occurred, but that website is regularly updated and obviously we urge everyone who is thinking of travelling overseas to check on that website before leaving the country.

Andy Park: It's 10 past four, you're listening to RN Drive. The Minister for International Development and the Pacific, Pat Conroy is with me. We're talking about this unfolding situation in New Caledonia. Australian repatriation flights are returning today and tonight. It took several days, Minister, of pressing the French Government for the Australian Government to get permission to send the military transport planes to retrieve Australians. Why was that process difficult?

Minister Conroy: Well, our Foreign Minister, Penny Wong, and the New Zealand Foreign Minister, Winston Peters, were in regular contact with the French Foreign Minister. Both airports were closed. The international airport is still closed, so we obviously couldn't land our air force aircraft until the domestic airport was opened and permission was given by the French government. As to what caused that delay from the French end, that's a question directed to the French government.

Andy Park: What do you think the arrival of French President Emmanuel Macron will do to ease tensions or not?

Minister Conroy: Well, we welcome the news that President Macron will be travelling to New Caledonia. We urge all sides in this to come together and talk and reach a peaceful resolution. We support the Nouméa Accords completely and we urge all parties to it to have a dialogue and work on what is the best way forward for the government of France and all the residents of New Caledonia.

Andy Park: New Caledonia is the world's third largest producer of nickel, critical to make stainless steel and EV batteries, for example. It's central to Macron's desire to deepen French influence in the region as well. Does this tension give China a bit of an opportunity to perhaps show more interest in the island nation? Are you concerned about that?

Minister Conroy: Oh, look, there's no doubt that the entire Pacific region is subject to what I call the three c's, which are climate change, post-Covid economic recovery and geostrategic competition. As to any particular country's interest in the territory of New Caledonia, that's a question for them. But there is obviously significant geostrategic competition going on in the Pacific and there's no point in denying that.

Andy Park: What about Australia's role, just generally, in terms of helping to relieve some of this tension? Do you see it as Australia's role in the region?

Minister Conroy: Well, it's our role to encourage peaceful dialogue between parties, either in dispute or subject to things such as the, the Nouméa Accord here or what's occurred in other countries in the region where we're a proud member of the Pacific family and we facilitate discussions. For example, during the recent departure of Kiribati from the Pacific Island Forum, we provided logistical transport, RAAF aircraft transport, Prime Minister Rabuka of Fiji to Kiribati to discuss the government of Kiribati's re-entry into the Pacific Island Forum. So, we think we've got a strong role in providing support for dialogue and providing logistical support where that's necessary. That's obviously more relevant for countries that don't have an air force or don't have regular air transport.

Andy Park: And just lastly, Minister, in regards to the situation in New Caledonia, what do you advise Australians or their families to do in terms of getting in touch with the Australian Government to perhaps organise a repatriation flight home?

Minister Conroy: Well, they should register their details at the DFAT website at crisis.dfat.gov.au. And they should also, if they're in need of emergency consular systems, call our 24-hour hotline on 1300 555 135 from Australia and overseas, plus 61 2 6261 3305 please contact our consulate officials. They're in regular contact. They've held several town halls with affected Australians and they're there to help you. And please keep talking to them.

Andy Park: Appreciate you taking the time this afternoon. Pat Conroy is the Minister for International Development and the Pacific.