Australia and New Zealand Envoys Ordered Out of Fiji

Commodore Voreqe Bainimarama, Fiji's military commander has ordered the high commissioners of Australia and New Zealand to leave the country.

According to Fiji Times Online, Bainimarama made the announcement on Tuesday, saying that the high commissioners of the two countries would be given 24 hours to leave Fiji.

He made the announcement at Government Buildings in Suva after 6pm, saying it was the result of the impact of the Australian and New Zealand governments' positions on Fiji.

He said Fiji would not deter from the path it was on.

Meanwhile, according to Fijilive, in response, New Zealand has declared Fiji's acting high commissioner to the country as persona-non-grata and must leave Wellington.

Australia has also ordered the expulsion of Fiji's acting high commissioner to the country.

Bainimarama had ordered the heads of missions of both out of Suva within 24 hours, 'claiming the two countries had interfered in the independence of Fiji's judiciary by threatening Sri Lankan judges with travel bans to Australia if they took up positions on the Fijian judiciary.'.