Sydney [Australia], August 28: Anthony Albanese has secured regional support for his Pacific Policing Initiative, which the Australian prime minister says will strengthen collective peace and security.
He made his first appearance at the Pacific Islands Forum Leaders Meeting in Tonga on Wednesday morning, and spent it lobbying members for its support.
At a hastily-arranged press conference at lunch, he appeared with counterparts from Papua New Guinea, Fiji, Tonga and Palau to trumpet the Pacific Policing Initiative (PPI).
"This is a Pacific led initiative, that's very important," Mr Albanese said.
"This is something that has arisen from the Pacific family to look after the Pacific family ourselves, our Pacific neighbours stand with each other, and we help each other in times of need."
The PPI has three elements: police training "centres of excellence" in the Pacific, a multi-country police force ready to deploy across the region, and a Brisbane-based coordination hub.
Australia will spend $400 million over five years on the PPI, including building up to four of the centres of excellence through the region.
"The security of the Pacific is the shared responsibility of the Pacific region and this initiative benefits each of our nations," Mr Albanese said.
The PPI is not without its critics, including some at the PIF summit who made their reservations plain.
The Melanesian Spearhead Group (MSG) - comprised of Papua New Guinea, Fiji, Solomon Islands, Vanuatu and New Caledonia - provided pushback after a meeting on Tuesday.
MSG director-general Leonard Louma called it worthy but "cryptic", suggesting it was part of a wider security play by Canberra.
"This PPI must be genuinely framed to fit our purposes and not conveniently developed as part of the geo-strategic denial security doctrine of our big partners," he said, according to a communique.
The initiative is widely seen by analysts as a rebuke to China's efforts to grow its own policing and security footprint in the region.
An integrated regional policing capability was first discussed at the Pacific Islands Chiefs of Police meeting last year.
A government statement said a design process would "ensures this initiative will be by the Pacific and for the Pacific".
Mr Albanese missed the opening two days of the summit but brought tremendous energy when he arrived at the Tonga High School stadium for the plenary.
At one point, he snuck up on Sitiveni Rabuka and surprised him with a shoulder massage, saying "you're under arrest!"
The Fiji Prime Minister met his jocularity with a smile and a thumbs up.
Leaders will hold a private dinner with their spouses on Wednesday night, before heading to the northern island of Vava'u for a leaders retreat on Thursday.
The closed door meeting is a piece of diplomacy unique to PIF, with only the 18 member representatives and the secretary general allowed in the room.
Leaders spend all day thrashing out issues, which this year will include the future of New Caledonia, the 2026 PIF chair - likely to be Palau - and climate change.
Tuvalu is taking a proposal to take a firmer stance on sea level rise, claiming in-principle support from Australia to do so.
Source: Fijian Broadcasting Cooperation
