Pacific reacts to Abbott’s election

Tony Abbott’s win last weekend in Australia’s Federal election has been warmly received from all over the world, including some of the smallest nations from the Pacific. Fijian leader Commodore Voreque Bainimarama was among the first ones to extend Abbott his congratulatory message, describing the victory as “decisive”. Bainimarama was especially appreciative of Abbott’s “understanding” of the Fiji situation, after his incoming foreign minister, Julie Bishop, promised a new era of “constructive engagement” with Fiji just before election. PNG Prime Minister Peter O’Neill has also been reassured the so-called ‘PNG Solution’ for global refugees will be maintained. O’Neill had been concerned the deal would fall through if Rudd did not win. Reactions from PNG however, through popular social networks like Sharptalk over Mr Abbott’s election has been mixed, with some calling for the Coalition to scrap the asylum seeker deal.