Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has questioned the ethics of a New Zealand journalist for recording his private chat with a leading United States official on the sidelines of a Pacific leaders summit.
Albanese was talking openly with US Deputy Secretary of State Kurt Campbell yesterday about his satisfaction in gaining support for a regional policing scheme from members of the Pacific Islands Forum.
During the discussion in Tonga, the Prime Minister jokingly asked Campbell, the Biden administration’s Indo-Pacific expert, whether the US would go “halvies” on the $400 million price of the policing initiative.
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“Well, we had a cracker today getting the Pacific Policing Initiative through – it’s so important, it’ll make such a difference,” Albanese told Campbell.
“It’s great that you did that,” Campbell replied in a hot mic-style conversation.
During their exchange, the US diplomat revealed Australian Ambassador to Washington Kevin Rudd had lobbied for Canberra to take the lead in announcing the joint policing policy.
https://twitter.com/LydiaLewisRNZ/status/1828624388599763096?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw
“I talked with Kevin about it – so you know, we were going to do something and he asked us not to so we did not. We’ve given you the lane, so take the lane!”
Albanese then quipped: “Oh you can go us halvies on the cost if you like.”
While the pair were chatting, their exchanges were being filmed by Radio New Zealand reporter Lydia Lewis.
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Pacific Minister Pat Conroy, standing nearby, was filmed telling Lewis: “Come on Lydia”.
When questioned about the matter by journalists on Thursday, Albanese told them to “chill out”.
He said the chat with Campbell – who he described as a “mate” – was a private one.
“The video is what it is. It’s up to them whoever did that to think about their own ethics. When it comes to journalism, it was a private conversation, it was jovial conversation.
“People try and read something into it. You must be pretty bored. Journalists tend to identify themselves [as] professionals. I hope that you do. If people are coming up behind trying to tape conversations, that’s up to people themselves to argue that is ethical.”
The Pacific Policing Initiative aims to strengthen the capability of nations in the region to meet law and order requirements, and to support each other in times of need.
But it is also regarded as a push by Australia and New Zealand to counter the growing influence of China in the region.
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