US 'gives Australia the lane' on Pacific policing - Campbell

Details have emerged at the 53rd Pacific Islands Forum Leaders Meeting in Tonga that the US may be staying out of policing support and development in the Pacific for Australia to take the lead.

An RNZ Pacific journalist was filming cutaways of the Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and United States Deputy Secretary of State Kurt Campbell after a press conference where Australia announced it would commit approximately AU$400 million over five years to ensure the Pacific Policing Initiative (PPI) delivers on the aspirations of Pacific countries.

While filming, the pair started discussing policing.

Albanese remarked that it had been a huge effort getting the Australian-led Pacific policing initiative over the line.

"We had a cracker today getting the Pacific Policing Initiative through; it's so important, it'll make such a difference," Albanese said.

Kurt Campbell responded saying:

"That's fantastic…"

"I talked with Kevin [Rudd - Australia's Ambassador to the US] about it and 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."

To which Albanese responded by joking, "we can go halfsies on the cost if you like".

Not all Melanesian leaders over the line

After a final Melanesian Spearhead Group meeting ahead of the leaders PIF retreat, which went on for around two hours, the MSG sent media who waited it out a statement by MSG chair/Vanuatu Prime Minister Charlot Salwai and remarks by the MSG Director-General Leonard Louma.

"The Pacific Policing Initiative (PPI) is another important initiative that is going to be discussed at the PIF meetings," Salwai's statement said.

"Ironically, though, this collective approach to policing is not a new concept to the MSG.

"I make these points to remind us that we need to make sure that this PPI is framed to fit our purposes and not developed to suit the geo-strategic interests and geo-strategic denial security postures of our big partners."

Deputy sheriff Aussie back in town?

Pacific geopolitics expert associate professor Dr Anna Powles told RNZ Pacific she found it quite "striking" that Campbell clearly indicates that the United States was thinking of doing something similar to the Pacific policing initiative announced today at the Forum.

She said Campbell saying he was giving Australia the lane, is effectively "giving Australia the lead".

On the suggestion in general - that the United States was even looking at potential engagement in policing in the Pacific in the same way as the Australian proposed Pacific Policing Initiative - Dr Powles said:

"Obviously, Australia is in the region and is very much embedded within the regional architecture, which the United States isn't to the same degree at all."

She said it also shows that there is a sense or a perception that Washington will delegate to Canberra, and Canberra will manage the region from a security perspective.

"This really harks back to those old, old claims that Australia was the deputy sheriff to the United States and the Pacific," Powles said.

A Pacific historian and lecturer at the AUT Law School, Dr Marco de Jong, said the exchange showed "the effort Australia has gone to align the region with the United States' strategic interests".

"For New Zealand, an advocate for Pacific-led regionalism and its priorities, it remains to be seen whether such blokey imperialism sits comfortably," he said.

Full transcript below:

Campbell: "We're making our way through the Pacific you know just a tour."

Albanese: "We had a cracker today getting the Pacific policing initiative through..."

Campbell: "That's fantastic…"

Albanese: "It's so important; it'll make such a difference."

Campbell: "I talked with Kevin [Rudd - Australia's Ambassador to the US] about it and 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: "You can go us halfsies on the cost if you like....Only cost you a bit."