An Australian think tank says Canberra needs to reconsider its support for a huge new coal mine if it wants to reconnect with the Pacific.
Digger loads up a truck at Stockton Coal Mine. Photo: 123RF
The Australia Institute's Rod Campbell said the government was planning a $US1.02 billion dollar subsidy for the planned Adani coal mine in Queensland.
He said this was more than Australia's Pacific aid budget for this year.
Mr Campbell said the mine would also result in more fossil fuel emissions than those coming from New Zealand and all the Pacific Island countries combined.
He said the government was backing the new coal mine despite Pacific island nations pushing for a moratorium on new mining.
Mr Campbell said he hoped at this week's climate change meeting in Nadi - a pre-cursor to the COP23 conference coming up in November in Germany - Australia was pressured to drop its support for the mine.
"We are worried we are losing influence in the Pacific at the exact same time we are throwing taxpayers money in directions against the requests of Pacific leaders, and against common sense and against the Paris Agreement."