In a show of deepening regional security cooperation, Fiji’s Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka and his delegation visited the Australian Federal Police-supported Pinkenba Hub in Brisbane on Saturday — a state-of-the-art facility driving the future of Pacific policing.
The visit forms part of an ongoing effort to strengthen Fiji’s policing capabilities through enhanced collaboration with Australia under the Solesolevaki Partnership and Police Cooperation Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), signed in March this year between the Fiji Police Force (FPF) and the Australian Federal Police (AFP).
The Pinkenba Hub provides cutting-edge training, leadership development, and operational readiness support to officers from across the Pacific through initiatives like secondments, scenario-based simulations, and virtual training. The centre plays a pivotal role in the Pacific Policing Initiatives (PPI) and the Pacific Police Support Group.
Fiji’s Minister for Policing, Hon. Ioane Naivalurua, speaking on behalf of Prime Minister Rabuka, thanked the AFP for hosting the delegation and reaffirmed the value of the countries’ shared commitment to regional peace and security.
“Our cooperation speaks of our vuvale — our family. It means coming together as one,” Naivalurua said. “In simple terms, your home is our home, and our home is yours. You are welcome anytime, just as we are welcome into yours.”
He emphasised that the growing partnership reflects mutual trust, respect, and a united resolve to confront transnational crime, strengthen policing professionalism, and ensure law enforcement is equipped to meet contemporary challenges.
The tour offered delegates an inside look at the Hub’s high-tech infrastructure — from a simulated home environment to dark scenario rooms and adaptable training areas designed to replicate complex real-world emergencies.
The MoU has already laid the groundwork for greater information sharing, joint operational coordination, and the application of international legal standards, while enhancing leadership and corporate development within the Fiji Police Force.
The visit also extended to the Austal shipbuilding and ship maintenance port in Brisbane, reinforcing Fiji’s strategic focus on revitalising its maritime infrastructure. Rabuka’s government is actively pursuing feasibility studies for the development of the ports in Suva and Lautoka.
“As a maritime nation, shipping is vital — not just for connectivity, but for emergency response and humanitarian relief,” a government spokesperson said.
With Fiji’s growing role in regional stability and disaster resilience, both the Pinkenba Hub and Austal visit underscore the Government’s holistic approach to building robust security and transport frameworks fit for the future.
This bilateral partnership continues to be a cornerstone of the Ocean of Peace initiative — a vision of a safer, more secure, and united Pacific.
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