The Australian Government strongly condemns today's abrogation of the Constitution in Fiji and calls upon the President to take the opportunity of yesterday's Court of Appeal decision to take Fiji forwards and not backwards.
Yesterday's Court of Appeal ruled clearly that the ousting of the democratically-elected Qarase Government in 2006 was invalid, that Bainimarama's interim Government was illegal and recommended that elections should be held promptly.
This is the right course for Fiji and the only way forward for the people of Fiji.
Instead today's decision by President Iloilo - at the behest of coup leader, Commodore Bainimarama - to abrogate the Constitution, remove the judiciary and defer any elections until 2014 is yet another backward step.
The delaying of elections to 2014 is completely unacceptable.
Australia remains firmly of the view that Fiji needs to be returned to democracy as soon as possible, consistent with the position taken by the Pacific Island Forum Leaders in Port Moresby in January.
At that meeting, Pacific Leaders also considered suspension of Fiji from the Pacific Islands Forum if it failed to act quickly to return to democracy. Today's actions can only increase the likelihood of Fiji's suspension.
Today's announcements move Fiji further from democracy and the rule of law. Australia's commitment of friendship to the people of Fiji remains strong but with the Fijian economy already in decline this is a grave and unwelcome development.