News Limited Seeks AUS Assistance

The Director of News Limited's Editorial Operations Campbell Reid said the personal intervention of Interim Prime Minister Commodore Frank Bainimarama in the issue regarding the media is deeply troubling for all Australians living in or intending to visit Fiji.

Reid told News.com that Fiji's interim administration having already dispensed with parliamentary democracy and the freedom of the press now clearly intends to ignore the rule of law, thereby erasing the last hope that Fiji could avoid becoming a military dictatorship once again.

He said News Limited, the owners of the Fiji Times is in discussions with the office of Australian Foreign Minister Stephen Smith to examine options for diplomatic solutions to the crisis as well as security arrangements to safeguard the welfare of the company's 175 employees at the Fiji Times.

Meanwhile, News Limited has confirmed that Hannah is still the Publisher of Fiji Times and is looking after the operations from their Sydney office.