Sarah Roberts expected to depart today

Acting Australian High Commissioner to Fiji Sarah Roberts is expected to leave Fiji this morning after she was declared persona non-grata yesterday.

The Fiji government handed the official letter of expulsion to Roberts yesterday and she was expected to leave the country within 24 hours.

She is the second Australian diplomat to be expelled.

Fiji Foreign Affairs Minister Ratu Inoke Kubuabola said the Australian government has been engaged in strategies to undermine Fiji's sovereignty and weaken the economy, and this has been further highlighted by calling on MSG countries, especially Vanuatu, not to attend the MSG Leaders Summit.

Meanwhile Australia's Foreign Affairs Minister Stephen Smith while speaking to Radio Australia said the reasons for Sarah Robert’s expulsion from Fiji are linked to the postponement of the Melanesian Spearhead Group meeting.

Smith has however admitted that Australia had been making representations against the idea of a Melanesian Spearhead Group Plus meeting taking place.