[File Photo]

The Australian government is committed to being a security partner of choice for the entire Pacific.

This statement has been reaffirmed by Australia’s Minister for the Pacific Pat Conroy during an interview earlier this week.

He says plans to establish an Australia Pacific Defence Force School are also reflected in the government’s budget.

“We are complementing that announcement with $30 million of funding to expand the aerial maritime surveillance program which is critical to cut down on illegal fishing in the Pacific after the people of the pacific are the fishing stocks of the greatest resource of the Pacific and we see over $US150 million lost each year from illegal fishing so the expansion of maritime surveillance is all about helping Pacific countries.”

Conroy says a new Australia Pacific Defence School will provide training programs for members of Pacific Island country defence and security forces.

The school will expand and bring greater coordination to existing Australian Defence Force (ADF) Pacific training activities.

Participants would include members of the PNG Defence Force, the Republic of Fiji Military Forces, Tonga’s Armed Forces, the Timor-Leste Defence Force, the Vanuatu Mobile Force, and the Royal Solomon Islands Police Force.