Committee examines Australia-Fiji defence and security agreements

THE Joint Standing Committee on Treaties (JSCOT) will hold a public hearing on Thursday, October 1, as part of its inquiries into the Ocean of Peace Alliance and Fiji-Australia Vuvale Union.

The treaties were both referred to the committee on August 11 this year and will be examined together due to their complementary defence, security and regional cooperation objectives.

The Ocean of Peace Alliance aims to establish a defence and security partnership between Australia and Fiji. The treaty will require both countries to cooperate to develop defence capacity, consult in the event of security-related developments, and act to meet the common danger where one faces an armed attack.

The Ocean of Peace Alliance may also be joined by other Pacific countries ‘in a position to further’ the Alliance.

The Fiji-Australia Vuvale Union aims to deepen Australia and Fiji’s bilateral cooperation across security, economic integration, people-to-people links, climate and regional cooperation.

Committee Chair, Lisa Chesters MP, said, "The inquiries into the Fiji defence and security treaties allow Parliament to investigate whether these treaties are in Australia’s strategic and economic interest.

"The committee is particularly interested in understanding the practical effects of these agreements and what they mean for Australia's relationship with Fiji and the broader Pacific region," Ms Chesters said.

The committee will hear evidence from the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, the Department of Defence, the Department of Home Affairs, and the Australian Federal Police.

Further information about the inquiries, including the treaties’ text, national interest analyses and submissions received by the committee, are available on the inquiries’ webpages.

Public hearing details

Date: Thursday, 1 October 2026
Time: 2pm to 3pm AEST (approximately)
Location: Committee Room 2R1, Parliament House Canberra

The hearing will be broadcast live at aph.gov.au/live.

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