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Auckland city - Source: ONE News -
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The latest New Zealand diplomat booted out of Fiji by the
Bainimarama regime says he didn't stay long enough to find out if
his safety was threatened.
Todd Cleaver's rapid expulsion has also ratcheted up pressure on
Fiji's interim government, threatening the travel plans of
thousands of ordinary Fijians who want to come to New Zealand.
Cleaver and his family arrived in New Zealand just before midnight; the Acting High Commissioner having less than 48 hours to quit Fiji.
"On Wednesday morning I had to get up and tell my son to go to school and say good bye to his friends& which is a pretty hard thing to do for a six-year-old," Cleaver said.
He says a senior Fijian official warned him Commodore Frank Bainimarama was upset they were not expelled in half the time.
The last two High Commissioners' declared persona-non-grata by Fiji had a week or more to leave.
The New Zealand government sees the rapid expulsion as a clear signal from the commodore that he is unhappy with NZ sanctions on travel by senior figures like Judge Anjela Wati.
Fijians visiting NZ
Around 30,000 ordinary Fijians visit New Zealand each year for Christmas, the Rugby Sevens and other occasions.
But right now, none can of them can get a visa either with NZ's diplomatic post barely functioning.
Foreign Affairs Minister Murray McCully says he is keen on getting the office operating and open to the public again as soon as possible, but he isn't giving any guarantees.
McCully denies New Zealand is widening the sanctions against the Bainimarama regime to include the whole population.
However it may place pressure on Suva's rulers to re-open diplomatic channels sooner rather than later.
