Fiji Heads Over The Precipice

Fiji dealing badly with its self-imposed isolation:

Fiji's self-appointed prime minister, Frank Bainimarama, has given Australia and New Zealand 24 hours to get their high commissioners out of Fiji.

He is expelling them both and recalling his own envoys because he says Canberra and Wellington are interfering in his country's judiciary.

Mr Bainimarama sacked all the country's judges when he did not like their decisions and he believes Australia has been trying to thwart his attempts to hire replacements from Sri Lanka.

He claims a scratchy recording proves Australia is meddling in Fiji's affairs.

"Individuals appointed to the Fiji judiciary, regardless of citizenship, became subject to these travel sanctions and so that will obviously include yourself," a voice on the recording says.

It is claimed the voice belongs to an Australian diplomat, who warns a Sri Lankan judge she will be banned from entering Australia if she accepts a job offer with the Fijian Judiciary.

"And there is a chance that the acceptance of a judicial appointment could be perceived as condoning or supporting the military regime's actions," the voice continues.

"But as I said, this is a decision obviously for yourself personally but I'm just giving you advance warning of Australia's travel sanctions."

On Monday, Fiji's chief judge, Anthony Gates, criticised Australia and New Zealand for refusing to grant transit visas to seven Sri Lankan judges, describing the action as interference and hostile.

Fiji is hiring the judges to fill vacancies, created through Mr Bainimarama's decision in April to scrap the country's constitution and sack all its judges.

The sackings were in retaliation to a Fijian High Court ruling which found Mr Bainimarama's government and 2006 coup were illegal.

And last night, after he met with the chief justice and cabinet, Mr Bainimarama announced he was expelling Australia's high commissioner, James Batley.