So cultural sensitivity is a mere excuse of these repressive regimes. The students who stand in front of those savage tanks in the streets of Beijing, the young elected leader who cannot move out of her house in Burma, the writer who is under house arrest in Jakarta, the ordinary people of Dili and Bangkok, all reinforce those values of human dignity and political decency with their lives, often with their deaths. It is true that the Australian Government will always be under considerable pressure to deal with their opposite number, even when they uphold policies that Australians find abhorrent. But relations with Asia demand more than merely dealing with regimes in power and Australians should not compromise basic principles to win the favour of particular governments. But ignoring questions of human rights is no more likely to win respect.
Trade deals have a very short life.
Mr Sheridan is quite certain of what constitutes our national interest. But let me return to Fiji. Australia has been involved in Fiji long before the islands were ceded to Great Britain on 10 October 1874. In fact Queen Victoria, re-enacting Caesar, had refused to take Fiji twice. But the mischief caused by early traders, whalers, adventurers, missionaries, escaped convicts, fugitives and planters caused such havoc that the Queen was compelled to accept Fiji as a shining seashell in her crown next to Kohinoor.