Smith said the island nation’s military leadership is going to be a long-term problem for the Pacific and the international community.
Fiji was suspended from the Commonwealth of nations because its military rulers would not commit to holding elections next year.
Fiji’s military leader said elections will be held in 2014.
Smith said the suspension was an inevitable outcome.
“We’ve never wanted to do things that hurt the people of Fiji and the great regret in all of this is that Fiji should be a premier country in the Pacific, it should be a premier economy,” he said.
Smith said he was very concerned about media censorship in Fiji, as well as human rights breaches.
Smith also said he won’t be advising Australians to boycott holidaying in Fiji, because it would only hurt ordinary Fijians.
The International Federation of Journalists said travelers should rethink visiting the island nation, to protest against media censorship and human rights breaches.
But Smith said people can make their own decisions regarding travel.
