Get the appVanuatu's Internal Affairs Minister Andrew Napuat says he has no plans to reduce China's police presence in the country. His comments contradict a joint statement issued by Vanuatu and Australia, which said China's policing program was time-limited and expected to shrink over time. Napuat said Vanuatu still needs policing help from Beijing and other partners, and that it has not decided to phase out any advisers.
A retired senior sergeant says Sorrento Police Station has had its resources removed and has not been fully operational for 18 months. Malcolm Davey, a former officer-in-charge at Sorrento and Rye, says the recording equipment for interviews has been taken out. He says the station appears open but is not attended, and he warns that policing in nearby towns would suffer. Victoria Police says the station remains operational and has not been permanently closed. It says daily patrols continue, and the closest 24-hour station is Rosebud.
Vanuatu has said China's police presence in the country is expected to reduce over time, following its signing of the Nakamal Agreement with Australia. Vanuatu's deputy prime minister, Johnny Koanapo, met Foreign Minister Penny Wong and Pacific Minister Pat Conroy in Canberra to discuss the deal. The two governments said in a joint statement that Australia is Vanuatu's longstanding primary policing partner, and that the agreement is legally binding with no expiry date. The agreement is expected to direct about $500 million into Vanuatu's priorities over a decade, including policing cooperation and climate projects.
Alerts, Shorts and your saved stories — free on Google Play.
Get the appAustralia's treaty with Vanuatu will expand policing ties but will not allow foreign military bases, senators were told on Monday. Foreign affairs officials said a clause barring foreign powers from using Vanuatu's territory for defence bases reflects the country's own law. Australian Federal Police said the number of officers stationed in Vanuatu could nearly double in coming years. Assistance may cover administration, forensics, training and new police stations. The Nakamal Agreement was first agreed in 2022 but was not ratified until 2025.
More than one in three Australian children who are sexually victimised online either tell no-one or turn to an AI chatbot, according to a study by Adelaide University. Australian Federal Police Commissioner Krissy Barrett warned that law enforcement cannot be the only safety net for vulnerable young people. Barrett called the trend heartbreaking and said automated software cannot provide the human support children need. She said parents and communities are best placed to notice when a child begins to withdraw.