1. What Is Your Role in Fiji As a QORVIS Consultant in the Country?

1. What is your role in Fiji as a QORVIS consultant in the country?

2. A number of senior public servants and journalists have told us that the amount of control and power by you as a QORVIS consultant over the public service and the media, is unprecedented. Do you agree?

3. Last year you wrote a letter to Peter Lomas about the column Coconut Wireless which included comments about lawyer Richard Naidu. Some people have said that this email where you tell Lomas to stop writing about Naidu and the opposition is inappropriate in a democratic society where the press is free from government interference. What do you think?

4. Why is it a concern to you or the government if the Fiji Sun inadvertently elicits sympathy to lawyer Richard Naidu?

5. Do you think it is the role of the Fiji Sun to be ‘helpful to the government’ in its reporting?

6. Do you think your role is partly to control the media in Fiji?

7. Is it true that QORVIS in Fiji calls the shots in all government communications?

8. The previous permanent secretary of the department of communications has said that in one instance you wrote an email castigating the Fiji Times for its reporting about certain plagiarism allegations, and then you demanded Mr. Perrin to sign it and deliver it personally. Is this your recollection as well?

9. Is it your recollection that you persisted that Mr. Perrin delivers the email personally despite his concerns with the email’s content, and his feelings of being ethically conflicted?

10. Did you expect the Permanent Secretary to become a ‘puppet’ of the government’s political agenda, and never speak up about his own opinions or contribute to discussions?

11. Was Mr. Perrin expected to follow instructions blindly?

12. Mr. Perrin says that when he told you over the phone about his opposition to this letter, you castigated him over the phone, and shouted at him using obscene words. Is this true?

13. Is it true that you hold an unofficial blacklist of journalists and media organisations, and that all public servants and ministers are encouraged not to speak to the media organisations and journalists on this unofficial list?

14. Is it the case that public servants and ministers are encouraged not to speak to journalists from the Australian Broadcasting Corporation?

15. The previous permanent secretary in the department of foreign affairs, Robin Nair, says that you have intervened and interfered with his department’s internal affairs which involves foreign affairs and sensitive diplomacy. What’s your response?

16. An email you wrote to the AG in October last year about your conversation with the British High commissioner, appear to suggest that you’re advising the Attorney General not to consider Australia and New Zealand as a real friend, and to mistrust these countries’ alliances. Was this your intention?

17. Mr. Nair says that your advice in the aforementioned email to the AG is inappropriate. Do you agree with this assessment?

18. Mr. Nair claims that you attempted to destabilise the diplomatic relationship between Fiji and Australia/NZ. Is this true?

19. Mr. Nair claims that in September last year you told the PM that the NZ High Commissioner said that the PM Frank Bainimarama should be behind bars. Is this also your recollection?

20. Mr. Nair claims that this was an example where you attempted to destabilise Fiji and NZ’s diplomatic relationship. What is your response?

21. Is it the case that you nominated a QORVIS employee, Mr. Ben Simmonds, to the position of COP 23 liaison officer in Bonn, and that that this nomination was contrary to the advice of Mr. Nair who wished to nominate a foreign affairs staff member?

22. Mr. Nair says that the nomination of a QORVIS consultant to this role was inappropriate because he believed the role required specific diplomatic and negotiations skills and that it was crucial for this position to be staffed with a foreign affairs public servant not a PR consultant for this reason. Do you agree?