Australia's anger at expulsion

Australia’s prime minister today vowed to take a hard line against Fiji after the island nation’s military ruler ordered the expulsion of top diplomats from Australia and New Zealand.

The order by Commodore Frank Bainimarama, giving the diplomats 24 hours to leave Fiji, follows a spat over regional travel sanctions and deepens a rift between Fiji and its largest South Pacific neighbours – the two countries have led condemnation of the military leader’s overthrow of the elected government in a bloodless coup in 2006.