Anthony Albanese will visit Fiji on his way home from the United States, capping off a huge diplomatic offensive to calm regional concerns about the AUKUS security pact, and push back against a misinformation campaign by Australia’s detractors.

The Prime Minister, Foreign Minister Penny Wong, Defence Minister Richard Marles and Minister for the Pacific Pat Conroy have rung their regional counterparts in recent days while senior diplomats have also been put to work – in a sign of the sensitivities still being caused by Australia becoming just the seventh nation to operate nuclear-powered submarines.