‘Respect us’: Solomon Islands PM launches tirade with scathing rebuke of Australia

The Prime Minister of the Solomon Islands has launched a tirade in parliament over the reaction to a recent deal with China.

Prime Minister of the Solomon Islands Manasseh Sogavare has ramped up criticisms of Australia’s response to a recent defence deal with China.

Addressing the country’s parliament in Honiara on this week, Mr Sogavare launched into a tirade ranging from Australia’s lack of respect for the Pacific Nation to western global influence.

He labelled groups within the Solomon Islands that opposed the signing of a security pact with China “racists” and ”bigots”, the ABC reported.

The speech included an apparent swipe at those who referred to the Solomons as “Australia’s backyard”.

“[A backyard] is where rubbish is collected and burnt. It is an area which supports the daily wellbeing of residents of the house,” Mr Sogavare said.

“I call on those people who continue to brand us as their backyard to stop calling us that name and start to respect us as a sovereign independent nation with one equal vote in the United Nations.”

China's first ambassador to the Solomon Islands Li Ming (Left) and the Prime Minister of the Solomon Islands Manasseh Sogavare (Middle). Source: Supplied.

He shifted focus to global issues, apparently condemning western overreach regarding Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

“There [are] two sides to every situation we see happening in the world today, including the Ukraine crisis, where the Western world is trying to get every nation to condemn,” he said.

“There [are] two sides to every story.”

Mr Sogavare also defended China’s treatment of Christians who, some suggest, have been persecuted by the current regime.

“This is more serious practising Christians in China than the entire population of the Pacific Island nations including Australia and New Zealand put together. Yes, there are rules. There are restrictions,” he said.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison said on Wednesday that he hadn’t spoken to Mr Sogavare in several weeks but was hoping to improve the relationship. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Gary Ramage

Scott Morrison told media on Wednesday that he had not spoken to Mr Sogavare since calling the election.

“We are Solomon Islands‘ primary security partner. That is something that the prime minister has conveyed to me again and that is what remains the case,” he said.

“I‘d be looking forward to the opportunity on the other side of the election to continue to manage that relationship positively.”