Australia relationship with Pacific on climate change 'dysfunctional' and 'abusive'

Palau's climate change coordinator says Australia provides aid to region but on world stage undermines attempts to halt global warming

Australia's relationship with the Pacific region on the issue of climate change has been described as "dysfunctional" and "abusive" - providing aid to the region to deal with the effects of global warming but undermining attempts to halt its progress, according to a climate change representative for the Pacific nation of Palau.

Xavier Matsutaro, the national climate change coordinator for Palau, a small nation in the north-west Pacific, said Australia's relationship with the Pacific was "dysfunctional", adding that Australia was also responsible for diluting the strength of previous regional declarations on climate change.