decision to support the bill. He accused them of forgetting the decision they had made in 2000, that justice should take its course. "It is sad that they had forgotten that wise decision and have also forgotten the rest of the multi-racial society within which we live," Bainimarama said. He reiterated that the bill was legally, morally, and ethically wrong, and that it condoned the unlawful events of 2000. He said that the chiefs' decision had alienated a large portion of society, and though he accepted that the decision had been taken, that the Military would continue to oppose the legislation. "We will rather air these concerns now than be called in to try to rebuild a society that has been devastated by civil upheaval for this is where we see our destiny if we continue down this path with the Bill," he said. The commander said on 24 August that he was not surprised that the Great Council of Chiefs and the Methodist Church had both endorsed the controversial legislation, as some senior members of both institutions had supported the coup perpetrators in 2000, he alleged. His assertions were supported by former Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka - who happens to be a supporter of the legislation. Disagreement with Australian government Australian Foreign Minister Alexander Downer visited Fiji for two days of talks, from 28 to 30 September. Downer expressed strong reservations about the legislation, but also rebuked the Fijian Military for "playing politics." Downer's comments provoked an angry reaction from Bainimarama, who said that Australians had never had to live through a coup and therefore cannot understand what it is like. Disagreement with Methodist Church In 2005, Commodore Bainimarama strongly criticized some sections of the Methodist Church for supporting the Unity Bill, and said that in future, all pastors seeking chaplaincy assignments with Fijian military personnel travelling to the Middle East would be required to state their position on the legislation. Supporters of it need not apply, he said. Rabukawaqa speaks out Military spokesman Lieutenant Colonel Orisi Rabukawaqa said on 1 August that it was not fair to expect taxpayers to foot the bill to compensate coup victims. Those seeking amnesty should pay, he said. Coup perpetrators would learn nothing from their mistakes, he said, if they were released without being required to compensate their victims. He defended the outspokenness of the Military on the bill. "We (the military)