the Opposition for the second time on 3 June (source). His second appointment came after weeks of disputes with his erstwhile ally, Mahendra Chaudhry, who had insisted that the position should be his, despite the decision of the Labour Party to enter a grand coalition with the Soqosoqo Duavata ni Lewenivanua Party (SDL). After obtaining legal advice, President Ratu Josefa Iloilo appointed Beddoes. As of 19 September, Beddoes was still performing his duties only on a part-time basis, Fiji Television reported. To assume the position full-time, he would be constitutionally required to divest himself of his private business interests. Campaign against controversial bill Throughout much of 2005, Beddoes was at the forefront of a public campaign against the government's controversial Reconciliation, Tolerance, and Unity Bill, which provided for the establishment of a Commission empowered to compensate victims and pardon perpetrators of the coup d'état which deposed the People's Coalition government in May 2000. Beddoes travelled throughout Fiji, speaking against the bill, which was, he claimed, nothing other than a legal mechanism for releasing from prison persons convicted of involvement in the coup, who were supporters of or in some way linked to the present government. The bill was temporarily shelved during the election and its aftermath. An amended version was pending, but the military coup of 5 December 2006 put an end to it. 2006 coup d'état Long considered an ally of the Republic of Fiji Military Forces in their long-running dispute with the Qarase government, Beddoes began criticising the Military towards the end of 2006, as tensions escalated to unprecedented levels. On 20 October, Fiji Television quoted him as calling for an end to the Military's attempts to intimidate the government. On the other hand, he called on the government on 28 November to placate the Military by dropping investigations into insubordination on the part of the Commander, Commodore Frank Bainimarama. "All it is doing is putting a red rag in front of a bull and the bull has 4,000 guns," he told Australia's ABC Radio. On 1 December, as it became apparent that a coup was imminent, he branded the Military a bunch of bullies, and issued a strong warning to persons who might be considering accepting office in an interim government, saying that they would be taken to task when the storm had passed. On 4 December, Beddoes called on Fijians to rally in support of the