Labor has doubled down on criticism of senior government ministers for failing to travel to the Solomon Islands over the country’s new security pact with China.

It comes after the federal opposition unveiled plans to create of an Australia-Pacific defence school, if elected in May.

Labor MP Milton Dick says the government has dropped the ball.

“I think it would be safe to say, that we have dropped the ball in the Pacific,” he told Bill McDonald filling on 4BC Drive.

“And I would go as far to say that Australia is less secure because of those relationships between our nations and the Pacifics, who are looking elsewhere.”

He says the he can’t believe Foreign Affairs Minister Marise Payne or Defence Minister Peter Dutton haven’t “jumped on a plane” to the Solomon Islands.

“This has been a deterioration of our relationship in the Pacific.”

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