An Australian request to send the country’s federal police to protect its high commissioner to Suva has been rejected by Fiji’s interim government.

The Australian government made the request after the second death threat this month against James Batley, high commissioner to Fiji.

Australian Foreign Affairs Minister Stephen Smith said that he had asked for Fiji to agree to have Australian police officers sent to Suva to augment security at the high commission.

Fiji’s Interim Foreign Affairs Minister Ratu Epeli Nailatikau confirmed the request had been refused, the Fiji Times reports.

Ratu Epeli said the matter was settled and the Fiji government would not change its mind.

The newspaper reports that the rejection is a further sign of worsening relations between Fiji and Australia.

Australia has accused the Fijian military of making "credible" death threats against Batley, officials say.

A spokesman for Australia’s Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade said this week that the Fijian military allegedly made the threats after the Australian government led an international call for free elections in Fiji, The Sydney Morning Herald said.

"It appears someone unhappy with Australian policy in Fiji has made the threats," the unidentified department official said.

Minister for Foreign Affairs Stephen Smith said the threats, which the Fijian military has denied being involved with, wouldn’t have their intended effect. "If these threats are an effort to intimidate the Australian government about its policy on Fiji or an attempt to intimidate our high commissioner, let me make it very clear, they won’t have any such effect," he said.

The Australian newspaper said one of the threats was delivered by taxi last week, while the other was delivered by mail this week.

In Fiji, Batley refuted reports the Australian immigration office was closed and that people were unable to get their visa applications.

He said the immigration office was open, however, new arrangements had been introduced to limit the number of visa applicants entering the commission at one time.

"There is no time frame" on how long such arrangements would be in place, he said, adding the arrangements will be relaxed or strengthened as deemed necessary.

Fiji police spokesman Atunaisa Sokomuri said police had beefed up security at the high commission and would continue to provide security until the matter was resolved.