Researching Joseph Browne

Browne has denied claims that he participated in planning or executing Mara's resignation. On 29 May 2000, Mara was evacuated to the Kiro, a naval vessel, ostensibly for his own protection following orchestrated threats to himself and his family. This followed a report from the Director of the Police Special Branch, Berenado Daveta, based on intelligence gathered from an undercover agent working among the insurrectionists. Browne has said that he agreed to the President's evacuation because he was suspicious of troop movements at Government House.

The following day, a group including Browne, military commander Commodore Frank Bainimarama, Great Council of Chiefs Chairman and former Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka, Police Commissioner Colonel Isikia Savua, and Mara's son-in-law, Ratu Epeli Ganilau, a former military commander, visited Mara aboard the vessel, presented a tabua (whale's tooth) in a formal apology, and asked him to abrogate the Constitution. Mara refused, and resigned. It is not clear to what extent the members of the delegation all knew why they were there. Mara was convinced that Rabuka and Savua had conspired against him, while Ganilau has said that he stayed on "as a witness." Browne has emphatically denied any prior knowledge of the purpose of the visit to the warship, but told Fiji News on 30 April 2001 that he understood why Mara might have suspected his loyalty. The previous day, Mara had told Fiji Television that he had no idea why Browne had asked him to agree to be evacuated.

Browne spoke out against military participation in Mara's funeral, which spanned three days (28–30 April 2004), saying that it was "the height of hypocrisy" to have military officers, who had unceremoniously deposed the President from office, honouring him at his funeral.

Browne also expressed scepticism about the doctrine of necessity pleaded by the officers as their justification for asking Mara to resign, saying that only a court of law could validate the Doctrine of Necessity. He has revealed that in a letter he wrote to Ratu Mara after the appointment of Ratu Josefa Iloilo as his successor, he said that his removal from office had been "treasonous."

Browne has said that he has had his reputation battered and his integrity questioned by claims that he was a party to a coup against the late President.

Browne is from Somosomo village, Taveuni. He is the son of Adi Losalini Browne, a sister of the late President and Tui Cakau - Ratu Sir Penaia Ganilau.

He was born at Adelong to farmers Edward and Eliza Jane Browne. He was educated at Grenfell and then at Fort Street High School, then working as a teacher from 1891 to 1903. He worked as a clerk while studying at night, graduating from the University of Sydney in 1904 whereupon he was called to the bar. On 21 January 1909 he married Laura Hannah Amos, with whom he had four children. He specialised in industrial law, and in 1912 was appointed to the New South Wales Legislative Council by the Labor government, although he was not a party member and was not always a reliable Labor vote. Appointed King's Counsel in 1926, he resigned from the Council in 1932 to become Chief Industrial Commissioner. He resigned from this position in 1942 due to failing health and died at Potts Point in 1946.