New US ambassador Caroline Kennedy delivers first message

Washington’s new representative in Canberra has outlined her top priority after presenting her credentials to the Governor-General.

The new US ambassador to Australia Caroline Kennedy said she hopes to strengthen bond between the two nations.

Ms Kennedy met with Governor-General David Hurley in Canberra on Monday morning to present her credentials.

The 64-year-old - who is the last surviving child of former President John F Kennedy - described it as “really one of the most important days of my life” in a short speech to media late on Monday after her official welcome and Indigenous smoking ceremony.

“To become officially the United States Ambassador to Australia and to be here on this Ngunnawal land, and to mark this moment with a ceremony that carries so much significance makes me feel a great deal of responsibility and strengthens my commitment to work to strengthen the bonds between our nations and our people,” she told reporters.

Ms Kennedy was asked about her meeting with Prime Minister Anthony Albanese on Wednesday and whether she’d be raising concerns about a Chinese company’s lease of the Port of Darwin and climate targets, but kept her answers general.

Caroline Kennedy was looking forward to meeting the Prime Minister. Photo: Saeed Khan/AFP

“Well, I’m really looking forward to meeting the Prime Minister. I haven’t met him yet. I know he had a great meeting with President Biden. So I’m looking to follow up on that and see what best I can do to advance our shared goals,” she said.

Ms Kennedy also spoke of the AUKUS partnership, a security pact between Australia, the United Kingdom, and the United States, announced last year.

Under the pact, the US and UK will help Australia acquire nuclear-powered submarines.

“I think AUKUS is a really significant partnership between three of the closest allies,” she said.

“It includes submarines but also other areas of co-operation that will provide great benefits to all our countries.

“As you know there are many announcements to come in coming weeks, so I think it’s best to let that unfold and then maybe we’ll talk about them as they do.”

Ms Kennedy also plans to visit the Solomon Islands next month.

Originally published as New US ambassador Caroline Kennedy delivers first message