Anthony Albanese’s diplomacy on display with selfies and beer in New York City
Anthony Albanese has been on a diplomacy blitz in New York and there were seven key moments that turned heads across the world. SEE THE VIDEO
Anthony Albanese has wrapped up a four-day diplomacy blitz in New York, where he snapped a selfie with the US President, locked in a long-awaited White House visit, sold Australia’s world-leading social media age restrictions to global leaders and delivered his maiden speech to the United Nations.
Seeking to position Australia as a middle power in the world, the Prime Minister spruiked the government’s climate ambitions, followed through with plans to formally recognise a state of Palestine and took time out to visit Australia’s unofficial embassy at Old Mates Pub in downtown Manhattan.
As the Prime Minister continues on to the United Kingdom where he will meet with Prime Minister Keir Starmer at 10 Downing Street and rub shoulders with King Charles at Balmoral, here’s a look at how he spent his time in the Big Apple.
THE SELFIE SEEN AROUND AUSTRALIA
While the official purpose of the PM’s visit was broadcast as a chance to work with international partners on economic and security challenges and promote investment in Australia, the question that loomed largest was whether he would finally land a meeting with the US President.
The continued failure to lock in a meeting with the leader of Australia’s most critical defence ally has dogged the Prime Minister for months.
As he touched down at the John F Kennedy International Airport on Saturday local time, Mr Albanese still had not secured a one-on-one with Mr Trump.
And while he didn’t get the elusive bilateral so desperately needed to hammer out the future of the alliance, particularly on trade and defence, the PM did not leave the US empty-handed.
At a welcome event for UN leaders, Mr Trump and Mr Albanese met briefly and posed for a selfie in what the PM later described as a “warm and engaging” chat.
More importantly they confirmed the pair would finally meet for formal talks at the White House in Washington next month.
LET THEM BE KIDS GOES GLOBAL
In a high point of the Prime Minister’s visit to the United States, he hosted an event for world leaders considering following Australia’s leading social media age restrictions, which are set to come into effect on December 10.
In a major coup for Australia, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis spoke at the event held at the United Nations, praising the government’s leadership and committing to join the fight to protect children from the harms of social media.
Australian mother Emma Mason, a key figure in News Corp Australia’s Let Them Be Kids campaign, which successfully advocated for the incoming social media laws, received a standing ovation from world leaders as she implored them to follow Australia’s lead to protect the children around the globe from the same tragic fate as her daughter, Tilly, who took her own life after relentless online bullying.
Ms Mason said after the speech the leaders of Greece, Malta, Fiji and Tonga each individually approached her and committed to investigating social media age limits in their own countries.
RECOGNISING A STATE OF PALESTINE
Upon arriving in New York, Mr Albanese and Foreign Minister Penny Wong followed through with an earlier commitment to formally recognise a state of Palestine.
While the plan had been to make the formal declaration at coincide with a two-state solution conference hosted by France and Saudi Arabia at the UN on Monday local time, the joint declaration with the UK and Canada was moved up to avoid an insensitive clash with the start of the Jewish new year, Rosh Hashana.
The declaration was condemned in separate statements by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Mr Trump, who accused those countries of rewarding Hamas for its brutality on October 7 and beyond.
“I have a clear message to those leaders who recognise a Palestinian state after the terrible massacre on October 7 – you are giving a huge reward to terrorism,” a furious Mr Netanyahu said.
SPRUIKING AUSTRALIA’S GREEN CREDENTIALS
The Prime Minister used several of his engagements in New York to outline Australia’s ambitious plan to drastically reduce emissions over the next decade, including through embracing clean energy sources.
“Clean energy can carry the world beyond the false choice between economic growth and environmental responsibility,” he said in his maiden speech to the UN.
The declaration marked a major split from Mr Trump, who spoke at the same lectern one day earlier as he ridiculed countries that sought to reduce emissions, describing global warming as a hoax invented by “stupid people”.
The Australian Prime Minister described action on climate change as the “entry fee to credibility and to engagement”.
AUSTRALIA’S PITCH TO THE WORLD
In his first address to the United Nations General Assembly since becoming Prime Minister, Mr Albanese declared Australia’s unwavering support for Ukraine and pushed the case for the bid to co-host the COP31 climate conference with Pacific allies.
“And as a nation that knows security depends on sovereignty, Australia stands with the courageous people of Ukraine in their struggle against Russia’s illegal and immoral invasion,” he said.
He also implored the UN to avoid becoming the “final resting place for good intentions” and advocated for Australia to serve another term on the UN Security Council in 2029-30 for the first time in more than a decade.
He called on his fellow leaders to not merely contain the “threat of war” but to work together to create an environment for peace amid the rise of dictators and tyrants.
MAKING NEW MATES
After a packed schedule, the Prime Minister spent his last night in the US at Australia’s unofficial embassy – Old Mates Pub.
The watering hole, owned by Aussies including comedians Andy Lee and Hamish Blake, has become a must-visit stop for celebrities, sports stars and politicians since opening this year.
Last month, Australia’s Ambassador to the US Kevin Rudd was given a rockstar welcome from the crowd and Mr Albanese, who rang the bell for a round on the house, was equally as popular.
“To all the Australians here, stay on the (electoral) roll,” he joked.
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