Obama to Malcolm Turnbull: So you actually talk to the New Zealanders?

BARACK Obama threw Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull a surprise curveball, and the microphones picked it up.

MICROPHONES have captured what Malcolm Turnbull really thinks about his New Zealand counterpart John Key.

For the second time in a week, US President Barack Obama has been caught throwing a surprise question at Mr Turnbull during private lulls in diplomatic talks.

This time, Mr Obama was having a quiet word with the our PM at the annual APEC summit in the Philippines.

In the ABC footage, the US President can be heard asking his Australian counterpart who he was meeting while at the conference.

Mr Turnbull replied he was in fact meeting his New Zealand counterpart, to which Mr Obama asked: “So you actually, er, you actually talk to the New Zealanders?”

Whether POTUS was joking or genuinely interested in Australian-New Zealand relations remains to be seen, but Mr Turnbull replied: “I do look. He (Key) is a real role model.”

It seems the President is also equally as full of admiration for Mr Key, even going so far as to mention their mutual love of golf.

“Nah, he’s a wonderful guy,” Mr Obama continues. “He and I have become good friends and not just because we play golf together.”

Both leaders love of golf is well known, with the pair enjoying a game in Hawaii last year during a holiday encounter.

Mr Key seemed humbled by the endorsement telling the New Zealand Herald “I’ve been around President Obama for a long period of time and I think he is a really good genuine guy, and I think the friendship we have got is genuine so it would be disappointing if he didn’t say that but it’s very nice that he has.”

Mr Key even posted a picture of he and the President on Twitter.

Great to catch up with @BarackObama & other leaders at the TPP Leaders' meeting to mark the successful negotiations. pic.twitter.com/dyrJnBCtUV

— John Key (@johnkeypm) November 18, 2015

But then so did Mr Turnbull.

The Asia-Pacific is the most dynamic region in the world - talking to President Barack Obama at #APEC2015 pic.twitter.com/n21VTwhABs

— Malcolm Turnbull (@TurnbullMalcolm) November 17, 2015

Mr Turnbull has clearly hit it off with Mr Obama, who has invited him to visit the White House before the end of the American winter, and spent 90 minutes talking everything from trade to terrorism, AAP reported.

Mr Turnbull was taken by surprise when, before their joint media appearance in Manila on the sidelines of the APEC meeting, Mr Obama leaned over and told him of the invitation.

Foreign Minister Julie Bishop, who was in the room for the talks, said there was a rapport as they ranged from their philosophy of politics to the economy and global security.

“He and Prime Minister Turnbull hit it off,” she said.

“It’s the longest bilateral I’ve been present at with President Obama.” A more distant observer, Peter Jennings from the Australian Strategic Policy Institute, said it was an important meeting — as were Mr Turnbull’s leader-level talks in Jakarta, Berlin and Antalya.

“This reflects not just people reacting to his personality — it’s more a case that Australia is seen to be a consequential country in global security terms,” Mr Jennings said.

“A country valued for its practical defence and security contributions. That might have been an eye opener for a prime minister more used to the business world than security.”