Key test for Anthony Albanese at G7: successful talks with Donald Trump

A successful meeting with Donald Trump is key for Anthony Albanese, writes Michaelia Cash.

Australia’s strong alliance with the United States has long been the key to our nation’s defence and an important part of our history over the last century.

Australia has stood alongside the United States in the First World War, Second World War, Korea, Vietnam, Afghanistan and in both Iraq wars. We have consistently supported each other, even though we have disagreed from time to time.

Our relationship with the United States has flourished irrespective of whether there is a Coalition or Labor government in Australia, or whether there is a Republican or Democrat administration in the United States.

As a cabinet minister in the former Coalition government, I was proud to be part of the government that established the AUKUS alliance, which is the key to our nation’s defence strategy for the coming decades.

AUKUS is the most significant strategic initiative Australia has undertaken in decades. Its centrepiece is ensuring our future defence capability by delivering nuclear-powered submarines. It will also provide the advanced technologies we need to deter conflict in our region.

When AUKUS was established, the key plank of its success was that it gained bipartisan support from the then Albanese opposition, despite many in the Labor Party questioning the arrangement.

It is pleasing that the Albanese government continues to back AUKUS, because this alliance is in our nation’s long term interests no matter who is in power. We need to ensure that AUKUS is flourishing long after Mr Albanese leaves the Lodge and US President Donald Trump leaves the White House.

The key test for Prime Minister Anthony Albanese’s trip to the G7 meeting in Canada next week will be a successful meeting with President Trump.

There are many things to discuss between our nation’s two leaders, including ensuring Australia gains an exemption to the United States’ 50 pr cent tariff on steel an aluminium, but reaffirming our AUKUS alliance needs to be at the front and centre of the discussion.

All countries periodically review their strategic arrangements, and the AUKUS agreement is no exception. That the AUKUS agreement is currently “under review” by the US Pentagon should not mean AUKUS is in doubt, but it behoves us to treat the review with the utmost seriousness.

Ultimately, it is the outcomes of the review that matter, not the review process itself. Any delay or downgrade in the US commitment to AUKUS would have significant consequences for our national security, and serious ramifications for the interests of the US, the UK and the strategic balance in the broader region.

The Coalition wants the government to succeed in reaffirming the AUKUS treaty because that is in our national interest.

But the AUKUS agreement is not solely in Australia’s interest.

The need for AUKUS is as pressing now as it ever has been because it supports regional stability, promotes co-operation and interoperability, and enhances the security and defence interests of all three countries.

This is something that the Coalition under Scott Morrison recognised and which, to his credit, the Prime Minister has acknowledged.

It is now for Anthony Albanese and Richard Marles to make the case for AUKUS again.

I will always be guided by what is in Australia’s national interest in my new role as Shadow Minister for Foreign Affairs.

Australia’s approach to foreign policy must be grounded in values, strength, and clear-eyed engagement with the world.

The Coalition believes in freedom, equality, the rule of law, human rights, and mutual respect — not simply as national preferences, but as universal aspirations.

These values define who we are as Australians, but they also guide how we engage with the world.

They compel us to stand up for democracy, to support open societies, and to help resist the authoritarian drift seen in too many parts of the world today.

Open democratic systems foster prosperity, peace and stability — and we recognise that Australia’s own prosperity and national security improve when there is greater peace and prosperity internationally.

The AUKUS alliance with our two important allies in the United Kingdom and the United States underpins these principles.

We need to be able to deter threats, safeguard our sovereignty, strengthen our alliances and support a rules-based international order.

A resilient Australia invests in modern capabilities, supports its service personnel, and works seamlessly with trusted partners like AUKUS and NATO and Quad member countries help to ensure both regional and global stability.

Our sovereignty must never be traded for undue reliance or short-term advantage.

The AUKUS agreement, the Quad, our five-eyes partnerships, the ANZUS treaty, the five-powers defence arrangement, our raft of comprehensive strategic partnerships, our adoption of Magnitsky-style sanctions — these are all measures the Coalition has supported.

It was therefore particularly disappointing that the Albanese government used the week before the G7 meeting to undermine the United States’ efforts to negotiate a ceasefire in the conflict in Gaza by imposing individual sanctions under our Magnitsky laws on two ministers in the Israeli government.

Whilst these ministers have made some very concerning comments, these democratically elected politicians are subject to judgment from their own constituents in Israel.

The Magnitsky sanctions regime was designed to respond to serious matters of international concern, such as human rights abuses and terrorist acts.

The Albanese government needs to explain why they have seemingly lowered the threshold for imposing Magnitsky-style sanctions, and whether this new approach will be applied to comments made by officials from other countries or just from Israel. This may have serious implications for our international relationships.

Australia should be supporting our democratic allies first and foremost. We are concerned that there is a pattern of decisions by the Albanese government targeting the Israeli government, rather than Hamas, including the continued refusal of the government to rule out arresting the Prime Minister of Israel if he travels to Australia.

The Coalition supports democracy because doing so contributes to a rules-based order that ultimately generate the stability and certainty that contribute to Australian security and prosperity.

It is important that the Albanese government reaffirms Australia’s commitment to supporting our democratic allies.

And it is imperative that Prime Minister Albanese reaffirms our relationship with the United States and secures the continuation of the AUKUS agreement as his most urgent priority.