Barack Obama shows his pulling power in Sydney
The former US president addressed a packed house in Sydney, warning of a ‘significantly strained relationship’ with China.
Former US president Barack Obama addressed a packed house on Tuesday night in Sydney – the first stop on a speaking tour of Australia – during which he warned of a “significantly strained relationship” with China and an uncertain global economy.
Mr Obama entered the Aware Super Theatre in Sydney’s Darling Harbour to the strains of Stevie Wonder’s I Wish and received a standing ovation as he was introduced by former foreign minister Julie Bishop.
He spoke of his relationship with Sydney and a memory of a Qantas flight attendant on his first visit as a child.
“It is one of the world’s great cities,” he said. “The first time I came to Sydney I was eight years old. I was travelling from Indonesia … and I was travelling without company.
“A Qantas stewardess took very good care of me. Comic books, Coke, that would be Coca-Cola. And I had a big crush on her. I felt very sophisticated, very worldly, travelling on my own.”
Mr Obama spoke about China, Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, the world economy and polarisation in the US.
“I think China feels as if it does not have to operate under the same constraints that it did while I was president,” Mr Obama said.
“Externally, frankly, with my successor coming in, I think Xi (Jinping) saw an opportunity, because the US president didn’t seem to care that much about rules based in the international system.
“And so as a consequence, I think China’s attitude was, well, we can take advantage of what appears to be a vacuum internationally on a lot of these issues.
“What I would say today is that we do have a significantly strained relationship.”
He also said the forces that had led to the invasion of Ukraine were not unique to Russia.
“I think that what (Vladimir) Putin represents, the trends that his politics and authoritarianism … and lying and cruelty and manipulation and repression, what he represents, is bubbling up everywhere, including in my own country,” he said. “And we have to watch out for that.”
Tickets for the sold-out event ranged from $195 to $445, with platinum package entrance at $895. Such was the demand, the queue to get in stretched for 600m.
The tour continues in Melbourne on Wednesday in the 10,000-seat John Cain Arena, and the two events could earn the one-time leader of the free world up to $2m in fees.
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