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Anthony Albanese invited Donald Trump to visit Australia in first phone call

Anthony Albanese invited Donald Trump to Australia in their first phone call a day after the incoming US president won the November 5 election.

Anthony Albanese invited Donald Trump to Australia when they spoke a day after he won the US election. Picture: NewsWire / John Appleyard
Anthony Albanese invited Donald Trump to Australia when they spoke a day after he won the US election. Picture: NewsWire / John Appleyard

Anthony Albanese invited ­Donald Trump to Australia in their first phone call a day after the incoming US president won the November 5 election. The invitation emerged amid warnings the Prime Minister will find it difficult to fit in a face-to-face meeting with the president-elect before the federal election.

As the Coalition accuses Mr Albanese of being missing in action in dealing with Mr Trump, The Australian has confirmed the Prime Minister told the president-elect he looked forward to welcoming him to Australia at the first available opportunity that was convenient for him.

Mr Albanese spoke to Mr Trump the morning after he was re-elected, but it wasn’t known until now that an invitation had been made.

The Prime Minister on Monday pointed to a Quad leaders summit, which could be months away, for a possible face-to-face meeting with the incoming president, with doubts he will be able to see Mr Trump before calling an election unless the government can organise a quick bilateral meeting.

Arthur Sinodinos, Australia’s ambassador in Washington DC from 2020-23, overlapping with Mr Trump’s first presidency, said face-to-face meetings between leaders were always important, particularly early on, to establish a personal relationship.

Given the upcoming federal election is due by May, “it’d be difficult to have a face-to-face sooner rather than later”, he said.

“Perhaps in the margins of a G7 meeting, depending on when that is, that’d be good,” Mr Sinodinos said. “These days most international diplomacy is at that personal level, particularly between leaders. There will be many leaders seeking the president’s ear but Australia does have an important relationship with the US.

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“We’ve been strategic with the US in this part of the world so it is important to take the opportunity not just to talk about bilateral issues but also the importance of the US role in the region and why that is important to their security, and how they need us for their security.”

Ensuring AUKUS continued and, if possible, accelerated would be a priority for the meeting, Mr Sinodinos said, as well as the economic and security relationships, what form of engagement the administration wants to have, and what policies it will roll out.

Mr Albanese, who government sources say looks forward to meeting with Mr Trump at the first available opportunity, has spoken about the “very constructive beginning” to the two leaders’ relationship and the efforts he made to connect to more than 100 Democrats and Republicans. He did not seek a meeting with Mr Trump on his way back from the G20 summit in Rio de Janeiro in November, when federal parliament was wrapping up for the year.

Opposition foreign affairs spokesman Simon Birmingham demanded the Prime Minister “explain why he has passed up multiple opportunities for early engagement with President Trump”.

“At every turn he has failed to reach out to President Trump prior and post his election, unlike the UK’s Keir Starmer, who met with President Trump prior to his election, or Italy’s Giorgia Meloni, who visited him after his win,” Senator Birmingham said. “Now Anthony Albanese is passing up on the opportunity to attend the inauguration. Through inaction Mr Albanese risks missing the opportunity to maximise his influence and engagement with Australia’s most important ally.”

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Finance Minister Katy Gallagher pointed out Mr Albanese was one of the first foreign leaders to speak with Mr Trump after his election and she was “very confident” those discussions would continue.

An invitation to Mr Trump’s inauguration went to Foreign Minister Penny Wong and other Quad foreign ministers, which the government says is unprecedented, and she was “absolutely thrilled” to be going.

After former Australian ambassador to the US Joe Hockey told The Australian Mr Albanese and Peter Dutton should be considering offering Mr Trump a state visit later this year, Senator Gallagher was asked if there’d be an appetite from taxpayers to foot the bill.

“In general, we don’t look at state visits – wherever those … visiting dignitaries come from – as a cost. We don’t weigh it up from that point of view because face-to-face relationships are important,” she told Seven’s Sunrise program.

“We’ve had many state visits. They’re an important part of our relationships with other countries. With the incoming President Trump, I have no doubt there will be very close engagement between both administrations, as you would expect.”

Liberal MP Aaron Violi, who co-chairs the Parliamentary Friends of AUKUS group with Labor MP Luke Gosling, said given the importance of the US-Australia alliance and the nuclear-powered submarine pact, Mr Albanese should meet with Mr Trump “as soon as possible”, and before the election if there was a window to do so.

“Everything looks positive (for AUKUS) but obviously that confirmation is crucial and that’s why it’s important the Prime Minister and Ambassador (Kevin) Rudd and all senior ministers are continuing to engage with the new administration given how important AUKUS is to our short-term and long-term national security needs,” Mr Violi said. “Given the talk of tariffs … we should seek exemptions as we have previously under the Trump administration. That’s the real test for Ambassador Rudd.”

Read related topics:Anthony AlbaneseDonald Trump
Rosie Lewis
Rosie LewisPolitical Correspondent

Rosie Lewis is The Australian’s Political Correspondent. She made her mark in Canberra after breaking story after story about the political rollercoaster unleashed by the Senate crossbench of the 44th parliament. Her national reporting includes exclusives on the dual citizenship fiasco, women in parliament, the COVID-19 pandemic, voice referendum and climate wars. Lewis has covered policy in-depth across most portfolios and has a particular focus on climate and energy.

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Original URL: https://www.theaustralian.com.au/nation/politics/anthony-albanese-invited-donald-trump-to-visit-australia-in-first-phone-call/news-story/5edbcf25f7e58b9326ccaaf4bcd0a92b