The prime minister achieved none of his public objectives in America, but the alignment between the US and Australia was clearer than ever.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese came to Washington with three goals: progress on US legislation supporting AUKUS, designation of Australia as a domestic supplier so that Australian businesses could qualify for American funding under the US Inflation Reduction Act, and confirmation that America was still focused on the Indo-Pacific region in the midst of multiple crises around the world.
Not only were there some positive signs on the legislative front, but the prime minister’s visit also led to progress in a number of areas, and the cementing of a close personal bond between Albanese and US President Joe Biden.
, and $65 million of joint investment from Canberra and Washington to underwrite Google’s undersea cable to power secure internet access to eight Pacific Island nations – means that ambitions to expand joint commercial ventures are taking a more concrete shape. Ahead of the trip, there were also concerns that the prospect of a wider regional conflict in the Middle East, and Ukraine’s war against Russia, would shift focus away from the Indo-Pacific region. The Ukraine war and Israel’s response to the Hamas attacks undoubtedly are competing for attention with the US administration’s goal of focusing on the Indo-Pacific region.The administration has so far managed to deal with these challenges without losing sight of its long-term priorities.
Which is all to say that much more work lies ahead for the alliance. Albanese acknowledged this at the White House, declaring that the alliance is shaped by a common history, but predicated on shaping the future.The prime minister’s trip was inevitably overshadowed by US domestic turmoil and unfolding international crises. Moreover, Albanese is flying home without a public guarantee that the US Congress will advance legislation on key issues.
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