Anthony Albanese (Grayndler, Australian Labor Party, Prime Minister) Share this | Hansard source

I am absolutely delighted to welcome United States Congressman Jason Smith to the Australian House of Representatives today. Congressman Smith will be known to many members of this House as the Chair of the House Ways and Means Committee. He has met with many ministers over the last couple of days. As parliamentarians, we understand the hugely important role that committee plays in shaping the policies of the congress and delivering on the priorities of President Trump's administration. I am so pleased that yesterday we had the opportunity in my office to have a lengthy meeting. It wasn't all talk about politics, it must be said. It was a conversation which reaffirmed the friendship that we have, based upon people-to-people relations between Australians and Americans. Ours is an alliance between free peoples and proud democracies that enjoys bipartisan respect and support from both sides of politics here in Australia and also in the United States. I look forward to continuing to work with Congressman Smith, other members of congress in the senate, and members of the US administration, including President Trump.

Congressman Smith's presence here comes just a couple of weeks after the Australian-American Leadership Dialogue I was able to host at Kirribilli House, the prime minister's residence in Sydney, and it was a great privilege to do so. I know Congressman Smith and I both participated in the AALD when it was held in Perth in 2019. It's an organisation and a body that I have participated in for more than a couple of decades now, and a really practical way in which Australians and Americans can get to know each other in that personal way. Welcome, Congressman Smith—good travels while you're here. I look forward to engaging with you in a few weeks time while I'm in the US.

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