Michaelia Cash (WA, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Foreign Affairs) Share this | Hansard source

I move:

That, in the opinion of the Senate, the following is a matter of urgency:

The need for Prime Minister Albanese to prioritise Australia's alliance with the United States given Australia faces the most strategically challenging environment since World War II.

At a time of global uncertainty and growing conflict but also a growing list of issues in the Australia-United States relationship, now is a time for the Australian government to be building our influence in Washington—not diminishing it, as has now been done. We need to make it clear that Australia stands with the country, the United States of America, that has long been a key foundation of our security and has been and continues to be the leader of the free world to which we, as Australians, proudly belong.

The Australia-US alliance in 2025 needs to be stronger than ever, not put on the backburner, as Mr Albanese, as the Prime Minister of Australia, has so shamefully done. In fact, a respected commentator recently posed this question: is Anthony Albanese actually trying intentionally, for reasons best known to himself, to diminish if not undermine the US-Australia alliance? You only need to go to his bizarre speech for the Curtin oration recently, which has been described as a 'look away from America' speech. That must have the heads scratching in Washington.

Australia's alliance with the United States has underpinned our national security and anchored our stability in our region, in particular, for over 70 years. At a time when our prime minister continually warns Australians that we face the most dangerous strategic environment since World War II, the Australia-US alliance remains vital. What is baffling, however, is that despite the Prime Minister's words he is not prioritising the Australia-US alliance. As I said, we need to make it clear—and I can tell you, on behalf of the coalition, we are making it clear—that we stand with the country, the United States, that has long been a key foundation of our security and has been and is the leader of the free world.

Our alliance is built on shared values, democracy, the rule of law, freedom of navigation and the belief that peace, which is what we all want, is best preserved through strength, forged in war, tested through the Cold War tensions and proven time and time again. From Korea to Vietnam, from Afghanistan to Iraq, our partnership with the United States has endured. Through the ANZUS treaty, our nations have made solemn commitments to each other's defence. In a dangerous world, our security depends on deep, active engagement with our closest ally. The alliance has evolved with each new challenge. Today it goes beyond defence of the great nation of Australia. It extends to cooperation on technology, intelligence and economic security. None more important than the AUKUS agreement, a legacy of the former coalition government. AUKUS strengthens Australia's technological edge and our ability to deter threats in an increasingly volatile region.

China's rapid military build-up and its unclear ambitions in the Indo-Pacific are real and growing threats. In the face of this, Australians expect their prime minister to lead, yet Anthony Albanese has shown weakness where strength is needed, complacency where urgency is demanded and silence where clear leadership is required. It has now been 260 days, or over that, since the United States election, and our prime minister has failed miserably to secure a face-to-face meeting with President Trump. Leaders from Europe and the Indo-Pacific have moved quickly to directly engage with the president. They are acting to protect their national interest. Our prime minister remains absent.

This failure on our prime minister's behalf has real consequences. There are no firm assurances on AUKUS, the most significant national security partnership entered into in generations. There has been no progress on lifting steel and aluminium tariffs that are hurting Australian exporters and putting thousands of jobs at risk. The Albanese government must face reality, and it must prioritise Australia's alliance with the United States.