No images? Click here 25 October 2023Albanese and Biden want to build an alliance for the future, does Congress?By Victoria Cooper, Research Editor All the expected pomp and ceremony of Anthony Albanese’s official visit to the United States will reach a high point over the coming two days as the prime minister is officially hosted at the White House by the Bidens for a state dinner and meetings in the Oval Office. With so much vying for the attention of President Biden, and complex world challenges causing some interruption to the visit – even to the scheduled performance of The B52s – there’s much to distract Albanese from his task of “building an alliance for the future," through closer Australia-US cooperation on climate, national security and defence and the emergence of new technologies. Yet, the announcement of Microsoft’s A$5 billion investment in Australia’s skilled tech workforce and cybersecurity on day one of Albanese’s trip, and the announcement of the Australian Government spending a further $2 billion for Australia’s mining and processing of critical minerals to accelerate, imply the prime minister is all guns blazing towards closer cooperation. President Biden’s commitment to hosting the Australian prime minister at such a difficult time also shows the administration’s investment in its Indo-Pacific allies, despite other competing and urgent priorities. But threading the needle on other alliance aspirations like accelerating progress on AUKUS is more likely to hit resistance by a dysfunctional US Congress. The unresolved fight for the House speaker’s gavel has made doubtful an Albanese address to a joint session of Congress – a ceremonious opportunity afforded to India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi and South Korea’s President Yoon Suk Yeol during their state visits earlier this year – and is a lost chance for the Prime Minister to push for the export control reforms needed to implement the AUKUS submarine deal. While this opportunity passes, polling from the USSC in 2022 should inspire some hope for the “alliance of the future.” USSC polling last year showed the plurality of Americans who knew of the AUKUS pact agreed that it is a good idea for Australia to have nuclear-powered submarines. In fact, those Americans who agreed led those that disagreed by a margin of 2:1. Where do Americans stand one year on? Subscribe to USSC publication alerts to get all the insights from the our latest polling report to be released on 1 November. NEWS WRAPBiden's Oval Office push for investment in America's future
![]() The alliance between Australia and the United States is central to Australia’s foreign policy... an alliance for the future. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese before departing for Washington DC | 22 October 2023 IN CASE YOU MISSED IT Did you USSC?
EVENT Sydney International Strategy ForumThe inaugural Sydney International Strategy Forum brings together prominent thought leaders, policymakers and industry experts to tackle the big issues confronting Australia, the United States and the Indo-Pacific. From bolstering supply chain resilience to turning AUKUS into reality, the forum will discuss the enormous opportunities and risks posed by such cross-cutting challenges and what they mean for the future of our region. Read more here. Tickets are still available, but strictly limited. Register now to secure your spot. TYPE COST BY THE NUMBERS In uncertain world, the alliance enhances feelings of securityBy Victoria Cooper, Research Editor Concerns about the humanitarian crisis and potential for an expanding regional conflict in the Middle East, the fate of the Ukrainian counteroffensive and dysfunction in the US House threaten to overshadow opportunities for the Australia-US alliance to grow in scope and ambition during Albanese’s visit this week. With so many delicate issues reaching fever pitch at once, it may appear a misjudgement for Albanese and Biden to devote so much attention and ceremony to their bilateral relationship. But, as the White House contended this week, demonstrating the resolve and strength of US alliances in these times of crisis is not only important, but essential. With Russia’s invasion of Ukraine dominating US foreign policy efforts in 2022, USSC polling from September that year showed a record-high 63 per cent of Americans thought their country’s transatlantic alliance with NATO made them more secure. This effect wasn’t just isolated to European allies, with the security benefits of the other US alliances with Australia (58 per cent), and Japan (49 per cent) also soaring to record highs in American public opinion. Americans were not alone in this trend last year. Sixty-three per cent of Australians in 2022 said their alliance with the United States makes their country more secure, and when faced with a hypothetical question about the security benefits of an alliance with Japan, a strong majority (59 per cent) of Australians said an alliance would make them more secure. Where do Americans and Australians stand on their alliances this year? On 1 November, the USSC will release its findings from its report One year from the 2024 presidential election: The stakes for Australia and the alliance, featuring unique findings from the Centre’s polling of Australian, Japanese and American publics. To be first in line to hear the authors’ analysis of the findings, register to attend the USSC’s inaugural Sydney International Strategy Forum below, and for media enquiries email: ussc.media@sydney.edu.au Manage your email preferences | Forward this email to a friend United States Studies Centre |