Christopher Pyne (Sturt, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Education, Apprenticeships and Training) Share this | Hansard source

The coalition certainly looks forward to the visit of President Obama to this parliament. The coalition has been historically the great friend of the United States in this country. The coalition was the government that was responsible for drafting and signing the ANZUS treaty in the early 1950s. Australia has no better friend than the United States, and the United States has no better friend than Australia. Every time Australia is called on to support the United States in world affairs, whether they have been unfortunate conflagrations across the world, whether they have been support in the United Nations or other world fora, Australia has been there to support the United States.

The United States is the greatest bulwark for freedom and against terror in the world today. While the United States is going through difficult economic times, I am absolutely confident that the United States will come through these difficult economic times stronger and better than ever.

A visit of a United States President is an historic visit for Australia. We have other great allies, like Japan and Great Britain, but none that have done more for Australia than the United States. I am pleased that in most cases it is a bipartisan issue in this parliament. Not everybody in the parliament supports the United States as confidently and passionately as the coalition does, but, by and large over the history of this country since the Second World War, there has been a bipartisan approach from the leadership at least—from the prime ministers of both Labor and Liberal parties—to support the United States alliance and to strengthen that relationship.

In speaking briefly to this motion, I welcome the arrangements that have been put in place by the Leader of the House and by the government. It will be a tremendous day for Australia, and I look forward to supporting this motion when it comes on for a vote.

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