Ms Julie Bishop (Curtin, Liberal Party, Deputy Leader of the Opposition) Share this | Hansard source

The coalition supports the Leader of the House in moving this motion and joins with the government in welcoming President Obama to Australia. Australia will always welcome a visit from a President of the United States. The person who occupies that position is indeed the leader of the free world.

The United States is our strongest ally and our warmest friend, and we share the enduring values of freedom, democracy and commitment to the rule of law. We join with the United States in supporting the aspirations of people around the world who are prepared to fight for freedom. It was 70 years ago, in January of 1941, that US President Franklin D Roosevelt in his state of the union address articulated the four freedoms: freedom of speech; freedom of worship; freedom from want; freedom from fear. Later that year, in December of 1941, the United States was attacked at Pearl Harbor, and that changed the course of the Second World War and certainly changed the course of history.

The coalition government at that time had foreseen the need to engage with the United States as we faced the dark hours of World War II, for, in 1939, Prime Minister Menzies dispatched the first ambassador to Washington in RG Casey, and the United States sent the first ambassador from the US to Australia later in 1940. That deep engagement with the United States proved to be absolutely vital considering what lay ahead.

Sixty years ago the ANZUS treaty was signed, and this is the keystone of our strategic relationship with the United States where we agree to support each other in the face of mutual danger. Our relationship has also been broadened and strengthened and deepened with the passing of the free trade agreement between the United States and Australia in 2005.

With President Obama's visit we will recognise the deep, close ties between our two countries. We notice that President Obama has a particular personal interest in this part of the world from the time that he spent in Indonesia, and we welcome the United States' deeper commitment to this region, particularly with Indonesia.

The Australian people feel very affectionate towards the United States and visit there often. Apparently about three-quarters of a million Australians visit the United States each year and about half a million Americans visit Australia. There are close government-to-government ties and people-to-people links. President Obama's visit will continue to cement that deep, enduring and lasting friendship and alliance between the United States and Australia.

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