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

After 10 am this morning, I spoke with President Trump, and I congratulated him on his election victory. It was a very constructive discussion. We affirmed the strong relationship between our two nations and committed to working together for the benefit of our people, including through AUKUS. Our government's approach has always been about investing in our capabilities and investing in our relationships. That's true at a national level, and it's also true at a personal one. As Prime Minister, I have made it a priority to invest in relationships with world leaders to build trust and respect, in Australia's best interests. I built that with President Biden, and I will do so with President Trump.

The election of a new administration is a new opportunity to emphasise, once again, all that Australia brings to the table, as an ally, as an economic partner, as a stable democracy, as a leader in the region and as a power in our own right. My government will always make sure that Australia has a seat at the table and a say in the decisions that shape our region and shape the world. We are investing in our defence capability. We are promoting security across our region. We are seizing economic opportunities so we reap the benefits for the Australian people. In all of these endeavours, over decades, we have worked together with the United States—both sides of politics here in Australia but both sides of politics in the United States as well. This has been to the enduring and mutual benefit of both of our nations, and I look forward to working with President Trump in the future in the interests of both of our nations.

Peter Dutton (Dickson, Liberal Party, Leader of the Opposition) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I join with the Prime Minister, and, on behalf of the coalition, I congratulate the 45th President of the United States, Donald J. Trump, and soon to be the 47th President of the United States. As we know, it is a truly historic electoral outcome for the United States. It hasn't been repeated by any other president in American history, except in the 19th century, and that makes it a truly historic event. It makes it important in Australia's eyes because we want the United States to continue to be the great democracy that it is. We have worked together closely with our friends through the ANZUS alliance and the AUKUS arrangement, which the coalition signed with the Americans and the Brits during our term in government. Our troops have fought together since 1918 in the Battle of Hamel. We have enduring strengths, and together we are stronger. We will make sure that President Trump is not somebody to be scared of but somebody that we can work very closely with, and that's exactly what we will do.

I want to also congratulate the Republican party for the campaign that they conducted and acknowledge the fact that they won not just the Senate but the House as well. I offer my respects also to Vice President Harris for the campaign that she ran and the dignity that she demonstrated during her concession speech earlier today, our time.