‘If you're not willing to transact, it's a snub': Former Australian ambassador warns Albanese govt over handling of US relationship
The Albanese government been called out for its handling of the United States relationship, with a former top diplomat warning Australia could become a 'tier three ally'.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese came under fire after a planned meeting with US President Donald Trump at the G7 summit was abruptly cancelled when Trump left the event early – a move which is understood to have blindsided Mr Albanese.
Key issues such as the AUKUS security partnership, which the Trump administration recently announced it would review, and US-imposed tariffs were expected to discussed in the scrapped meeting.
Mr Albanese then decided not to attend the NATO summit held this week, which was attended by Mr Trump, with Deputy Prime Minister Richard Marles going in his place.
Speaking from Washington DC on Friday, Mr Hockey outlined the importance of the bilateral relationship, calling the US 'crucial to the Indo-Pacific".
'The danger is at the moment that we can slip from being a tier one ally of the United States to a tier three ally,' Mr Hockey told Sky New News host Laura Jayes.
'And of course Donald Trump... his focus is not really Europe, his focus is not really the Middle East. His focus is China and the Indo-Pacific.'
The former diplomat then described Mr Trump as 'transactional' when it comes to his handling of international relations, and claimed 'if you're not willing to transact, it's a snub'.
'So the fundamental point for the Albanese government, or the Turnbull or Morrison government, whoever it is, you have to be prepared to transact. It's a living, breathing relationship. It goes two ways.'
The comments from the former ambassador come after a leading defence expert expressed concern over the current state of the US-Australia relationship.
'The alliance is in its worst shape since the Whitlam/Nixon period which was more than 50 years ago,' Australian Strategic Policy Institute Executive Director Peter Jennings said on Thursday.
'One wonders then if they are trying to find a reason to distance themselves from the American strikes, because frankly you can create legal advice which will support the strikes, or also that says the strikes were illegal."
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