Canberra, May five, 2025 — Just days after gaining a clear election victory giving his Labour Party a solid mandate to rule, Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese reported on Monday that he had a “warm and constructive” phone discussion with United States President Joe Biden.
Albanese said of the Sunday night phone chat that it was “friendly, congratulating, and focused on the future of Australia–U.S. relations.” Speaking at a press conference in Canberra, the prime minister said both leaders reiterated their dedication to shared democratic ideals, continuous defence cooperation under the Aukus agreement, and addressing trade concerns including contentious tariffs still influencing Australian exports.
“It was a really friendly conversation about the friendship between our two countries that’s so vital,” Albanese said to reporters.
“President Biden congratulated us on our strong electoral result and expressed confidence in the work we have done—and will continue to do—together on global security, economic cooperation, and climate leadership.”
An Excellent Demand for Workers
The discussion centres on a resounding triumph for the centre-left Labour Party of Albanese in Saturday’s federal election. Labour exceeded early projections and guaranteed a clear road to establish government by grabbing at least 85 seats in the 151-member House of Representatives. Leading Peter Dutton, the opposition Liberal-National Coalition trailed greatly with early estimates showing them ahead in only about 40 seats.
Domestic issues dominated the election; voters’ top priorities were healthcare, cost-of-living challenges, and climate change measures. Suburban and rural voters seemed to particularly relate strongly to Labor’s theme of social responsibility and economic fairness according to Aljazeera.
Albanese said the outcome reflects “a resounding call for a new direction and a more compassionate and future-focused leadership.”
“Australians have chosen progress, cooperation, and unity,” Albanese added. “We are ready to work with foreign partners to promote peace, prosperity, and sustainability; we take this responsibility seriously.”
The AUKUS Pact and Strategic Alignment
The Aukus defence agreement—a trilateral commitment agreed in 2021 between Australia, the United States, and the United Kingdom to strengthen Indo-Pacific security—was one of the main subjects of the phone call. A key element of Aukus is Australia building nuclear-powered submarines to update its naval capacity.
Albanese praised the Biden administration for its ongoing assistance and reaffirmed Australia’s dedication to the accord.
“Aukus marks a generational advance in Australia’s defence preparedness,” he said. “President Biden and I spoke about the next phase of cooperation including workforce training, technology sharing, and strengthening of our regional security framework.”
Analysts think Washington and London will welcome Australia’s continuation in leadership since it guarantees consistent cooperation on one of the most important military alliances in Asia-Pacific area.
Trade Tensions: Tariffs Still in Focus
The two leaders also discussed the continuing problem of U.S. tariffs on Australian exports, a legacy of the trade policies first carried out under the Trump presidency. Although President Biden has reversed certain high-profile tariffs since assuming office, other categories of goods—including aluminium and agricultural products—remain subject to a baseline 10% charge under what the U.S. defines as a “reciprocal fairness” policy.
Although the tone of the call was upbeat, Albanese underlined Australia’s opposition to the tariffs, which he had earlier characterised as “unwarranted and not the act of a friend.”
“I made it plain that the continuing tariff structure is hurting Australian businesses, especially in manufacturing and mining,” he said. “President Biden paid attention to the worries and nodded. We decided to send our trade ministers to keep in constant communication in search of a road ahead.
The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade reports that U.S.-bound exports from Australia fell 7% in the past fiscal year, mostly owing to pricing competitiveness impacted by the tariffs.
A Personal Rapport and Future Cooperation
Regarding his rapport with President Biden personally, Albanese gave great compliments when asked.
“This is our third conversation since I first took office; every time, the tone has been friendly, polite, and forward-looking,” Albanese added.
“He was deeply informed about Australia’s domestic situation and our global aspirations and was kind in his personal remarks.”
The prime minister also made hints about a possible bilateral visit to Washington later this year, maybe to coincide with a more general Indo-Pacific meeting. Although no official date is known, diplomatic reports indicate that preparations for more high-level discussions between the two administrations are under way.
Opposition in Disarray
Peter Dutton’s Liberal-National Coalition is under internal scrutiny meantime following one of the worst political results in decades. Critics of Dutton, whose campaign mostly focused on national security and border protection, accused him of emulating former U.S. President Donald Trump by stressing cultural war issues above policy substance.
Although Dutton is still the leader as of Monday, party insiders speculate that should the final count validate the degree of the electoral losses, a leadership challenge might develop.
Looking Ahead
Albanese is likely to give economic recovery, renewable energy investment top priority as he chooses his new cabinet, along with diplomatic re-engagement with important partners. Healthcare reform is another. Monday’s meeting with President Biden reveals a wish for ongoing alignment between Canberra and Washington, particularly given the changing global geopolitical environment from the South China Sea to Ukraine.
“We live in a complex environment but also one full of possibilities,” Albanese said. “Australia will contribute under direction of values, teamwork, and strength.”
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