Barack Obama to Visit Australia in March

The White House has announced that Barack Obama will visit Australia in March, as an extension of his trip to Guam and Indonesia.

“This trip is an important part of the President’s continued effort to broaden and strengthen the partnerships that are necessary to advance our security and prosperity,” press secretary Robert Gibbs told Washington media.

He said the visit to Australia would commemorate the 70th anniversary of the US-Australia alliance during which Mr Obama is expected to discuss with Kevin Rudd a range of issues including global economic recovery, climate change and green energy, nuclear non-proliferation and Afghanistan.

Prime Minister Kevin Rudd has previously invited Barack Obama to visit Australia – something the President promised to do in his first term.

“President Obama will be a most welcome guest in Australia on his first official visit. Australia’s relationship with the United States of America is our most important international partnership. We are allies, we are trading partners, and we cooperate on the international challenges confronting all nations. Our formal military alliance, the ANZUS Treaty, has been in force for nearly 60 years. The president’s visit will underline the strength and breadth of the relationship.” Prime Minister Kevin Rudd said.

Mr Obama will be invited to address a joint sitting of the Australian Parliament.  Former US presidents George Bush, Bill Clinton and George W Bush addressed the Federal Parliament during their visits to Australia in 1992, 1996 and 2003.   “This is the way in which we respect the leaders of a great democracy and the United States is one,” Mr Rudd said.

During the presidential visit, Mr Rudd is expecting the Australian public to greet Mr Obama more warmly than they did President George W Bush.

Protesters demonstrating against the Iraq war targeted former President Bush during his visit to Canberra in 2003.

“As for how he’s welcomed in this country, I’m confident that the Australian people will be their normal and gracious and welcoming selves,” Mr Rudd said.

Mr Rudd said terrorism issues and the recovery of the United States’ economy would be on the agenda.  He said the visit was important for the two countries’ bilateral relationship.  He said the recovery of the US economy would affect working Australian families.

“What we’ll be spending our time doing is looking at the future of our security relationship, the challenges of terrorism, but also, this is the biggest economy in the world,” Mr Rudd told the Nine Network this morning.

“The recovery of this US economy affects every working family,” he said.

The announcement of Mr Obama’s visit has sparked debate about how the US President should spend his time while in Australia.  Victorian Premier John Brumby issued an open invitation to Mr Obama to visit the MCG and watch a Collingwood game.  Mr Brumby said the US President was a “sports nut” and would love to watch an AFL game.

“He could also visit the Food and Wine Festival and even the Grand Prix,” Mr Brumby told 3AW.

AFL chief executive Andrew Demetriou added his support to any plans to bring Mr Obama to watch an AFL game.  He even suggested the Collingwood v Western Bulldogs game on Sunday March 28 at Etihad Stadium in the first round as an ideal match.  Mr Demetriou also extended an invitation to an Auskick session to the President’s daughters, Sasha and Malia, to show the Obamas the game’s community links.

Mr Brumby has admitted he hasn’t talked to Prime Minister Kevin Rudd about the visit and that any decisions on Mr Obama’s itinerary will be decided by the US authorities and the PM’s office.  During his Australian visit, Mr Obama will also be given time to meet with Opposition Leader Tony Abbott but the Government is still working out which Australian cities he will visit.

The President will be accompanied by First Lady Michelle Obama. En route to Indonesia, the couple will visit Guam, where the US has a major military presence.

In Jakarta, where Mr Obama lived as a boy with his mother and stepfather in the late 1960s, he is expected to launch formally the US-Indonesia Comprehensive Partnership.