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An Australian former adviser to the US president says Prime Minister Anthony Albanese should not be afraid to stand firm to Donald Trump when they finally meet at the White House later this month.
Former Dow Chemical chief executive Andrew Liveris, who now heads the Brisbane 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games organising committee, told a business lunch in the Queensland capital on Thursday Albanese needed to avoid the trap of fawning over Trump, as so many world leaders had done.
Instead, Liveris said, Albanese should “be strong and say what he needs to say about our country”.
Andrew Liveris and then-president-elect Donald Trump in 2016.Credit: NYT
“This ‘how am I going to make [Trump] happy, so I can protect my country?’ is exactly the wrong way to approach it,” he said.
“What’s right for [Australia] should be the conversation and, if America doesn’t like it, we have other friends.”
While he said he would have advised Albanese to meet with Trump earlier, Liveris said the prime minister should enter the Oval Office with the knowledge – and confidence – that Australia holds many cards in the bilateral relationship.
“We’re needed by the United States – critical minerals? We’re needed. Security? We’re needed,” he said.
“We’re in the right region, and we are a decent countervailing force as a middle power to the ascent of China. So we’re on the right docket ... It doesn’t have to be kowtowing.
“Make that case.”
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“I think that will happen, but I do think it’s at least one more term – America’s not restored yet. America needs to find America again.
“America is about America today, and this is where most countries are getting it wrong.”
Earlier this week, Albanese told this masthead the purpose of the White House meeting with Trump was simply to continue building their relationship.
“I’ve had very constructive discussions and engagement with the president on five occasions now,” he said.
“It’s an important alliance for Australia, and it’s very positive. I look forward to [the meeting].”
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