Justice O’Connor Speaks Around Australia

Week of 11 September 2006

Retired Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O’Connor, the first women to be appointed the highest court in the United States, traveled to Australia the week of 11 September 2006 as a guest of the Embassy and the Australian Institute of Judicial Administration (AIJA) to attend their annual conference and deliver the key note address. During Justice O’Connor’s brief visit she delivered two lectures at the Australian National University and the Queensland University of Technology Law Schools, in each case the venues where filled to capacity and the Justice was highly engaged with her young audience. Justice O’Connor answered with aplomb questions ranging from the Supreme Court’s recent ruling on military tribunals to the need for more women on the judge’s bench. She received warm and sustained applause at the conclusion of each lecture. Her visit resulted in an article in the Australian Financial Review in which Geoffrey Barker enthused over her comments as displaying “a tour-de-force of judicial insight and wit.”

The AIJA conference has been supported in part by a grant facilitated by the Embassy to support not only the visit of Justice O’Connor but also the Chief Justice of Fiji, and Senior Judges from Papua New Guinea and Vanuatu.

Dr. Limaye Discusses U.S.-India Bilateral Relationship via DVC

Thursday, 10 August 2006

Dr. Satu Limaye of the Institute for Defense Analyses gave an overview of the U.S.-India bilateral relationship to an audience of more than 70 from the Government of Australia, academic institutions, and the media on August 10^th. Dr. Limaye provided an insightful analysis of the U.S.-India relationship, which he described as developing towards a strategic partnership similar to the U.S.-Singapore relationship, rather than an alliance such as that between the U.S. and Australia. Dr. Limaye’s comments encouraged questions and discussion across a broad range of issues including the recent U.S.-India civil nuclear technology agreement, China’s and Pakistan’s perceptions of the ties between U.S. and India, economic/trade issues, and India-Iran relations.

Muslim Chaplain of Georgetown University Tours Australia

22 July - 5 August 2006

Imam Yahya Hendi, the Muslim Chaplain of Georgetown University, undertook a series of speaking engagements and interfaith dialogues between 22 July and August 5, 2006 as part of the U.S. Speaker program. Imam Hendi visited Canberra, Sydney, Melboune and Perth and met with a wide variety of groups including Australian Government officials, community groups and high school students. Imam Hendi brought communities together through his words, actions, and personal stories, influenced others and shone as an example of the importance of respect for religious diversity and tolerance in America.

Chargé d’Affaires Stanton Meets Australian Fulbright Scholars

May 2006

Chargé d’Affaires ad interim William A. Stanton (far right) congratulates the 2006 Australian Fulbright Scholars in his role as honorary co-chair of the Australian-American Fulbright Commission. The scholars will travel to the U.S. to take up their respective studies over the next several months.

Secretary Rice in Sydney Australia

15 March 2006

U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice is in Sydney at the start of a three-day Australia visit highlighted by security talks with her Australian and Japanese counterparts. Talks will include regional issues including China’s emergence as an Asia-Pacific power.

The secretary, on the final leg of a globe circling trip, opens talks here Thursday with Prime Minister John Howard to, among other things, thank Australia for its support for U.S. efforts in Iraq.

More information

• Rice in Sydney For US-Japan-Australia Security Talks - VOA

Australia-U.S. Alliance “Vibrant and Vital,” State Dept. Says

13 March 2006

The vibrant alliance between the United States and Australia is critical for regional and global security, according to a fact sheet issued by the Department of State March 10.

“Australia is a key counterterrorism partner of the United States,” the fact sheet says. “It not only provides critical counterterrorism assistance and training to other countries in the region, it also maintains a vigorous domestic counterterrorism posture.”

The fact sheet notes that Australia invoked the Australia-New Zealand-U.S. (ANZUS) treaty after the September 11, 2001, attacks on the United States and sent combat troops to fight alongside American forces in Afghanistan and Iraq.

The United States and Australia also coordinate closely on public health, science, and crisis response strategies for avian influenza (bird flu) and other diseases, the fact sheet says.

For more on U.S. policies, see State Dept. IIP East Asia and the Pacific.

More information

• Fact Sheet: The U.S. and Australia - An Alliance of Friends

United States and Australia Sign Science and Technology Cooperation Agreement

28 February 2006

On 28 February 2006, the United States of America and Australia signed a new bilateral Agreement relating to Scientific and Technical Cooperation. Dr. John Marburger, the Director of the U.S. Office of Science and Technology Policy in the Executive Office of the President, praised the new agreement, saying it provided the basis for even closer ties between the U.S. and Australian scientific communities. The agreement extends the highly successful scientific and technological relationship between the two nations and sets forth a formal framework to strengthen cooperation in science and technology for peaceful purposes.

Chat: U.S. Immigrant Visas

31 January 2006

A Consular Officer from the Visa Section conducted an on-line chat session from 2:00pm to 3:00pm to answer questions on Immigrant Visas. It was a lively discussion with many people joining in with some excellent questions. Thanks to the Consular Officer for his answers and to everyone for participating.

Additional questions may be directed to: sydneyiv@state.gov.

The Asia-Pacific Partnership on Clean Development and Climate

12 January 2006

The United States joins with Australia, China, India, Japan, and South Korea in the Asia-Pacific Partnership on Clean Development and Climate (AP6). This Partnership will advance the President’s goal of developing and accelerating the deployment of cleaner and more efficient technologies and practices.

This new results-oriented partnership will allow our nations to develop and accelerate deployment of cleaner, more efficient energy technologies to meet national pollution reduction, energy security, and climate change concerns in ways that reduce poverty and promote economic development.

President Bush, 27 July 2005

The Asia-Pacific Partnership on Clean Development and Climate is a voluntary partnership among six major Asia-Pacific nations: Australia, China, India, Japan, Korea and the United States. And it’s designed to accelerate the development and deployment of cleaner, more efficient technologies to meet national pollution reduction, energy security and climate change concerns and in a way that promote economic development and reduce poverty.

Under Secretary Paula Dobriansky, 6 January 2006

More photos

Minister McFarland, Foreign Minister Downer, Secretary Bodman and Prime Minister Howard confer during AP6

Secretary Bodman and Foreign Minister Downer participate in AP6

U.S. Secretary of Energy Samuel Bodman at concluding press conference of the AP6