iscover
Former prime minister and foreign affairs minister Kevin Rudd is set to step down from his role as ambassador to the United States in March. This unexpected and unusual move raises questions about who will take his place and what is in Australia’s interests as the forthcoming ambassador steps into the role.
Rudd was originally appointed to the role in March 2023 and has worked closely as a liaison between Australia and the contentious state of the United States that the world has borne witness to over the past few years.
While in the role, Rudd was no stranger to backlash, even from US President Donald J Trump himself, who late last year told Rudd in front of reporters, “I don’t like you, and I probably never will.”
In his term, he made major advancements towards AUKUS goals, negotiated the Critical Minerals and Rare Earth Framework Agreement, and worked diligently to secure the release of Julian Assange.
“On behalf of our nation, we thank Kevin for his service to Australia and for taking forward Australia's interest with our closest security ally,” Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said.
Rudd is leaving his ambassador role to take up the role of global president for the Asia Society, a leading international think tank.
Ambassador to the United States, why is it so important?
To put it simply, there is lots at stake in this role.
Australia’s relationship with the United States is arguably the most important strategic international relationship our island nation needs to survive; from the AUKUS partnership to the ANZUS treaty, China’s aggression in the Indo-Pacific to joint military exercises, maintaining a positive relationship with the US is critical to our defensive viability.
Jared Mondschein, director of research at the United States Studies Centre, said it is vital that the next ambassador holds the “tireless work ethic” needed for this role.
“You need to have an ambassador who is willing to work across a wide array of topics and with a wide array of folks, Democrats, Republicans, Congress, executive branch and more, to further Australia’s interest.”
Now more than ever is Australia’s relationship with the United States at a critical point.
With President Trump continuing to base his treatment, policies and actions with international leaders based on his personal views and relationships, having an Australian ambassador who can appeal to the President while keeping Australian interests at the core of their appointment is an invaluable skill that is needed in this peculiar Trumpian era of democracy.
“Australia’s new ambassador faces the critical task of interpreting what’s happening in Washington, and what Trump’s succession looks like,” international affairs expert James Curran wrote for the Australian Financial Review.
“Australia’s new ambassador will have to assist Canberra in navigating a new path for the relationship in this fourth phase, as America undergoes structural change in terms of how it acts in the world.”
So, who will get the job?
Chosen by Anthony Albanese with the help of Foreign Minister Penny Wong, talks of former Labor ministers, career diplomats and senior public servants are all in consideration of landing the highly sought-after job.
The Guardian reported that “Labor sources” suggested Joel Fitzgibbon and Stephen Conroy as possible contenders for the role, both of whom served as ministers in the Rudd and Gillard governments.
Also in consideration is Greg Moriarty, who currently serves as the Secretary of Australia’s Department of Defence. Moriarty previously served as ambassador to Iran and Indonesia, with defence and maritime analyst Jennifer Parker noting him as a prime candidate.
“Moving forward with our alliance with the US is key. There’s probably no one who understands that more, and the initiatives under the alliance including AUKUS, than Greg Moriarty. For those reasons, he would be a good candidate,” she told The Guardian.
The new ambassador is likely to be announced extremely soon, as Rudd officially prepares to leave the role in March.
Final thoughts
Regardless of whoever ends up with the appointment, what is most critical is that the successor is chosen on merit, not as a political play.
Too much is at stake with the recklessness of Trump, and Australia needs the United States too much for this to be a decision that appeals to our domestic politics. We need to look wider and see what is really at stake for our country if our relationship with the US goes south.
Bruce Wolpe, Senior Fellow at the United States Studies Centre, said that what is important when choosing the new ambassador is that they will be able to strategically analyse the changing nature of US politics and how this will impact Australia.
“The US is already in a very intense political year, and so everything’s going to be politicised. You want someone who’s not necessarily caught up in that, but someone who can actually read it,” Wolpe said.
Rudd did this successfully, seeing Australia being given some of the most lenient deals when Trump announced his reciprocal tariffs, keeping our global market value and economic stability at a strong point.
Examples like this are critical within the next few years, and the nomination of the new ambassador should adequately reflect this.
Working as the ambassador to the US would be the job opportunity of a lifetime, but what is more important is the actions taken in this position that affect the livelihoods of everyday Australians.
Get involved with the discussion and let us know your thoughts on what you would like to see from Australia’s political leaders in the comments section below or get in touch at
