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Who is Australia’s new ambassador to the United States and what does he believe? More importantly, why is Albo’s choice in this matter so critical?
Late last week, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese announced that Greg Moriarty will take up the role of ambassador to the United States, following former prime minister Kevin Rudd’s early resignation in the role.
The defence department secretary was chosen for the highly regarded role for a myriad of reasons, with Prime Minister Albanese calling him an “outstanding Australian public servant”. As the former chief of staff to former prime minister Malcom Turnbull, a non-partisan selection for the role is likely the best choice amid rising sociopolitical unrest in the United States.
Who is Greg Moriarty?
Moriarty has had an extensive, long career as a diplomat and bureaucrat for Australia, with this new tenure not being his first overseas posting, although it is definitely his most significant.
Domestically, he was appointed Australia’s first counter-terrorism coordinator in 2015, served as chief of staff to former prime minister Turnbull, and has been a public servant and adviser to a range of both Labor and Liberal-led governments over the years; he has never been an elected member of Parliament.
Internationally, he was ambassador to Indonesia (2010–14) and to Iran (2005–08), in which he briefed former US president George W Bush. Additionally, he served in the United States Central Command headquarters in the Persian Gulf. Earlier in his career, he was a senior negotiator for peace keeping missions in Papua New Guinea.
Moriarty has held the top job in the defence department since 2017 and notably has seen the progression, response and continued efforts surrounding the AUKUS pact, a facet of his experience that will be extremely important as the 2030s approach and Australia is set to receive SSN Virginia Class submarines.
What does he believe?
Moriarty has had little to none of a social media presence or widely outspoken political voice, a stark contrast to Kevin Rudd whose years-old comments about US President Donald Trump being a “traitor to the West” and the “most destructive president in history” caused controversy when he was initially appointed to the role, and likely triggered President Trump to publicly say to Rudd that “I don’t like you either, and I probably never will”.
Breaking the barrier and making a good impression on the President is a strange development of the requirements in this high-profile government role, with Moriarty’s more tempered and less known demeanor potentially working in favour of Trump’s unreliable relationship with global representatives and allies.
His role will be exponentially valuable when specifically focusing on AUKUS, with his acute experience and knowledge of the over $365 billion deal likely being a key advantage in his selection to the role.
Domestic response
Albanese’s selection of Moriarty has been widely welcomed by both sides of the political spectrum with politicians across the board expressing the same sentiment – now is not the time to pick friends for the job.
“He’s been a former chief of staff to a Liberal prime minister. He has served both Labor and Coalition governments,” Albanese said on ABC Insiders.
“He’s been the secretary of the Department of Defence and the AUKUS deal is central to our relationship with the US. And he’s in a very strong position to be on top of all of that detail.”
Not since 2010 with the appointment of Dennis Richardson, who was also the defence secretary, has a bureaucrat rather than a politician been chosen for the Washington posting, marking a purposeful and thorough decision in the increasingly unprecedented, volatile political environment in the United States.
Opposition Leader Sussan Ley and shadow minister for foreign affairs Michaelia Cash came out saying that Moriarty is a “safe pair of hands” for the role, who has had a “distinguished career” in defence and security.
Earlier this month, Turnbull publicly backed Moriarty, saying that “he would be able to hit the ground running in a way others could not”.
Former prime minister Scott Morrison said Moriarty’s “professionalism, dedication and integrity in the service and love of his country” will help him to thrive in the role.
Greens Senator David Shoebridge opposed the appointment, saying that Moriarty was “failing upwards” in faults recognised in the AUKUS deal.
Final thoughts and why this choice is so important
In the face of President Trump’s erratic antics the world has bear witness to since 2016 – contradicting and back-pedalling on statements regarding the tragedies in Minneapolis and a continued attempt to strip back the freedoms of US citizens – having a qualified, steady, and strong Australian presence in the country is highly important in maintaining global cooperation.
Moriarty will hopefully not be swayed by the favoritism Trump hands out to those who pander to him and still succeed in solidifying and supporting the invaluable relationship between Australia and the United States.
Carnage and chaos plagues America, with democracy growing ever more fragile; the next few years are going to be integral to the projection of America’s relationship with the rest of the world, with small/middle powers like Australia likely not a pressing concern amid domestic issues.
This is where Moriarty will really have to focus on Australia’s priorities and do what is best for us, not Trump.
