US Ambassador to Australia Caroline Kennedy gave a number of frank answers to questions after addressing the National Press Club of Australia. Photo: Michelle Kroll.
Outgoing United States Ambassador to Australia Caroline Kennedy thinks Kevin Rudd is doing a great job as Canberra’s man in Washington but says it’s up to Anthony Albanese if he stays there.
The security of Mr Rudd’s position as Australia’s Ambassador to the US has been the subject of much speculation since the election of Donald Trump over disparaging social media posts Mr Rudd posted before his appointment.
Appearing at the National Press Club of Australia on Monday (18 November), Ambassador Kennedy, who is winding up her Canberra post, gave a farewell speech full of praise for Australia and the strength of the relationship between the two nations.
While her address largely side-stepped the impacts of the recent US election, the Q&A that followed went straight there, including questions about Mr Rudd’s tenure.
“Ambassador Rudd has the full confidence of the prime minister, and whoever is the ambassador is a choice of the government that sends them to Washington DC,” she said.
“I will say that I have seen Ambassador Rudd. He’s incredibly energetic. He’s forged really strong relationships in Congress on both sides of the aisle, so I’m sure he is fully capable. I have seen Australians argue, so I’m sure he’s capable of dealing with whatever comes.”
Ms Kennedy shared a strong view about her cousin Robert F Kennedy Jr, who was selected by the President-elect to head the US Department of Health and Human Services.
Kennedy Jr is an anti-vaxxer and has expressed serious scepticism about the need for vaccinations.
Ambassador Kennedy acknowledged she was commenting about politics and about her family, and so was reluctant to say anything at all.
But she left the audience with no doubt as to her position.
“I think Kennedy’s views on vaccines are dangerous, and I don’t think most Americans share them,” she said.
“My uncle Teddy (the late Senator Ted Kennedy) spent 50 years fighting for affordable healthcare in the Senate, and it’s something that our whole family is so proud of that President Obama signed the Affordable Care Act and built on the work that my uncle had done over many years.
“My Aunt Eunice started the Special Olympics, so I would say that our family is united in terms of our support for the public health sector and infrastructure and has the greatest admiration for the medical profession in our country.
“Bobby Kennedy [Jr] has got a different set of views.”
Another Trump nominee was also the subject of questions, this time Tulsi Gabbard, who the incoming president wants as his Director of National Intelligence.
There are strong Democratic allegations that Gabbard is a Russian agent.
Ms Kennedy expressed concern over a number of Trump’s nominees but suggested some might not be confirmed.
“Let’s just calm down and wait and see what happens,” she said in relation to Gabbard.
“But obviously, that would be of great concern, and we’ll see who actually gets confirmed.”
The Ambassador had huge praise for Australia, saying it was America’s most trusted and capable ally.
“Australia may be a middle power, but to the United States, you are number one,” she said.
“In every dimension of our relationship, I have seen the United States rely on Australian leadership and experience.
“Australia is no longer America’s ‘deputy sheriff’ or whatever the critics like to say.
“Australia is our teacher and our partner as the United States navigates a multipolar world.”
And despite commentary suggesting a Trump-led US might withdraw from this region, the Ambassador said to expect otherwise.
While there will be many differences under Trump, she said, the US needs its friends and allies in this neighbourhood.
“The United States is a Pacific nation and what happens in this region is of vital national security, economic security, energy security to us,” Ms Kennedy said.
“So as we’ve seen with the QUAD, as we have seen with critical minerals, and we have seen really with AUKUS across the board, the United States has made commitments over many decades and those are not going to change, and our national interest is not going to change.”
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