President Biden meets with Australia's Prime Minister Anthony Albanese in the Oval Office.
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00:00 (inaudible)
00:19 >> Well, Mr. Prime Minister, welcome.
00:21 Welcome to the White House. Welcome to the Oval Office.
00:24 It's been a long time coming.
00:27 And let me apologize again for not being able
00:33 to make my visit to Australia.
00:35 I think we're a little bit in disarray here
00:38 and required to be home.
00:39 And so that's why I didn't want to invite you here.
00:42 And together, you know, we've worked together
00:46 in the strength of the alliance,
00:48 and I think we've actually deepened that strength.
00:50 I think we've moved in the direction
00:51 that through our historic caucus partnership,
00:55 we've now (inaudible) and expanded economic development
00:59 on another, with American investment in Australia
01:02 being at an all-time high under our administration.
01:05 And in May, we strengthened our climate ties.
01:08 And thank you, thank you, thank you for your move on climate.
01:11 That's a big deal,
01:13 including launching a new climate minerals
01:15 and clean energy compact,
01:19 because you have great assets and you can all use
01:22 to make sure that we move in the direction of clean energy.
01:26 And today, we're taking our alliance even further
01:29 with doubling down on cooperation
01:32 on technology and science.
01:34 This morning, we're going to discuss
01:36 how all these efforts can help advance a free,
01:41 open, and secure Indo-Pacific.
01:43 And I look forward to discussing how we can work together
01:47 to address threats to the stability in the region
01:51 and the economic stability as well,
01:53 supporting Ukraine in the face of Russia's bitter aggression,
01:57 and to stand with Israel on the wake of Hamas's
02:01 appalling terrorist attacks.
02:03 Mr. Prime Minister, thank you very much for being here.
02:06 It's an honor to have you.
02:08 Thank you for your leadership and your personal leadership.
02:11 >> Prime Minister Stevenson Well, thank you very much,
02:13 Mr. President. It is a great honor for me to be here
02:17 as Australia's Prime Minister.
02:21 And our alliance, I believe, has never been more important,
02:24 and it's also never been stronger.
02:26 We've added a third tier. We have had defense,
02:30 and we've had the economic relationship,
02:32 defense through ANZUS,
02:35 the economic relationship through our free trade agreement.
02:38 But we've added a third part of this alliance,
02:42 front and center as well,
02:44 through our clean energy, critical minerals,
02:46 and climate change compact.
02:50 Taking action to protect the world,
02:54 to lower emissions, to take advantage of the shift
02:58 to clean energy,
03:00 the opportunity that presents to grow economies as well,
03:04 and to decouple, particularly for developing nations,
03:07 to allow them to develop in a way at the same time
03:10 as they're reducing emissions,
03:14 and breaking that nexus between industrialization
03:18 and emissions is so important.
03:21 The AUKUS agreement is so central,
03:25 and I thank you, Mr. President,
03:26 for the work that you've done in persuading legislators
03:32 to make sure that we put in place the measures
03:34 that are necessary to encourage that two-way transfer
03:39 of defense technology
03:42 that will be at the center of an agreement
03:46 that's about peace and security in our region,
03:49 but also about prosperity in our region as well.
03:53 In addition to that,
03:56 the work that we're doing together in the Pacific
04:00 is very important. I know that you've hosted Pacific leaders
04:02 twice here in the White House,
04:06 and that has been very welcome.
04:08 In today's uncertain world,
04:10 the alliance between Australia and the United States
04:15 and the way that we stand steadfast against aggression,
04:19 whether it be Russia's illegal invasion of Ukraine
04:23 or whether it be Hamas's terrorist attack on Israel
04:28 is something that can be relied upon
04:32 for us to stand up for our common values.
04:34 And that's why I very much welcome this visit
04:39 and welcome the cooperation that we're having,
04:43 as well as our personal relationship.
04:45 This is our ninth meeting in just the 16 months
04:49 that I've had the honor of being Prime Minister.
04:51 And I look forward to continuing to take the relationship
04:55 to a higher level.
04:57 As we do every time we meet today,
05:00 we'll be advancing technology agreement
05:03 between our two great nations as well.
05:06 And innovation is so important
05:08 that we're able to commercialize it
05:10 to benefit both of our peoples.
05:12 So, thank you.
05:13 - Well, you've made one member of my administration
05:17 incredibly happy with your strong move
05:20 to environmental protection.
05:22 That's Secretary Kerry.
05:24 - Indeed, indeed.
05:26 And he's shown great leadership, of course.
05:29 - He is.
05:30 - And it is so important for us
05:33 that the other area of our cooperation
05:35 is, of course, in working on natural disasters.
05:40 Later, I'll be visiting your Emergency Management Authority.
05:45 We've set up a similar model nationally
05:48 based upon what you've done here
05:51 because climate change is real
05:54 and we can see its impacts with wildfires, with floods.
05:59 And that is just a reminder every time
06:03 that we have a responsibility
06:05 to this and future generations.
06:08 - Well, I was asked by Xi Jinping a couple years ago
06:12 why I was working so hard with your country.
06:15 And I said, "Because we're a Pacific nation."
06:19 He looked at me and he said, "Yeah, we're a Pacific nation
06:21 "in the United States."
06:22 And we are.
06:23 We're gonna stay that way.
06:25 Thank you.
06:26 Thank you, everyone.
06:27 - Mr. President, on Israel,
06:28 will you respond to attacks on US troops in the region?
06:32 Will you respond to attacks on US troops in the region,
06:34 Mr. President?
06:36 - You're getting a press conference after this
06:38 with me, go ahead and ask your question.
06:40 Thank you.
06:41 - Okay, thank you guys.
06:41 - Thank you, guys.
06:43 - Thank you.
06:44 - Girls, please stand.
06:45 How you guys look?
06:46 (murmuring)
06:49 (murmuring)
06:52 (murmuring)
06:55 (murmuring)
06:57 [BLANK_AUDIO]