70th anniversary of the ANZUS Treaty: RMIT expert available for comment

The 70th anniversary of the Australia, New Zealand, United States Security Treaty falls on Wednesday 1 September. ANZUS is Australia's official security alliance with the United States.

Dr Emma Shortis (0430 358 798 or emma.shortis@rmit.edu.au) 

Topics: Australian-US relations, US history, US politics, Biden administration, Trump administration

“On the 70^th anniversary of ANZUS, it’s time to re-examine Australia’s relationship with the United States and how it shapes Australia’s role in the world.

“We are seeing the consequences of Australian support for American power unfold in real time in Afghanistan, highlighting the Treaty is Australia's most important security relationship.

“There had been suggestions Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison would travel to the US in September to commemorate the 70^th anniversary with US President Joe Biden.

“There were also suggestions Biden could come Down Under, but this is looking highly unlikely. We traditionally have to go to presidents. They don’t generally come to us.

“Morrison would be hopeful he can still head back to Washington, to reiterate his standing on the global stage and demonstrate the strength of the relationship, in spite of noise about climate policy.

“With the 20^th anniversary of the Tampa crisis just gone and the 20^th anniversary of 9/11 approaching, history tells us just how critical the alliance is to Australian politics today.”

Dr Emma Shortis is a Research Fellow at the EU Centre of Excellence at RMIT University. She was a Fox-Zucker International Fellow at Yale University, is a regular media commentator on the history and current politics of the US and co-host of RMIT’s politics and culture podcast Barely Gettin’ By. Her first book about Australia’s relationship with America was published this month.