US President Joe Biden has pulled out of the Presidential race and has officially endorsed his Vice President, Kamala Harris, for the Democratic nominee. Whatever happens in November, it's clear now that America will have a new President next year. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese joins me now. Prime Minister, welcome to the program.
ANTHONY ALBANESE, PRIME MINISTER: Good morning, PK.
KARVELAS: What are your reflections on the Presidency of Joe Biden and his decision to step down?
PRIME MINISTER: President Biden has been a great friend of Australia. The AUKUS arrangement is very significant and wouldn't have happened without the President's support. But also the economic relationship has grown, our trade during his Presidency. He's been a magnificent supporter of democracy around the world. Whether it be the struggle of the people of Ukraine versus Russia's illegal and immoral invasion or whether it be the presence of the United States in the Indo-Pacific - that's been very important as well. He's someone who stood up for values of social inclusion and importantly as well for Australia and for the world, he's been a leading figure on climate action. His Inflation Reduction Act is probably the most significant piece of climate change legislation carried anywhere in the world. And he's governed at a very difficult time. We have had coming out of COVID as well as the Russian invasion of Ukraine have resulted in inflationary pressures globally. He's governed with increased jobs in the United States and I think has been a President who will step down in January with a record of which he can be proud. And on a personal level, he's been a good friend and he's someone who I've enjoyed a very positive and constructive relationship with.
KARVELAS: Have you sent President Joe Biden any messages this morning in the wake of his announcement?
PRIME MINISTER: I have sent him a message of best wishes. He, of course, unfortunately has suffered from COVID at the moment, so I think most of us now know what that is like, but I certainly wish him and Jill Biden all the very best. He was a gracious host to myself and Jodie during our State Visit last year, hosting a State Dinner, but also hosting a two-on-two dinner that we had in the West Wing and I spent many hours with President Biden discussing global issues as well as with his entire Cabinet leadership. And I think he has been and will continue to be, over the coming months, the most important leader in our globe. Of course, the United States is our most important ally and I wish him well.
KARVELAS: Well, it's interesting you say that, Prime Minister, because the Trump campaign is worried that he's not capable of remaining President till January. Is Australia worried about that?
PRIME MINISTER: Not at all. President Biden chaired the recent NATO summit in a very effective way. That was a very successful global event. And I look forward to meeting with President Biden at the G20 summit and the APEC summit, which will be coming up.
KARVELAS: He has endorsed Kamala Harris as his successor. Of course, that doesn't mean she becomes the nominee. Do you know Kamala Harris? What should Australia know about Kamala Harris? Because, of course, if she does become the nominee, she could become President and would be dealing with a new President.
PRIME MINISTER: I know Kamala Harris well. She is a good friend of Australia as well. I've met with her on the sidelines of the G7, the APEC meeting that was held in Thailand, as well as during my visits to the United States. Of course, we will wait and see what comes out of the Democratic Convention, and that is, of course, a matter for the US. What is clear, as you said in your introduction, is that the United States will have a new President come January, and that will be a matter for the people of the United States to express through the democratic process in November.
KARVELAS: Just finally, Prime Minister, this has been a very volatile time in US politics, of course, with the attempted assassination of Donald Trump. Now we have this news of a sitting President saying he will not run again. You must be watching on, worried about the United States. Is that how you feel?
PRIME MINISTER: The United States has, from time to time, gone through some turbulent times. But what we know is that it's a strong democratic nation and that it has consistently emerged from difficult times as a nation of strength. The relationship between our two countries is a relationship based upon our common values, those values of democracy, the values of human rights, the values of standing up for what is right. And the United States, like Australia, of course, is a complex country. It's a great multicultural country as well. And I'm sure that it will emerge from this democratic process in November. Sometimes it can be, particularly from a distance, can look a little bit untidy. But the alternative is not to have democratic processes. And I know that Australia certainly isn't in a position, given what we went through with a decade of turbulent leadership. If I get re-elected as Prime Minister, that will be the first time that a Prime Minister has been re-elected after having served a full term since John Howard in 2004. So, we have certainly been much more turbulent than the United States has been over the last couple of decades.
KARVELAS: Just finally, sneaky last question. What does it say about his character that he's decided to step down? He clearly didn't want to, but there was immense pressure on him.
PRIME MINISTER: He is an incredibly decent, honourable man of integrity who has always put his nation first. And he put his nation first in putting himself forward for the Presidency in 2020, having served, of course, as Vice President to President [Obama] in eight years prior to the election of President Trump. President Biden is someone whose standing will only grow as a result of this decision.
KARVELAS: Thank you so much for joining us, Prime Minister.
PRIME MINISTER: Thank you.
