U.S. President Joe Biden extended a warm welcome to Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and guests at a glamourous White House dinner.
First Lady Jill Biden and the President greeted Mr. Albanese and partner Jodie Haydon on the red carpet following official talks during the day.
The two political leaders were dressed in black tuxedos, while Ms. Haydon and the First Lady wore stunning full length gowns.
Inside the White House, guests were reminded of the strong alliance between the two countries with two large U.S. and Australian flags side by side.
Australian star power on the guest list included National Rugby League chairman Peter V'landys, Macquarie CEO Shemara Wikramanayake, Australian Chamber of Commerce and Industry CEO Andrew McKellar, and BlueScope Steel chief executive Mark Vassella.
Among the United States guests were Secretary of State Antony Blinken, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.), Under Secretary of State Elizabeth Allen, and Hollywood actor John Leguizamo.
Australia’s Ambassador to the United States Kevin Rudd and the United States Ambassador to Australia Caroline Kennedy were also in attendance.
He also shed a light on the strong friendship between the two nations, stating that “Australia has no greater friend than the United States of America.”
“We are firm allies, strengthening defence cooperation through AUKUS, and creating more economic opportunities for our peoples and our region,” Mr. Albanese said.
“Australians are always ready to play our part. Most importantly, our nations are close friends. Friends who admire each other’s qualities. I think we get each other.
“Friends who draw strength from all we have in common, but we take joy in our differences as well. Friends who look to the future together without losing sight of the moments in the past that bind us together.”
Three Course Meal
Chef Katie Button and her team cooked up a three course meal including a farro and roasted beet salad, Sarsaparilla-braised short ribs with vegetables, and a hazelnut and chocolate mousse cake with ice cream.The event was more low key than usual due to the Israel-Hamas conflict. Originally, the White House had planned to invited the B-52s to perform, but instead elected to entertain guests with military music.
A state dinner for political leaders is relatively rare, with only three Australia prime ministers receiving the honour in the last two decades. In 2019, President Donald Trump honoured former Prime Minister Scott Morrison with a state dinner.
US, Australia Alliance
The state dinner followed a day of talks and a private dinner between the two leaders and their partners the previous night.President Biden said he had worked together with Mr. Albanese to strengthen the alliance between the U.S. and Australia, commenting “I think we’ve actually deepened that strength.”
“In today’s uncertain world, the alliance between Australia and the United States and the way that we stand steadfast against aggression, whether it be Russia’s illegal invasion of Ukraine or whether it be Hamas’s terrorist attack on Israel, is something that can be relied upon for us to stand up for our common values,” Mr. Albanese said.
