Australia-United States Ministerial Consultations

Deputy Prime Minister Richard Marles and Foreign Minister Penny Wong will welcome US Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken and US Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III to Brisbane for the 33rd Australia-United States Ministerial Consultations (AUSMIN) next week.

The United States is Australia's vital security ally and our closest global partner.

AUSMIN is the primary forum at which Australia and the United States set the strategic direction for our Alliance.

At AUSMIN 2023, Australia and the United States will discuss ways to deepen collaboration across the breadth of the relationship, including on defence and security cooperation, climate and clean energy, and economic resilience.

Following AUSMIN, Deputy Prime Minister Marles and Secretary Austin will travel to north Queensland where Australian and US military personnel are taking part in Exercise Talisman Sabre 2023 with counterparts from 11 partner nations.

Quote attributable to Deputy Prime Minister, the Hon Richard Marles MP:

“Australia's defence cooperation with the United States is unprecedented in scale, scope and significance. Our partnership is built on an enduring foundation of trust, a long record of achievement and a shared vision for upholding the global rules-based order.

“Australia will continue to work with our partners, including the United States, to build a region that is peaceful, stable and prosperous, including through the longstanding US Force Posture Initiatives in Australia.”

Quote attributable to Minister for Foreign Affairs, Senator the Hon Penny Wong:

“We look forward to welcoming our good friends Secretary Blinken and Secretary Austin to Australia for this year's AUSMIN meeting.

“Our Alliance is continuing to evolve with our strategic circumstances. We are broadening AUSMIN to integrate new areas for cooperation in line with the region's priorities, including emerging technologies, the clean energy transition and the essential role of critical minerals.

“Australia and the United States want to better support our partners in the region, and to promote peace, protect sovereignty and foster prosperity.”