Fresh off his landslide May 3 election win, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese made a rapid start to his second term in office.
That included representing Australia in Vatican City, for the inauguration mass of Pope Leo XIV.
But surrounding the papal pageantry, the Prime Minister turned his Italian expedition into a diplomatic extravaganza.
After touching down in Rome, Albanese met with Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney, German Chancellor Frederich Merz, British Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
Despite his attendance in Rome, Albanese did not meet with US Vice President JD Vance.
However, three other meetings the Prime Minister held stood out from the rest — and they may have signalled Australia’s future on the world stage.
Southeast Asian Stopovers
En-route to Italy, the Prime Minister first stopped-over in Jakarta, conducting the first international visit of his second term with Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto.
“We have no more important relationship than Indonesia. We have an important economic relationship with them … We have an important defence and security relationship with them as well.”
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese
On his way home, the Prime Minister made one final stop in Singapore, meeting with his counterpart Lawrence Wong, who was also re-elected on May 3.
“I think the partnerships we have become much more important, and we share a very common strategic perspective of the world, Australia and Singapore.”
Singapore Prime Minister Lawrence Wong
To Jordan Hogan, lecturer in Historical and Political Studies at Edith Cowan University, and holder of a PhD in Chinese-Australian relations, Australia’s relationships with geographically close and economically successful nations like Indonesia and Singapore are critical to the nation’s success.
“Australia’s prosperity and economy are obviously inherently linked with Southeast Asia,” said Dr Hogan.
These regional visits reflect deeper currents in Australia’s recalibration between its geography and its alliances — but there’s an unmistakable subtext, as the gravitational power of a burgeoning superpower grows.
The Superpower in Our Own Backyard
In November 2014, Chinese President Xi Jinping visited Australia, and addressed a joint sitting of the Federal Parliament.
To Dr Hogan, that moment represented the height of the ‘great reciprocal relationship’ the two nations share.
“To go from that, to the lows of 2020 to 2022, was certainly contrasting.”
Considering the dampening of relations over the last half-decade, the Prime Minister’s visits to Indonesia and Singapore may be seen as efforts to offset Chinese influence throughout Southeast Asia and the Pacific.
Dr Hogan suggests ‘counteracting’ is too leading of a term, proposing expanded relationships throughout our immediate region are essential to Australia’s national interests, regardless of global circumstances.
“I think it’s just absolutely necessary that we engage in a positive way in this region.”
Regarding China itself, tensions have eased.
Albanese has met with President Xi on multiple occasions, and in a letter congratulating the Prime Minister on his election victory, Xi invited Albanese back to Beijing for an official visit later this year.
Dr Hogan suggested whilst the ‘comprehensive strategic partnership’ between China and Australia is improving, it is still equally precarious.
“You only have to look at the doctrine that you see [Albanese] and Penny Wong consistently peddling, ‘agree where we can, disagree where we must.’ That, I think, is so symbolic of the way we’re going to approach the relationship with China.”
A Continent Comes Calling
Arguably the most important meeting the Prime Minister held in Rome was with European Union President Ursula von der Leyen.
In it, President von der Leyen proposed the forging of a ‘formal defence pact’ between Europe and Australia.
“We do not only see [Australia] as a trading partner, we also see you as a strategic partner … we would be very pleased if we could build a strategic and defence partnership too.”
EU President Ursula von der Leyen
As world continues to grapple with the second Trump presidency, and the United States continues to be seen as an increasingly unreliable partner, this meeting, and the potential defence pact discussed, could be seen as Australia shifting priorities towards Europe, and away from what once was our most reliable, trusted, and important partner.
However, Simon Stevens, who also lectures in history and politics at Edith Cowan University, has a contrasting view.
“It’s more a case of the European Union pivoting away from the USA, and doing so more deliberately.”
It places Australia in an awkward position, considering our ties with the United States, and as Dr Stevens mentioned, particularly considering the AUKUS agreement.
‘Australia has just signed a massive arms deal with the USA, and they’re not going to renege on that.”
But as talk of new alliances gathers pace, some argue the real story isn’t about choosing sides — it’s about how Australia positions itself in an increasingly fragmented world.
The World’s Middle Man
In his final speech to Parliament in 2013, former Prime Minister Kevin Rudd, now the Australian Ambassador to the United States, shared his thoughts on Australia’s diplomatic future.
“As Australia is the voice of the west in the east, and in time I hope, a voice for the east in the west, I believe there is a useful role for Australians to play as an engaged, intelligent, and sympathetic bridge between these two hemispheres — between China and the United States in particular, in the challenging half-century that lies ahead.”
Kevin Rudd
On the notion of Australia being ‘the bridge between two hemispheres’, Dr Hogan agreed, referencing the country’s position as a responsible global actor.
“I would absolutely agree that Australia should be, if needed and if called upon, that ‘chairperson’ in the room.”
However, Dr Stevens had a differing view.
“It might not be the strongest hand [Australia] could play, and it’s not necessarily one the United States would take up.”
Outlining his personal view of Australia’s diplomatic future, Dr Stevens said change may be due.
“It’s a more multilateral world, a more complex world … and Australia needs to find its way, and keep good relationships with all these states, and in doing so it needs to adjust its relationships.”
“I think it would be disastrous if Australia looked inward.”
Whether Australia remains a middle power, becomes a regional linchpin, or redefines its global identity altogether, one thing is clear: its place on the world stage is no longer passive — it’s pivotal.
An abridged audio version of this story was featured on ECU Vanguard Radio:
Mitchell Corps
Third-year Broadcasting and Digital Journalism student at Edith Cowan University. Additional studies in politics and screen production. Cinephile, techie, sports junkie, politics nerd.
