(2023-0847-S) WHORM Subject File CO010

This collection contains materials found in WHORM Subject Code CO010. This is the code the White House Office of Records Management assigned to documents relating to the Commonwealth of Australia. The United States and Australia have long had a close and productive diplomatic relationship, which continued throughout the Clinton Administration. President Clinton worked with two Governors General of Australia – Bill Hayden until 1996, and then Sir William Deane from 1996 to 2001. He also worked with two Prime Ministers – Paul Keating until 1996, and then John Howard for the rest of the Administration. The collection contains materials related to Prime Minister Keating’s visit to Washington, D.C in September 1993, as well as briefing materials the U.S. visit of Queensland Premier Peter Beattie in 2000. The files also include the President’s thank you notes for Governor General Dean and Prime Minister Howard during his state visit to Australia in November 1996. Much of the collection consists of correspondence from Australians, Americans, and NGOs offering thoughts on US-Australia policy. There are also letters from members of the Greek-Australian community specifically for George Stephanopoulos. This subject code also contains Congressional correspondence regarding U.S.- Australian trade issues, particularly on lamb and automotive leather, and a 1999 proposal to list Kakadu National Park on the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization’s (UNESCO) “In Danger” list. Lastly, there is material regarding the appointment of Dr. Donald Eric Russell as the Australian Ambassador to the United States in 1993.