australia matters for america/ america matters for australia

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1 australia matters for america/ america matters for australia Even in a rapidly changing global and Asia Pacific environment, the Australia- United States relationship and Alliance remain critically important to both countries national interests. This project, part of the Asia Matters for America initiative, is a collaboration between the United States Studies Centre at the University of Sydney and the East-West Center. It comprises a publication and website that provide a one-stop, ongoing source of information, data, news and analysis on Australia-US relations. The website will host new information, reports and events in the Australia-US Alliance and bilateral relationship. A collaborative project of: AustraliaMattersforAmerica.org

2 About Us The East-West Center promotes better relations and understanding among the people and nations of the United States, Asia, and the Pacific through cooperative study, research, and dialogue. Established by the US Congress in 1960, the Center serves as a resource for information and analysis on critical issues of common concern, bringing people together to exchange views, build expertise, and develop policy options. The United States Studies Centre at the University of Sydney was established in 2006 to foster greater understanding of the United States in Australia and around the world. Spanning the study of politics and policy, economics and business, and culture and society, the core activities of the Centre include postgraduate degrees and undergraduate teaching, academic research and research training, policy analysis and commentary, business leadership forums, and public education and community outreach.

3 AustraliaMattersforAmerica.org part of the AsiaMattersforAmerica.org initiative Project Team East-West Center in Washington: Satu P. Limaye, Ph.D., Director Aaron Siirila, Projects & Outreach Coordinator Jasmin O Connor, Research Assistant Amy Powers, Research Assistant United States Studies Centre: Geoffrey Garrett, Ph.D., Chief Executive Officer Sean Gallagher, Ph.D., Chief Operating Officer Publication Design and Illustration: Fishman Design Truro, Massachusetts fishmandesign@comcast.net

4 Friends and Allies Australia and the United States share much in common, from their similar cultures, histories and values to fighting side by side in every major war beginning with World War I. Both countries enjoy among the world s highest standards of living and share long democratic traditions; in fact, Australia s constitution was patterned, in part, on the US constitution. The heads of each government have conducted at least fifteen formal bilateral state visits over the last two decades. As a result of these myriad connections and similarities, Australia-US relations are among the closest in the world. We have no stronger ally than Australia Not only do we share a language, a commitment to democracy, a set of shared values, but I think there s also a shared sense of open spaces and a pioneer spirit It s what makes us great mates. President Barack Obama, 2010 Australia and US in Perspective Austra l i a US Conceived in the Pacific War and born in the Cold War, adapted to the space age and invoked in the Darwin face of terror, our indispensable alliance is a friendship for the future. Prime Minister Julia Gillard, $1.4 $40,816 41% 21% 313 $15.2 $48,666 25% 11% Total population, millions, 2011 $31 $135 Foreign Direct Investment net inflows, US$ billions 3 million 1.9% 3.5 million Land area, square miles 4.7% Military expenditure 4.5% 5.5% Education expenditure % of GDP 2 days 80% 6 days 76% Time required to start a business GDP, US$ trillions, 2011 GDP (PPP), per capita US$, 2011 Trade, % of GDP Exports of goods and services, % of GDP introduction % of GDP Internet penetration rate New York Chicago Brisbane Perth Sydney Adelaide Canberra Melbourne Sources: CIA World Factbook, World Bank, Australian Bureau of Statistics, IMF, Internet World Stats, data year 2009 unless otherwise noted 2 San Francisco Los Angeles Houston 3 Washington, DC

5 Sixty Years of Alliance Partnership Australia and the US are treaty allies through the ANZUS Treaty, which was signed in 1951 and remains Australia s preeminent formal security treaty alliance. Australia is the only country to have served alongside the United States in every major US military conflict over the last century, including operations in World War I, World War II, Korea, Vietnam, the Persian Gulf, Somalia, East Timor, Afghanistan, and Iraq. The two countries conduct joint military exercises and have standardized much of their equipment and operational doctrine. The two share military intelligence at the highest level. D EPLOYED FORCES in Afghanistan and Iraq personnel per million population percentage of military forces deployed United States % Australia % average for all other % other coalition partners Source: Derived from data by Mark Thomson, Australian Strategic Policy Institute. Data as of March Australian public support for Alliance with US 80% fairly important very important Source: Lowy Institute allies 100% Australian Arms Imports Over the last six decades, 54% of all of Australia s arms imports have come from the US % imports from US % An M1 Abrams Tank and a Tiger Armed Reconnaissance Helicopter at Exercise Hamel, a 2010 military training activity in North Queensland involving over 6,000 Australian personnel and contingents from the US Marines and the New Zealand Army. Source: Stockholm International Peace Research Institute 4 29

6 Australia-US Total Trade Reached US$46 Billion in 2010 Composition of Australia s Merchandise Exports to US, % Machinery & Transport Equipment trade Total trade between the two countries has increased 68% from 2000 to Trade in goods totals US$32 billion and trade in services totals US$14 billion. Australia is America s 14th largest export destination and exports to Australia have increased by 84% since The country is America s 32nd largest source of imports. On January 1, 2005, Australia and the US entered into a Free Trade Agreement (AUSFTA), which eliminated 99% of duties on US manufactured goods exports to Australia. This was Australia s first trade agreement with a major economy and America s first with a developed economy since the US-Canada FTA in Composition of US Merchandise Exports to Australia, % 15% 13% 10% Machinery & Transport Equipment Chemicals and Related Products Miscellaneous Manufactured Articles Other Source: Australian Bureau of Statistics US$ billions Australia Exports to US US Exports to Australia 15% Food & Live Animals 12% Miscellaneous Manufactured Articles 10% 9% Manufactured Goods, classified chiefly by material Chemicals & Related Products 6% Beverages & Tobacco 3% Mineral Fuels; Lubricants & Related Materials 1% Inedible Crude Materials, except fuels 27% Other Annual Bilateral Trade in Goods and Services, Global financial crisis causes slowdown in worldwide trade. trade $32.4 billion $13.3 billion Source: US Department of Commerce. 7% 3% 1% 1% 1% 6 Manufactured Goods classified chiefly by material Food & Live Animals Inedible Crude Materials, except fuels Mineral Fuels; Lubricants & Related Materials Beverages & Tobacco Australia-US Free Trade Agreement (AUSFTA) takes effect. Source: Australian Bureau of Statistics.

7 Australia is a Top Ten Export Destination for 17 US States ALASKA MAINE $66 million $39 million WASHINGTON $939 million MERCHANDISE EXPORTS TO AUSTRALIA MONTANA $12 million OREGON IDAHO $255 million $32 million WYOMING $24 million billion NEVADA million $86 million million 0-99 million MINNESOTA $426 million WISCONSIN $583 million SOUTH DAKOTA $17 million $2 billion or more million NORTH DAKOTA $68 million IOWA $277 million NEBRASKA $183 million COLORADO $161 million KANSAS $253 million ARIZONA TEXAS HAWAI I H HA AW AW WA WAI I AI I PENNSYLVANIA $610 million ILLINOIS $2.4 billion VIRGINIA NORTH CAROLINA $404 million SOUTH CAROLINA $612 million TENNESSEE $656 million ARKANSAS $69 million ALABAMA GEORGIA $241 million $606 million FLORIDA $611 million LOUISIANA $158 million US exports of goods and services to Australia were valued at about $32 billion in Despite Australia s small size, the country is a top ten export destination for 17 US states and a top twenty destination for 42 states. Services exports make up 38% of US exports to Australia, higher than the US average of 30% to the world. Nearly 56,000 US jobs were supported by exports to Australia in $140 millionn 8 MASSACHUSETTS $346 million RHODE ISLAND $15 million CONNECTICUT $192 million NEW JERSEY $356 million MARYLAND $142 million DELAWARE $43 million $313 million INDIANA $569 million KENTUCKY $283 million MISSISSIPPI $75 million NEW MEXICO $26 million $1.7 billion Twenty percent of Hawai i s total exports are sent to Australia, by far the highest share in the country. The US average is two percent. Transportation equipment and electronics and computers make up 90% (US$126 million) of the state s exports to Australia. OHIO $842 million $293 million OKLAHOMA $112 million $166 million Source: US Department of Commerce and Australian Bureau of Statistics. MICHIGAN $328 million MISSOURI UTAH $220 million CALIFORNIA $3.1 billion US$, 2010 NEW HAMPSHIRE $61 million VERMONT $10 million WEST VIRGINIA NEW YORK $46 million $1.1 billion 9 trade

8 NORTHERN TERRITORY $393 million America is a Top Five Export Destination for Five Australian States and Territories QUEENSLAND $893 million The United States is Australia s second largest source of imports, after China, and is Australia s fifth largest export destination. Australian exports to the US were $13 billion in 2010, up 57% from The United States is a top five export destination for five of Australia s eight states and territories (New South Wales, Victoria, South Australia, Northern Territory, and Australian Capital Territory). It is a top five import source for every state and territory. WESTERN AUSTRALIA $1.3 billion trade SOUTH AUSTRALIA $843 million NEW SOUTH WALES $2.0 billion MERCHANDISE EXPORTS TO US $2 billion or more billion million million million 0-99 million US$, VICTORIA $1.3 billion TASMANIA $198 million AUSTRALIAN CAPITAL TERRITORY $0.047 million Source: Australian Department of Foreign Affairs & Trade

9 Australia-US Total Investment Has Increased Nearly 300% Over the Past Decade Investment between the two countries has soared dramatically in both directions since Australian total investment in the US reached US$337 billion in 2010, up 196% from $114 billion in Similarly, US total investment in Australia reached US$506 billion in 2010, up 326% from US$119 billion in Multinationals in both countries contribute to this investment trend, as shown here. The Dampier to Bunbury Natural Gas Pipeline at Main Line Valve #7 near Dampier. Westfield Southcenter Mall in Seattle, Washington Retail Malls in America The Westfield Group, co-founded by Frank Lowy in Sydney in 1960, is the largest shopping center operator in the world and the third largest in the US. Westfield acquired its first US-based retail center in Connecticut in 1977 and has more shopping malls in the United States (55) than in any other country, including Australia. In 1996, Westfield America Trust was launched to allow Australians to invest directly in the US retail property market. Six weeks prior to 9/11 in 2001, Westfield acquired The Mall at the World Trade Center. Since then, Westfield has consolidated its position as one of the largest retail property groups in the US. Source: Glen Dillon (Licensed under Creative Commons 3.0). Oil & Gas Production in Australia US energy corporation Chevron joined with Ampol to form West Australian Petroleum in Chevron began piping gas to Perth via the Dampier to Bunbury Natural Gas Pipeline in 1984 and five years later exported its first liquefied natural gas (LNG) shipment from Australia to Japan. The ongoing Gorgon and Wheatstone projects are Chevron s biggest ever and the largest foreign direct investments ever in Australia. Upon completion, the two projects will add almost 24 million tons of LNG natural gas per year to service the burgeoning Asia Pacific market. 600 US$ billions Australia-US Total Investment Positions, US Investment in Australia Australian Investment in US Australia-US Free Trade Agreement (AUSFTA) takes effect. investment $549.9 billion $410.0 billion Source: Australian Bureau of Statistics

10 Australia is the Ninth Largest Source of Foreign Direct Investment in US TOP SOURCES OF FOREIGN DIRECT INVESTMENT (STOCK) IN THE US, 2009 Spain Japan $44 44 billion//2% $264 billion/11% Luxembourg $128 billion/6% $1 Switzerland S Canada $189 $ billion/ b /8% % United Kingdom $226 $ billion/ n 10% $454 billion/20% Australia A t li $46 billion/2% % France $189 billion/8% Netherlands $238 billion/10% Germany $$2188 billi billion//9% % US is the Largest Source of Foreign Direct Investment in Australia France $12 billion/2% % Ge Germany $ 5 bbillion/3% $15 Singapore bi illion/ illio oon/ n//4% % billion/ Canada $122 billion//2% $1 $15 Netherlands $29 $2 29 billion/ billi /7% US direct investment in Australia was US$110 billion in 2009, up from US$28 billion in Likewise, Australian direct investment in the US has also increased, at US$46 billion in 2009, up from US$19 billion in Australia s top investment industries in the US were in finance, manufacturing, and real estate. Top industries for US investment in Australia include finance, mining and energy, information, and manufacturing. United Kingdom U $48 $4 488 billion/11% Switzerland Swit S tze $$19 billion/4% % Source: US Bureau of Economic Analysis $45 billion/ billi /10% % TOP SOURCES OF FOREIGN DIRECT INVESTMENT (STOCK) IN AUSTRALIA, 2009 United States $110 billi billion//25% 18 investment 19

11 95,000 Americans Are of Australian Ancestry ALASKA MAINE NEW HAMPSHIRE 552 VERMONT 204 MINNESOTA NORTH DAKOTA WASHINGTON AUSTRALIAN ANCESTRY 5,000 or more 1, WISCONSIN 241 1,357 IDAHO 683 WYOMING 257 2,500-4,999 NEVADA 1, NEBRASKA ILLINOIS INDIANA 1,933 1,882 COLORADO 2,405 KANSAS 2, ARIZONA 2,085 fa m o u s a u s t r a l i a n s i n t h e u s Clockwise from top left: Andrew Liveris, CEO of Dow Chemical; Elizabeth Blackburn, Nobel Laureate in Physiology; Lauren Jackson, WNBA star; Rupert Murdoch, Chairman of NewsCorp; James Gorman, Morgan Stanley CEO; Peter Weir, film director; Nicole Kidman, Academy Award winning actress ALABAMA GEORGIA TEXAS 6, ,143 ARKANSAS MISSISSIPPI NEW MEXICO D. C. SOUTH CAROLINA 1, ,360 NORTH CAROLINA TENNESSEE 556 OKLAHOMA 19, VIRGINIA 966 1,477 NEW JERSEY 2,395 DELAWARE MARYLAND 1,419 MISSOURI UTAH CALIFORNIA statestate residents, residents, HAWAI I H HA AW AW WA WAI I AI I 2,778 OHIO 3, Source: US Census Bureau, five year estimates. PENNSYLVANIA KENTUCKY 1,000-2, ,026 IOWA 241 CONNECTICUT 1,258 MICHIGAN 139 2,623 2,157 RHODE ISLAND 8,114 SOUTH DAKOTA OREGON MASSACHUSETTS NEW YORK 72 MONTANA 3,817 WEST VIRGINIA 2,025 FLORIDA 4,833 LOUISIANA 634 Over 72,000 American residents were originally born in Australia and over 95,000 claim Australia as their ancestral home. In 2009, about 4,000 Australians obtained permanent residency status or became naturalized US citizens. Over 81,100 Australian residents were originally born in the US. In 2005, Australia was selected as one of only a few countries to be eligible for the US immigration E-3 visa, which allows up to about 10,500 Australians and their families to live and work in the US. Australia has a similar type of business visa that provides reciprocal benefits to Americans. 21 people

12 Australia-US Tourism at 1.4 Million People per Year More than 900,000 Australians visited the US and nearly 500,000 Americans visited Australia in Americans make up the third largest source of foreign visitors to Australia, after New Zealand and the United Kingdom. Australians are the ninth largest source of visitors to the United States. Australian visitor spending on travel and tourism in the US, which totaled US$4.0 billion in 2010, accounts for 30% of all US services exports to Australia. Visitors to Australia, New Zealand United Kingdom United States China, PRC Japan Singapore Malaysia Korea Hong Kong, SAR Germany 1,161, , , , , , , , , ,400 Total Arrivals 5,885,100 Source: Australian Bureau of Statistics 20% 11% 8% 8% 7% 5% 4% 4% 3% 3% Seattle New York Minneapolis Chicago Washington, DC San Francisco Los L Lo os Angeles Dal D lllas/fort Worth Dallas/Fort Ho Ho on n no nolu olu olulu ulu ul lu u Honolulu V Visitors to US, Canada 19,959,000 Mexico 13,423,000 United Kingdom 3,850,864 Japan 3,386,076 Germany Germa 1,726,193 France 1,342,207 Brazil 1,197,866 South K Korea 1,107,518 Australia Austral 904,247 Italy 838,225 Total A Arrivals Brisbane B Br rrisbanee Perth Melbo M elbou lbourrne r e Melbourne 22 59,744,616 Source: Office of Travel and Tourism Industries, US Department of Commerce. note: United Kingdom includes Channel Islands and Isle of Man. US-Australia Nonstop Flights Sydn neey y Sydney Canberra Caanb berra 33% 22% 6% 6% 3% 2% 2% 2% 2% 1% Los Angeles-Sydney: 7,490 miles/12,100 kilometers Los Angeles-Brisbane: 7,160 miles/11,500 kilometers Los Angeles-Melbourne: 7,920 miles/12,700 kilometers Dallas/Fort Worth-Sydney: 8,530 miles/13,800 kilometers Dallas/Fort Worth-Brisbane: 8,300 miles/13,400 kilometers San Francisco-Sydney: 7,420 miles/11,900 kilometers Honolulu-Sydney: 5,070 miles/8,160 kilometers 23 travel

13 There are 3,300 Students from Australia in the US ALASKA MAINE 8 1 NEW HAMPSHIRE 7 VERMONT 3 MINNESOTA NORTH DAKOTA WASHINGTON IDAHO NEBRASKA VIRGINIA 43 ILLINOIS INDIANA KENTUCKY NORTH CAROLINA 15 NEVADA 7 AUSTRALIAN STUDENTS IN THE U N I T E D S TAT E S MISSOURI UTAH 50 COLORADO ARIZONA 62 7 ALABAMA MISSISSIPPI NEW MEXICO TEXAS FLORIDA 103 LOUISIANA GEORGIA or more 21 ARKANSAS SOUTH CAROLINA TENNESSEE 20 OKLAHOMA CALIFORNIA KANSAS 42 MARYLAND DELAWARE 38 OHIO IOWA WYOMING NEW JERSEY PENNSYLVANIA SOUTH DAKOTA OREGON CONNECTICUT MICHIGAN WISCONSIN 11 RHODE ISLAND NEW YORK 5 MONTANA MASSACHUSETTS 287 WEST VIRGINIA 14 US Study Abroad in Australia, There were nearly 3,300 Australian students in the US in the academic year, making Australia the 32nd most common country of origin. There were over 11,100 American students in Australia, the 6th most common destination for American students studying abroad in enrollm enrollment aacademic academ mic year m y students.0 thousands HAWAI I 42 Source: Institute of International Education

14 US and Australia Share 23 Sister Cities DARWIN, NT/ANCHORAGE, ALASKA The Darwin and Anchorage sister city relationship connects two rugged and isolated communities. Their geographical and historic similarities have spawned community and educational exchanges. CAIRNS,QLD/SCOTTSDALE, ARIZONA Sister cities are local level municipal partnerships between US cities, countries and states with similar jurisdictions in Australia. America and Australia have 23 sister city relationships, including eight in California and twelve in New South Wales. Note: Maps are not to scale SAN PERTH, WA/ DIEGO, CALIF. HOUSTON, TEXAS COCKBURN, WA/MOBILE, ALABAMA Annually, six high school students each, from Hawkesbury Shire and Temple City, spend approximately five weeks on exchange, where they live with a host family and attend classes. ADELAIDE,SA/AUSTIN, TEXAS Sources: Sister Cities International and individual sister city associations. GOLD COAST, QLD/FORT LAUDERDALE, FLORIDA WAUCHOPE, NSW/CANISTEO, NEW YORK PORT STEPHENS, NSW/BELLINGHAM, WASHINGTON BLUE NOUNTAINS, NSW/FLAGSTAFF, ARIZONA WYONG, NSW/CLEARWATER, FLORIDA BANKSTOWN, NSW/COLORADO SPRINGS, COLORADO SYDNEY, NSW/SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA SUTHERLAND SHIRE, NSW/LAKEWOOD, COLORADO HAWKESBURY SHIRE, NSW/TEMPLE CITY, CALIFORNIA GREATER BENDIGO, NSW/LOS ALTOS, CALIFORNIA ALBURY, NSW/MERCED, CALIFORNIA MILLICENT,SA/SEGUIN, TEXAS MILDURA,VIC/UPLAND, CALIFORNIA BEAUFORT,VIC/BEAUFORT, N.C. MELBOURNE,VIC/BOSTON, MASS. COLAC,VIC/WALKER, MICHIGAN LISMORE,NSW/EAU CLAIRE, WISCONSIN sister cities 26 27

15 C OMBINED FOREIGN AID countries where Australia and the US each contribute at least US$30 million in aid, 2009 China Iraq Afghanistan Shared Values and Global Interests Pakistan Bangladesh Viet Nam Cambodia Australia and the US share common interests and similar views on most major global issues. The two work together on global environmental issues, to control weapons of mass destruction, and in international organizations such as the World Trade Organization (WTO) and the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) forum. In the 2000s, only the United Kingdom voted more often than Australia the same way as the United States in the United Nations General Assembly. The two countries have close cooperation in a wide variety of fields. The NASA space program maintains in Australia its largest program outside of the US. One Australian tracking station was vital for receiving signals from the Apollo 11 moon landing for international TV broadcast. A formal agreement strengthens emergency management cooperation during severe natural disasters in both countries. Source: Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development 26 Sri Lanka Zimbabwe Philippines Indonesia Timor-Leste UN GENERAL ASSEMBLY VOTING: US-Australia Agreement, 2009 Different votes 23% Same votes 77% Source: US State Department 29 international cooperation

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17 The Asia Matters for America Initiative u r st a matters fo a li r a m a ic er m atters.org lia erica ra st fo r a Austr aliam atters foram au m matters fo r a m atters fo ic r er a The brochures and AsiaMattersforAmerica.org website of the Asia Matters for America initiative provide a hub for a global audience to explore the importance of Asia to the United States and the United States to Asia at the national, state, and local levels. The graphical project, including an interactive website, reveals surprising findings through the use of maps, charts, graphs, and raw data, allowing comparison across countries and states.

18 East-West Center 1601 West Road Honolulu, Hawai i Tel: EastWestCenter.org for more information on this project, contact: AsiaMatters@EastWestCenter.org Tel: United States Studies Centre Institute Building (H03) City Road University of Sydney NSW 2006 Australia Tel: US-Studies@Sydney.edu.au Part of the East-West Center s Asia Matters for America initiative, this project is a collaboration of the East-West Center and the United States Studies Centre. Copyright 2011 The East-West Center & United States Studies Centre

19 August July 1918 President Theodore Roosevelt s Great White Fleet stops in three Australian cities at the invitation of Prime Minister Deakin. US and Australian forces fight alongside each other for the first time at the battle of Hamel in Northern France during World War I. 8 January 1940 December September The ANZUS Treaty is signed in San Francisco, establishing a formal trilateral alliance between the US, Australia and New Zealand January 1959 The US and Australia establish formal diplomatic relations. Australia joins America in the Pacific War. Later, US General Douglas MacArthur places the Allied Pacific headquarters in Australia. Almost one million US troops visit Australia as part of Pacific War. Australia is the first to follow the US in contributing forces to the UN operation in Korea, later known as the Korean War Australia and New Zealand become a formal part of the UK-US agreement on signals intelligence cooperation. United Artists On The Beach is filmed on location in Melbourne, starring Gregory Peck, Ava Gardner, Fred Astaire, and Anthony Perkins. 10 February October NASA s deep space tracking facility opens near Woomera, SA. 60,000 Australian troops serve for more than a decade in the Vietnam War, Australia s longest-lasting commitment to any war. May Prime Minister Robert Menzies announces the US Naval Communication Station at North West Cape, WA. Olivia Newton John s hit song I Honestly Love You hits number 1 in US. July Australia contributes forces to the United Nations operation in Kuwait and later in the Persian Gulf Air Supply s album Lost in Love achieves three US Top Five singles. The Australia-United States Ministerial Consultations commence and become the principal annual forum for bilateral consultations between the two countries Australian Geoffrey Rush wins an Academy Award in Best Actor category for his role in Shine. September Prime Minister John Howard invokes the ANZUS Treaty for the first time to support Operation Enduring Freedom in Afghanistan. 20 March 2003 March Prime Minister Julia Gillard visits the US and addresses Congress to mark the 60th anniversary celebrations of the ANZUS alliance. November US President Barack Obama visits Australia and addresses Parliament to commemorate the 60th anniversary of the Australia-US alliance. Australia joins the US-led coalition Operation Iraqi Freedom. May The US-Australia Free Trade Agreement is signed January 2009 US President George W. Bush awards former Australian Prime Minister John Howard the US Presidential Medal of Freedom. 26 December 1908 American Jack Johnson wins the title of world heavyweight boxing champion in Sydney after having been denied the chance earlier due to segregation laws in America. He became the first person of color to win the title. October 1966 US President Lyndon Baines Johnson visits Australia, the first US president to visit while in office. December Australia-US announce a joint facility for intelligence and surveillance to be located at Pine Gap, NT Paul Hogan s Crocodile Dundee becomes the second highest box-office earner for the year with US$175 million. February Australian Heath Ledger receives a posthumous Academy Award in Best Supporting Actor category for his role in The Dark Knight.