• Prime Minister Scott Morrison today congratulated incoming US President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris on their inauguration.
• Morrison said the relationship between Australia and the United States has “never been more important”.
• Opposition leader Anthony Albanese also welcomed the new administration, saying outgoing US President Donald Trump left a “divided country” in his wake.
• Visit Business Insider Australia’s homepage for more stories.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison and Opposition leader Anthony Albanese today welcomed the newly inaugurated administration of US President Joe Biden, voicing their optimism for Australia’s ongoing relationship with the US after the looming presence of President Donald Trump.

“Congratulations to President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris on your inauguration,” Morrison wrote on social media Thursday morning.

“The Australia-US Alliance has never been more important. I wish you both every success for your time in office and look forward to working closely with your new administration.”

Opposition leader Anthony Albanese mirrored that sentiment, telling ABC radio he expects the Biden administration to alter America’s international reputation after the Trump years.

Biden is “determined as well to restore America’s role in the world rather than the retreat from global leadership that we’ve seen in recent years, and that’s a good thing,” Albanese said.

“That’s in Australia’s interests and it’s in the world’s interests to have a strong America.”

Albanese added that Biden will have a “difficult task ahead”, pointing to Trump’s “mishandling” of the coronavirus pandemic which has ravaged America and taken 400,000 lives.

The opposition leader remarked that Trump left a “divided country” and “often made decisions based upon Twitter,” echoing recent disputes between senior Labor and Coalition government figures over Morrison’s friendly relationship with the departing leader.

On Wednesday, Albanese accused Morrison of shying away from criticism of Trump for fear of alienating his own base. Morrison demurred, calling the recent siege of the US Capitol “distressing” and defending his working relationship with Trump.

Greens leader Adam Bandt today provided a simpler and more partisan view of Biden’s inauguration, sharing a photo of Trump shaking Morrison’s hand to social media.

“One down. One to go,” Bandt wrote.

Australia’s embassy in the United States shared a simpler call for both nations to continue their strategic and cultural ties over the next four years.

“We look forward to further strengthening our alliance and great friendship with the United States,” the embassy said in a short statement.

From the US Capitol, Arthur Sinodinos, Australia’s ambassador to the United States, tweeted that the swearing in of Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris represents “a new chapter commences in this great democracy”.

The inauguration itself was a “day of prayer, song and poetry,” Sinodinos tweeted from the Washington DC ceremony.

“Well done America,” he said.

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