On Thursday, Americans at home and around the world are celebrating Thanksgiving. While I always look forward to sharing some pumpkin pie with friends and family, what I love most about Thanksgiving is the opportunity to reflect on everything we have to be grateful for. And one of things I am most grateful for this year is to be here in WA during this transformative period in the US-Australia alliance.
Our AUKUS security partnership continues at pace, with WA at the forefront of this global effort. In August, for the first time in history, Australian sailors embedded on the USS Emory S. Land — a submarine maintenance ship — made repairs to US nuclear-powered submarine USS Hawaii.
This was a major milestone as WA prepares to host a rotational force of US and UK Navy sailors and their families from 2027, and Australia acquires its own nuclear-powered submarine capability. I appreciate the camaraderie, respect and innovation I saw as US and Aussie sailors worked side-by-side on this significant project. I am also thankful that our visiting US sailors took time to support WA communities, including volunteering at high schools, planting trees in local parks and preparing meals at Ronald McDonald House.
Next year we will celebrate the 20th anniversary of the Australia-US Free Trade Agreement. Since AUSFTA came into effect in 2005, two-way investment has more than tripled and bilateral trade has more than doubled. Paul Murray The US is far and away the largest investor in Austra.
