By Caitlyn Rintoul The West Australian
Anthony Albanese is expected to use a speech in Sydney on Saturday to draw parallels between Australia鈥檚 foreign policy under his government with that of war-time PM John Curtin.
Marking the 80th anniversary of the Labor leader鈥檚 death, Mr Albanese will tell an address at the John Curtin Research Centre that Australia will forge its own path as a middle power in the region 鈥 just as Curtin had at the height of World War II.
His speech is expected to draw on Curtin鈥檚 time in office 鈥 which he will describe as 鈥渄ark days of conflict鈥 during which the wartime PM shifted Australia鈥檚 reliance on Britain to the US 鈥 forming the US Alliance.
There are calls for the PM to shore up Australia鈥檚 US relationship, after the Pentagon launched an AUKUS review and Donald Trump cancelled the pair鈥檚 planned meeting.
Mr Albanese will describe Australia鈥檚 14th prime minister, the only one born in WA, as a 鈥減illar of our foreign policy鈥.
鈥淛ohn Curtin is rightly honoured as the founder of Australia鈥檚 alliance with the United States,鈥 he said, in a draft version of the speech seen by The West Australian.
鈥淥ur most important defence and security partnership. And a relationship that commands bipartisan support, respect and affection in both our nations.
鈥淵et our Alliance with the US ought to be remembered as a product of Curtin鈥檚 leadership in defence and foreign policy, not the extent of it.鈥
In the face of global leaders, Curtin had defied requests for soldiers to travel to Burma as the Japanese military then swept South-East Asia.
鈥淎nd he was locked in a battle of wills with the British Prime Minister, Winston Churchill as well as the President of the United States, Franklin Roosevelt.
鈥淐hurchill wanted them in Burma 鈥 and Roosevelt backed him.
鈥淐urtin wanted those troops for the defence of Australia.
鈥淭hat鈥檚 what Curtin recognised 鈥 this was a Pacific war. It was its own conflict which demanded its own strategy.鈥
Spruiking Australia鈥檚 determination to 鈥渢hink and act for ourselves鈥 he will argue the nation doesn鈥檛 鈥渟eek our inspiration overseas鈥 but rather 鈥渨e find it right here in our people鈥.
He鈥檚 expected to outline Australia鈥檚 ambitions amid an evolving environment in the Indo-Pacific, including strengthening ties with neighbouring nations and deepening economic connections.
鈥淭hat鈥檚 the approach our Government has taken, from day one. Rebuilding our standing as a leader and partner in the Pacific,鈥 he will say, referring to security pacts with Indonesia, Papua New Guinea, and India.
鈥淭hen 鈥 and now 鈥 we championed the rights and the role of middle powers and smaller nations.鈥
He will also say Australia needs to 鈥減atiently and deliberately鈥 work to 鈥渟tabilise our relationship with China鈥.
Mr Albanese will travel to China in August, following an invitation from President Xi Jinping before a string of other overseas trips across the Indo-Pacific this year 鈥 including Solomon Islands, Malaysia, and South Korea.