By Cameron Stewart mates

How to deal with a US president who’s torn up the rule book?

in the

Joe Hockey’s answer: rewrite the art of diplomacy states Photography Gregg Delman oe Hockey’s main As Australia’s most important alliance wob- course had just been bled precariously in front of him that day in Jan- served at Cafe Milano uary 2017, Hockey could see that even America’s in Washington’s his- closest allies were starting from scratch with this toric Georgetown new and unconventional president. The shared when two phones at battles of the world wars, Vietnam and Afghani- his table rang at the stan did not ring loudly in the Trump White same time. One House. The past was the past and the credits of belonged to Hockey, history did not automatically accrue. The future Australia’s ambassador was transactional and would need to be earned. to the United States, “If the president saw us as a problem, we had no the other to his dinner idea how it would affect intelligence sharing or companion, Republican business or investment,’ says Hockey. “From my congressman Devin Nunes, then chairman of the perspective, the only answer was to develop US House Intelligence Committee. ­personal relationships inside this White House They were both being called about the same and not curl up in the corner and sulk.” explosive J breaking news. The Washington Post had just revealed details of the disastrous Two and a half years on, Hockey is striding ­telephone call between and out on an early morning walk in Denver with Donald Trump in which Trump had berated Colorado’s snow-capped Rocky Mountains float- Australia’s then prime minister over the refugee ing on a distant horizon. He is pondering the deal he had struck with former president Obama, simple question of whether being Australia’s accusing him of wanting to export “the next ambassador to the US in the era of Trump has ­Boston bombers” to the US. been the best job he has ever had. Hockey flicks The Post’s front-page account of the phone through the competition: federal treasurer; min- call exposed to the world a major rift in the ister for employment and workplace relations; ­Australia-US relationship barely two weeks into minister for human services; minister for small Trump’s presidency. Both Hockey and Nunes business and tourism. Almost 20 years in federal jumped up from the table and walked outside to parliament as the member for North Sydney. make some urgent calls to try to understand how “That’s a hard question,” he says finally. “I loved this conversation became public. “So Devin ends being treasurer but not all the members of the his call and walks up to me and says, ‘Did you team were on the same team. But in this job it’s mates guys [Australia] leak it?’ ” recalls Hockey. “I said, just been one team, Team Australia. It’s been an ‘What do you mean?’ And Devin says, ‘The extraordinary job to have in Trump’s Washington,” White House thinks you leaked it.’ I just said, he says, shaking his head. “Just extraordinary.’ ‘Mate, why would we leak something like that?’” The Weekend Australian Magazine spent a Suddenly, Hockey was facing the perfect storm week on the road with Hockey as he travelled – not only was the leak itself hugely damaging, across the US meeting politicians and mayors, but now Trump’s team seemed ready to blame Republican and Democrat donors, prominent Australia for it. “We were facing a situation where Australians and American business leaders. It is the White House didn’t know who the enemy the less publicised part of an ambassador’s role: was and we had to prevent the White House from making high-level contacts outside the capital, in the getting up a narrative that it was us, because it networking, promoting Australia, leveraging wasn’t,” recalls Hockey. So he urgently arranged a influence and bartering for access to power. meeting at the White House with the president’s Hockey revels in such trips, partly because then chief of staff and Trump’s they suit his gregarious personality and partly then senior adviser to assure them because it gets him away from the hothouse of Joe Hockey’s answer: rewrite the art of diplomacy that Australia was not behind the story and to Washington. His life in the capital is easier now explain the importance of the alliance. But as that he has forged a relationship with Trump and soon as Hockey walked into the meeting, Bannon a close friendship with the president’s acting chief was on the attack. “Bannon started hostile of staff Mick Mulvaney – a rare feat for a foreign states because the refugee deal [for the US to accept ambassador. But Hockey has faced a torrid tenure ­refugees from Nauru and Manus Island] was com- in the country’s most important diplomatic post Photography Gregg Delman pletely counter-narrative to President Trump’s dealing with a series of crises that have flowed election policy on immigration,” says Hockey. from Trump’s unconventional leadership. The first came in the aftermath of that and had an amicable meeting with Turnbull, on US politics and particularly the inside story of ­fractious call between Trump and Turnbull, a call setting the basis for an eventual friendship. “It the Democrat candidates vying to take on Trump that Hockey says left Turnbull “quite shaken” redefined in Trump’s mind the relationship,” says next year. This bartering of information is the even though Turnbull stood up to the president Hockey. “He wasn’t familiar with the whole bread and butter of the job. But picking the by insisting the refugee deal be honoured. When history of the Coral Sea and he had all these powerbrokers in Washington who have Trump’s news of Trump’s open hostility towards Turnbull voices in the room, voices he respects, telling him ear has not been easy. was revealed by the Post, Hockey found himself how important this relationship was. It was as if Hockey arrived in the capital to take over the conduit for a spontaneous outpouring of anger there was never any phone call – they both from in January 2016 and watched from members of Congress upset about what they wanted to start again, and having Lucy and the rise of Trump as he became the Republican saw as the shabby treatment of a close ally. ­Melania there was hugely important also. It was Party nominee and then president. Trump’s “The next day I was in the car between the the beginning of a friendship.” ­victory, says Hockey, required “a rebirth of the art Hilton hotel and the embassy when [Senator] Says Berry: “If I didn’t love Joe Hockey before of diplomacy” from every foreign diplomat in John McCain called me,” recalls Hockey. “He was that event, I loved him afterwards. I saw him Washington seeking to influence the president on a mission. He said, ‘Joe this is outrageous. I’m bring all of his skill set to bear and help bring and his administration. “There was an estab- going to put out a statement that I’ve spoken to about a great victory.” lished process for gathering information under you and I fought with Australians in Vietnam and president Obama because his government was he can’t treat Australia like this and the president On a Los Angeles freeway Hockey is flicking very structural, very procedural and very pre- is wrong.’ I said, ‘Please don’t do that John’ and he through notes about his next meeting, with Los dictable,” he says. “And then along comes replied, “Ambassador, I am ignoring your pleas.’ Angeles mayor Eric Garcetti, a fast rising Demo- ­President Trump and all the normal processes “That day I got 65 phone calls from everyone crat who may one day run for president. “The are shredded because it is an unconventional from [Democrats] Nancy Pelosi to Dianne way it is in America is that if you don’t come with administration. You have to have personal rela- ­Feinstein and Republican senators as well,” says something to these sorts of meetings you won’t tionships because the decisions are being made Hockey. Although both countries tried to play get another meeting,” he says. Garcetti is inter- within such a small circle of people.” down the damage caused by the phone call, ested in ways to generate new infrastructure for Hockey realised earlier than some other for- Hockey admits “it was not good” and for a while his city and wants to talk with Hockey about the eign ambassadors in Washington that this differ- it was unclear how Trump would react to Turn- asset recycling scheme he pursued when he was ent world required him to play by different rules. bull in the future. A circuit-breaker was needed. treasurer. Hockey wants to hear Garcetti’s take As soon as Trump won the election, Turnbull Hockey began plotting with John Berry, a wanted to congratulate the incoming president ­former US ambassador to Australia and current but didn’t have his number. So Hockey called up president of the American Australian Association Australian golfer . “I knew there (AAA). “We had the friction of the phone call Close: Trump with Norman; Hockey with Malcolm and Lucy Turnbull were no protocols in place for the transition of and Joe’s interest was how we heal the rift,” says the Trump presidency so I rang Greg and asked Berry. Berry’s AAA was holding a gala 75th if he had Donald Trump’s number,” says Hockey. ­anniversary function to commemorate the Battle “So I rang Malcolm back and said, ‘Try this of the Coral Sea on the decommissioned aircraft number’ and he got straight through.’ ” carrier Intrepid on New York’s Hudson River in It also helped foster a surprisingly close work- May 2017. “We both agreed that this might be the ing relationship between Hockey as ambassador perfect place to educate the president on the and Turnbull as prime minister. It was surprising importance of the relationship and to get beyond mostly because Hockey doesn’t easily forget the phone call,” says Berry. those who slighted him during his political Hockey persuaded Trump’s chief of staff career. Turnbull angered him in 2015 when, after ­Priebus that the president should attend, and becoming prime minister, he declined to reap- then joined forces with Berry to craft a show point Hockey as treasurer – a move that trig- designed to dazzle Trump. This included making gered Hockey’s decision to leave politics. an emotional video to be screened that night Turnbull appointed Hockey to Washington which highlighted 100 years of shared military shortly afterwards amid claims by Labor that he campaigns by the two countries. “We had every was a “captain’s pick” who had shown little bit of fire-power we could find,’ says Hockey. “We ­interest in foreign affairs. “When I was prime had Rupert Murdoch introducing the president, minister I spoke to Joe [in Washington] con- Greg Norman speaking, Anthony Pratt announc- stantly, every few days or so,” says Turnbull, who ing a major billion-dollar plant and [then US came to rely closely on Hockey’s counsel. “It was Pacific commander] Admiral Harry Harris giving a close and collaborative relationship which was an incredible speech.” very effective. The outcomes I was able to secure Trump almost missed the night because he was from President Trump were almost unique delayed in Washington but he eventually arrived compared to other nations.” “How is Olivia’s health these days?’ Hockey arrived at the ambassador’s residence in Washing- asks his colleagues in the back seat as he is driven ton, a 1923 brick mansion called White Oaks, he towards the LA suburb of Brentwood where he saw that it had an overgrown grass tennis court. will formally present Olivia Newton-John with The court – the only grass court in Washington – an honour, the Companion of the Order of had been installed in the early 1990s by a former ­Australia. It’s a job Hockey has been looking ambassador and was used at that time by the forward to all week. “I grew up with Olivia,” he Kennedy and Bush families, among others. But it says. “Didn’t we all?’ had fallen into disrepair and Hockey’s children We arrive in a sun-drenched front yard to find were using it as a soccer pitch. 40 of Newton-John’s closet friends gathering to One day Hockey mentioned the court to watch the 70-year-old singer, actress and cancer Westfield chief executive Peter Lowy, who survivor receive her medal. She eventually sweeps offered to pay to restore it. Hockey then launched in, wearing all white and beaming that smile. As the restored court at a gala celebration that Hockey places the medal around her neck, included senior US political and intelligence ­Newton-John shouts “Woohoo!”, throws her leaders and featured Australian tennis legends hands in the air and takes a bow. Hockey takes Rod Laver and Fred Stolle. It is now the focus of the microphone. “You are being recognised by functions that have involved commerce secre- your nation not just because we are proud of you you try to use tary Wilbur Ross, Trump economic adviser Larry but because you have changed the world,” he says. all the tools Kudlow and Mulvaney, among others. “You try “You never walk away from any challenge. You you have as an to use all the tools you have as an Australian to are the most optimistic person I have ever met.” australian make connections,” says Hockey. Newton-John warms to Hockey and decides to When Australian IndyCar champion and invite us to dinner with her friends, including 2018 Indianapolis 500 winner Will Power was in Australian songwriter John Farrar (who wrote Player: Hockey on the restored court Washington recently, Hockey held a reception You’re the One That I Want and Hopelessly Devoted for him and his winning car, knowing it would to You from Grease) and British rocker Peter attract high powered rev-heads on Capitol Hill as Noone (Herman from the band Herman’s Her- well as business leaders such as auto racing entre- mits). In the car on the way home, Hockey shakes preneur Roger Penske. his head and chuckles about accidentally ending Once through the doors, Hockey befriended Hockey’s signature campaign as ambassador up at dinner with a childhood idol. “This job is Trump’s then chief economic adviser Gary Cohn, has been called “100 Years of Mateship”. This has never predictable and it’s never boring,” he says. then chief of staff Priebus and then director of been an effort to better educate Americans and It ends a long day that began at dawn when budget and management Mick Mulvaney. From Washington powerbrokers about the fact that Hockey, dressed in shorts with the US stars and that point Hockey has targeted the White House Australia has fought side by side with the US in stripes on them, rode a bike along the Pacific above all else. He has pushed for access to the every major war since the Battle of Hamel in Ocean from Santa Monica to Venice Beach where small and ever-changing group of people who World War I, 100 years ago last year. The concept he ended up cycling around homeless people surround the all-powerful president rather than initially got a lukewarm reception from some in while listening to Australian boy band Human work through the traditional routes of the State the Department of Foreign Affairs in Canberra Nature. Later, as he is driven to his first appoint- Department or defence and intelligence. “I hav- who saw it as hokey but in the US it has proved ment of the day, a meeting with Australian inde- en’t done the Washington circuit,” says Hockey. effective, especially with some American deci- pendent record label Future Classic, he asks “I’m not disparaging of all the events and cocktail sion-makers who did not fully realise the extent everyone in the car who the best known Aussie parties but I don’t see it as the most useful way I of the shared military alliance. music acts are in the US these days. He then tries can make Australia’s case when I am competing “The ANZAC story doesn’t resonate in the US to answer his own question - “Keith Urban. Five against 150 other countries.” in the same way as it does in Australia and so Joe Seconds of Summer… then… daylight?” John Lee, who was a senior adviser to former was able to use this mateship campaign to put his “Who can name me a Keith Urban song?’ He foreign minister , believes Hockey’s arm around Americans and say, ‘We’ve been there asks. There is silence in the car. unconventional approach was the right one from the beginning,” says the AAA’s John Berry. “I’ll text my daughter,” one diplomat replies. given the “unpredictable and unique” Trump Richard Spencer, secretary of the US Navy, says presidency. “We needed someone who could it has made an impact. “The mateship goes back Hockey first pushed his way into Trump’s orbit engineer direct access through establishing a per- 100 years as the fact that in every major conflict by touting the asset recycling scheme he intro- sonal relationship with Trump and I am sceptical Australians have been by our side means a tre- duced as treasurer in 2015. This scheme to fund a more conventional ambassador would have mendous amount to our navy and marine corps,” infrastructure through private/public partnership done a better job,” he says. he tells me. Spencer and Hockey have since attracted the attention of the White House, which Hockey has not been shy about promoting struck up a friendship, enjoying BBQs together, was looking for ways to fund Trump’s election quirky ideas and leveraging Australian celebrities including with Spencer’s friend actor Harrison promise to reform America’s infrastructure. to woo Washington powerbrokers. When he Ford. “Joe is the consummate ambassador and he

the weekend Australian magazine 35 is the best spokesperson for Australia that I have resort Mar-a-Lago. Hockey won’t say, on or off Hockey with barely disguised scorn. “I mean he met – he exudes Australia,” says Spencer. the record, what conversations he has had with went to jail for lying… He has suggested there is Last year, Hockey savoured Australia’s biggest the President. But other sources say Trump once some grand conspiracy, which there wasn’t, so it’s win with the Trump Administration: the quizzed Hockey on the course about whether he just been a management issue for us… The ­President’s decision to exempt Australia from his could trust Turnbull. They also claim that in a President has got nothing to fear from us.” steel and aluminium tariffs. Australia had been more recent round of golf, Trump expressed frus- Hockey doesn’t write diplomatic cables back to lobbying hard across the whole of government to tration to Hockey about former Australian High Canberra so his private views are not at risk of persuade Trump and his advisers that it deserved Commissioner to the UK Alexander Downer’s being exposed like those of British ambassador a special exception. A raft of Cabinet ministers role in triggering the Russia investigation. The Kim Darroch, who recently resigned after a leak joined Hockey in reminding the White House President kept referring to Downer as “Dowling”. of highly critical cables he had written about that Australia was America’s closest military and The issue of Downer and the Russian investi- Trump and the White House. Hockey’s focus on political ally and that it had a sizeable trade sur- gation has been an awkward one for Hockey. The forging relationships with the White House and plus with the US and so was not putting US steel report of special counsel Robert Mueller stated with the bigger picture of the alliance has meant workers out of a job. “The more we spoke with the that the Russia investigation was triggered by he has delegated much of the running of the President and the White House the more they Downer reporting to the US a meeting he had in Australian embassy to his deputies. Some in DFAT realised that Australia was different,” says Hockey. London in May 2016 with then Trump aide do not like this hands-off style of management, Yet the White House did not let anyone else , who told him that Russia although former Bishop adviser Lee defends it. know what it was thinking on this key issue until had emails about Trump’s opponent Hillary “Joe has been criticised by some for not doing one day, as Hockey watched Trump name Aus- Clinton. But Papadopoulos has since made wild more of the behind-the-scenes work that ambas- tralia as a country that might be given an exemp- accusations that Downer was spying on him in sadors also do, like connecting with Congress, tion from the tariffs. “I saw it on TV in my office order to establish that the Trump campaign was connection with all sorts of stakeholders, the and I just yelled out ‘YEEEES!’’’ Hockey recalls, secretly working with the Russians, something heavy lifting of working with lobby groups, all raising both arms. He doesn’t try to take credit Downer denies. Trump has previously accused that sort of thing,” he says. “What I would say for the decision, saying Turnbull and Trump had Britain’s intelligence agencies of spying on his though is that Joe has happily delegated that to nutted it out. Australia was one of only a handful 2016 election campaign but he has never spoken his second in charge. I think Joe knows what he is of nations granted an exemption from the tariffs. publicly about what he thinks of Papadopoulos’ good at and what he is not good at. Joe knew what spying claims about Downer. “George Papado- his weaknesses were and he delegated those.” Hockey is in a room in Denver, Colorado, one poulos is a totally discredited individual,” says Earlier this year, with some diplomatic wins of the fastest-growing business capitals in the and strong White House connections in place, US, with 30 Australian company executives. Hockey seemed to be in line for an extension of They have come to hear their ambassador’s views Idol: Olivia Newton-John receives her gong; Alexander Downer his posting, due to end in January, so that he about the economy and especially about Trump. would remain through next year’s presidential Hockey explains to them why he thinks Trump election. The then Labor leader Bill Shorten had has a solid chance of re-election. “Trump’s going told Hockey before the election that he was open to go to the next election saying, ‘Well, in the last to the idea. But in February Labor turned against election I promised you I would reduce taxes, I’ve him after media reports implied that Hockey had reduced taxes; I promised you I’d appoint con- inappropriate dealings with the travel company servatives to the Supreme Court, I’ve appointed Helloworld, of which he and a close friend conservatives to the Supreme Court…’” He con- Andrew Burnes were shareholders. Hockey tinues on this theme, listing all the promises that attended a meeting at the embassy between Trump has kept from his 2016 campaign includ- Helloworld executives and embassy staff about ing boosting military spending, pulling out of the the delivery travel services after disclosing to his Paris climate accord and the Iran nuclear deal staff his friendship with Burnes and his share- and moving the US embassy to Jerusalem, among holding. Both Hockey and Burnes strongly other things. “Are you getting the picture?” he denied any conflict of interest, but Labor’s for- asks the group finally. “When did you last have a eign affairs spokesperson Penny Wong used the politician saying that?” He adds: “Also, I’ve never issue to attack Hockey, making it unlikely that seen anyone in my political life define and Labor would extend his term if it won office. destroy someone like Donald Trump.” In late May, Hockey decided he would not Hockey’s own relationship with Trump has seek an extension to his posting. He claims his been forged on the golf course and through his decision had nothing to do with the fact that friendship with fellow golfer Mulvaney, now Labor at that time looked likely to win the elec- Trump’s acting chief of staff. Hockey has played tion. Some close to him disagree. “I think Joe just with Mulvaney and Trump on various courses made the wrong call,” says one. Hockey will be

around Washington and also at Trump’s Florida replaced early next year by , the ben stevens / i-images danny moloshok; yospin; joshua edwards; nathan photography:

36 the weekend Australian magazine senator and former adviser to . another. “She makes my skin crawl,” he says of Hockey maintains he has had enough and says one. Hockey texts the result to the White House it’s time to move on to life beyond government. with a reminder for Trump to call Morrison to “Until you’ve had the blowtorch to the belly and congratulate him ASAP. been on the front page of every paper in Aus- On his morning walk in Denver, against the tralia you don’t really know what politics is,” he backdrop of the Rocky Mountains, Hockey pon- says. “But I’ve always fought for what I think is ders what comes next. “I’ve got unique skills but right and I’d rather fight and at times fail than be I can’t find a unique job to match them,” he a straw in the wind.” laughs. Hockey, along with his wife Melissa Babbage, a businesswoman, and their three It is election day in Canberra and as dawn children, Xavier, Ignatius and Adelaide, are breaks over embassy in Washing- weighing up whether to stay in the US – most ton, the two televisions sets flickering on the likely in a commercial job in New York – or ground floor show that early counting suggests return to their home in Sydney. is heading for a surprise win. But for Hockey the end of his ambassadorial Hockey walks into the room with a broad grin and term also means the end of 26 years of public greets the small gaggle of political tragics from the service. “Mate, it’s been the greatest privilege, the embassy watching the drama unfold. He grabs a I don’t have a greatest journey,” he says when asked about it. “I hotdog and a coffee and slumps into a chair. “Well, single regret. but i’m don’t have a single regret. But I am 53, I have there you have it,” he says, adding that he told his 53, i have another another career in me and I don’t want to stop staff a week ago that Morrison would win. career in me working. I need to keep moving.” For the next two hours Hockey is a politician Whatever Hockey does next, it is unlikely to once again, giving a running commentary on the rival the challenge and the adrenalin of holding drama unfolding half a world away. “He’s just a Moving on: Hockey steps down in January Australia’s most important diplomatic post with terrible person,” he says of one of his former the most maverick and unusual American parliamentary colleagues. “I love her,” he says of president in living memory. l