Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
09CANBERRA824
2009-09-08 06:42:00
UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY
Embassy Canberra
Cable title:
ENVIRONMENT MINISTER GARRETT'S TRIP TO WASHINGTON
how-toVZCZCXRO0058 RR RUEHPT DE RUEHBY #0824 2510642 ZNR UUUUU ZZH R 080642Z SEP 09 FM AMEMBASSY CANBERRA TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 2011 INFO RUEHKO/AMEMBASSY TOKYO 3677 RUEHWL/AMEMBASSY WELLINGTON 0104 RUEHBN/AMCONSUL MELBOURNE 6644 RUEHPT/AMCONSUL PERTH 4909 RUEHDN/AMCONSUL SYDNEY 4898 RHEHAAA/THE WHITE HOUSE WASHINGTON DC RUCPDOC/DEPT OF COMMERCE WASHINGTON DC
UNCLAS CANBERRA 000824
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
STATE FOR EAP/ANP, OES/EGC, OES/OA PHELPS
COMMERCE PLEASE PASS NOAA, WHITE HOUSE FOR CEQ
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: SENV KGHG EFIS PGOV AS
SUBJECT: ENVIRONMENT MINISTER GARRETT'S TRIP TO WASHINGTON
REF: A. CANBERRA 744
B. CANBERRA 574
C. CANBERRA 732
UNCLAS CANBERRA 000824
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
STATE FOR EAP/ANP, OES/EGC, OES/OA PHELPS
COMMERCE PLEASE PASS NOAA, WHITE HOUSE FOR CEQ
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: SENV KGHG EFIS PGOV AS
SUBJECT: ENVIRONMENT MINISTER GARRETT'S TRIP TO WASHINGTON
REF: A. CANBERRA 744
B. CANBERRA 574
C. CANBERRA 732
1. (SBU) SUMMARY: Australian Minister for the Environment,
Heritage and the Arts Peter Garrett will visit Washington, DC
from 8-11 September 2009. Though the primary reason for the
visit is the inauguration of a major Australian indigenous
art exhibit, Garrett also plans to raise whaling,
conservation, science cooperation, energy efficiency, and
repatriation of indigenous remains. End summary.
2. (SBU) Garrett's Chief of Staff David Williams told Deputy
Econcouns the trip's main purpose is for Garrett, former lead
singer of the iconic Australian rock group "Midnight Oil," to
open the "Culture Warriors" exhibition at the American
University Museum at the Katzen Arts Center. Econoff spoke
with Williams on 7 September about the trip's agenda.
Williams said Garrett's main focus in other meetings will be
whaling (ref. A) and the Coral Triangle Initiative, Antarctic
science co-operation (ref. B),energy efficiency and
repatriation of indigenous remains. He will also meet with
representatives of the arts and motion picture groups.
3. (SBU) Garrett will meet Under Secretary for Democracy and
Global Affairs Maria Otero and plans to raise the issue of
whaling, though, according to Williams, from a point of view
that is "conscious of the lesser priority that the issue
poses for the US," but aware of the critical engagement
opportunity on whaling following the Japanese elections.
Another issue Garrett plans to raise with the Under Secretary
is the US-Australia partnership within the Coral Triangle
Initiative. Other scheduled meetings follow (issues to be
raised in parenthesis): Environmental Protection Agency
Director Lisa Jackson (waste policy, whales, climate change
and biodiversity); Department of Energy (energy efficiency
and renewable energy),Secretary of the Smithsonian
(repatriation of Australian indigenous remains),and the
Director of the National Science Foundation. Other
unconfirmed but possible meetings include: Council on
Environmental Quality Chair Nancy Sutley; Senior Advisor to
the Under Secretary of Commerce for Oceans and Atmosphere
Monica Medina; and the office of the US Whaling Commissioner.
Future October Trip In The Works
--------------
4. (SBU) Williams' office is also planning a second US trip
for Minister Garrett, to take place 12-18 October and
centered around an Australian Film Industry gathering in Los
Angeles. He said the substantive agenda outside the
gathering would focus on whaling, with possible side trips to
Washington, DC and perhaps Boulder, Colorado, where,
according to Williams, "there are some innovative
developments taking place in the area of energy efficiency."
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
STATE FOR EAP/ANP, OES/EGC, OES/OA PHELPS
COMMERCE PLEASE PASS NOAA, WHITE HOUSE FOR CEQ
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: SENV KGHG EFIS PGOV AS
SUBJECT: ENVIRONMENT MINISTER GARRETT'S TRIP TO WASHINGTON
REF: A. CANBERRA 744
B. CANBERRA 574
C. CANBERRA 732
1. (SBU) SUMMARY: Australian Minister for the Environment,
Heritage and the Arts Peter Garrett will visit Washington, DC
from 8-11 September 2009. Though the primary reason for the
visit is the inauguration of a major Australian indigenous
art exhibit, Garrett also plans to raise whaling,
conservation, science cooperation, energy efficiency, and
repatriation of indigenous remains. End summary.
2. (SBU) Garrett's Chief of Staff David Williams told Deputy
Econcouns the trip's main purpose is for Garrett, former lead
singer of the iconic Australian rock group "Midnight Oil," to
open the "Culture Warriors" exhibition at the American
University Museum at the Katzen Arts Center. Econoff spoke
with Williams on 7 September about the trip's agenda.
Williams said Garrett's main focus in other meetings will be
whaling (ref. A) and the Coral Triangle Initiative, Antarctic
science co-operation (ref. B),energy efficiency and
repatriation of indigenous remains. He will also meet with
representatives of the arts and motion picture groups.
3. (SBU) Garrett will meet Under Secretary for Democracy and
Global Affairs Maria Otero and plans to raise the issue of
whaling, though, according to Williams, from a point of view
that is "conscious of the lesser priority that the issue
poses for the US," but aware of the critical engagement
opportunity on whaling following the Japanese elections.
Another issue Garrett plans to raise with the Under Secretary
is the US-Australia partnership within the Coral Triangle
Initiative. Other scheduled meetings follow (issues to be
raised in parenthesis): Environmental Protection Agency
Director Lisa Jackson (waste policy, whales, climate change
and biodiversity); Department of Energy (energy efficiency
and renewable energy),Secretary of the Smithsonian
(repatriation of Australian indigenous remains),and the
Director of the National Science Foundation. Other
unconfirmed but possible meetings include: Council on
Environmental Quality Chair Nancy Sutley; Senior Advisor to
the Under Secretary of Commerce for Oceans and Atmosphere
Monica Medina; and the office of the US Whaling Commissioner.
Future October Trip In The Works
--------------
4. (SBU) Williams' office is also planning a second US trip
for Minister Garrett, to take place 12-18 October and
centered around an Australian Film Industry gathering in Los
Angeles. He said the substantive agenda outside the
gathering would focus on whaling, with possible side trips to
Washington, DC and perhaps Boulder, Colorado, where,
according to Williams, "there are some innovative
developments taking place in the area of energy efficiency."