Obama headed downunder

Speaking after they held discussions on the Afghanistan war and climate change at the White House, the Prime Minister said: “We had a chat at the end of our conversation about his desire to visit down under.

Rudd welcomes the idea

"I told him he would always be welcome and we are looking at the possibility of him visiting Australia during the course of 2010. That would be terrific. I’m sure all Australians would make the President and Michelle and the family, if they happen to be with them, really welcome. We tend to be good at that.

We’re a welcoming mob down there.”

Already visited Australia as a child

Mr Obama is the first US president to have visited Australia before taking office. While living in Indonesia as a child, Mr Obama came through Australia during holiday visits to see his grandparents in Hawaii.

President George W. Bush came to Sydney in October 2007 when the city hosted the APEC conference.

Bush Howard relationship

Mr Bush and then prime Minister John Howard had developed a close working relationship and friendship, after joining in a “coalition of the willing” in the Iraq war.

Mr Rudd and Mr Obama are not close by comparison, but their working relationship has been developing since Mr Obama entered the White House in January.

Obama and Rudd form bond

They jointly announced a climate change initiative at the Major Economic Forum meeting in L’Aquila, Italy, in July.

They have since spent time together at the UN general assembly in New York and the G20 meeting in Pittsburgh in September, and at the APEC meeting this month in Singapore.