He says Beazley knows the players well in Washington and having someone in the post who can pick up the phone to the Prime Minister at any time is important, in the same way former ambassadors Michael Thawley and Dennis Richardson enjoyed a close working relationship with Howard. "Australia has good standing in the US generically speaking" says Howard who, in the crucible of 9/11, forged arguably the closest relationship an Australian prime minister has had with a sitting US president in George W. Bush. Full Article at The Australian