"Honoured to welcome President @barackobama to Sydney," Anthony Albanese tweeted.
Former US President Barack Obama has kicked off his highly anticipated talk series in Australia, sitting down with Australia’s former Foreign Minister Julie Bishop to discuss leadership and the world’s future, including the rise of China, Russia and Ukraine – and selfies.
The sold-out audience was kept waiting for more than 20 minutes for the event to start, after it was delayed because “massive” queues were still trying to get into the International Convention Centre at the 7.45pm start time.
Wiradjuri woman Yvonne Weldon offered a welcome to the country, before Obama walked onto the stage to loud applause after a glowing introduction from Bishop, who described him as a global icon.
Obama received a standing ovation from the crowd when he took to the stage to the music of Stevie Wonder.
“Sydney is fantastic, we have had such a wonderful time here, it’s one of the world’s great cities,” he began.
He then spoke about his earliest memories of Australia, visiting Sydney when he was just 8 years old.
Former US President Barack Obama in Balmoral pic.twitter.com/NhZKbHHHKy
— Julia Bradley (@_juliabradley) March 27, 2023
“I was travelling from Indonesia where my mother was living at the time, to my grandparents in Hawaii and I was travelling unaccompanied,” he said.
“We had to stop for a day for the connecting flight and Qantas’ stewardess took very good care of me.”
He said that the stewardess gave him Coca-Cola while he read comic books.
“I had a big crush on her,” he said.
“I felt very sophisticated, very worldly, travelling on my own and so that’s my first association with Sydney.
“And it just keeps getting better every time I come back.”
Those who wished to hear Obama speak had to dig deep for a ticket, with the standard price coming in at just under $200.
The event’s “platinum package”, which came in at a whopping $895 ($959) featured a welcome cocktail at a one-hour drinks function, a commemorative lanyard and a signed copy of Obama’s book, has now sold out.
With around 9000 people to attend the Sydney Evening With President Obama and 10,500 to see him in Melbourne, the former president could be up for a payday of more than $1 million.
Around 500 people also tuned into the talk online, with tickets to buy a link to the stream selling for around $400.
Obama revealed that one of his biggest regrets and a low point was not being able to overhaul American gun laws after the Sandy Hook school shooting where 20 children and six teachers were killed.
“That was the closest I came during my years in office to feeling very cynical about the capacity of politics, of people to join together to do what is obvious.”
However, he defended his efforts to not do more around gun control.
“You run your race as best you can and you try to make a good handover and you have to take satisfaction from feeling as if you did the very best with the time allotted to you,” he said.
“I think not changing the gun laws was an example of me trying very hard ... but we could not budge Congress.”
Quizzed by Bishop, a former Australian foreign minister, on the rise of China, Obama complimented President Xi Jinping on his “forceful and confident” demeanour.
Obama said China began to change “after I left office”, with the country beginning to crack down on liberties inside its borders after Xi sensed that the next US leader – Donald Trump – would be more lenient.
“With my successor coming in, I think [Xi] saw an opportunity because the US president didn’t seem to care that much about a rules-based international system,” Obama said.
“And so as a consequence, I think China’s attitude as well, we can take advantage of what appears to be a vacuum internationally on a lot of these issues.”
He said that the relationship between the US and China is “significantly strained” and that tensions aren’t “going to go away anytime soon”.
“Nor should they, because I think there are some fundamental differences in terms of how we operate when you look at the South China Sea,” he told the crowd.
“The fact of the matter is, is that if China starts claiming what had previously been international waters that is going to make life difficult for its neighbours, and for everyone, long term. I don’t even think it’s going to be good for China.”
Bishop and Obama shared a laugh after she described the handover to now former President Trump as “interesting”.
“Yeah, that was a temporary fumble, but we picked it up,” Obama joked.
“That did not work out the way I expected.”
Russia’s war on Ukraine, Obama said, was part of a “broader contest that is taking place around the world”.
“Between an old way of conceiving power, an ancient way of conceiving power, that is essentially determined by violence and coercion ... and a more modern notion of nation states respecting each other regardless of size,” he said.
He warned the issues plaguing global politics would not go away with the defeat of Russia.
“I don’t want people to think that if Putin fails that we’ve won, because I think that what Putin represents – his politics and authoritarianism and dissembling and lying and cruelty and manipulation and repression – what he represents is everywhere, including my own country,” he said.
Bishop then asked why US politics is so much more polarised in the 21st century than it was through the 1950s and 60s, to which Obama responded that the political process used to work through an “old boys network”.
“One reason is that if you went into the halls and chambers of the Senate and Congress, there wasn’t anybody who looked like you or me,” he joked with Bishop.
He went on to describe how quirks in the American political process, such as filibusters and the distribution of senators by the state rather than population, contributed to polarisation.
However, he did have a positive outlook on the state of US politics.
“We’re not as polarised as we seem, 60-65 per cent of the country, let’s call it 70 per cent, does occupy a reality-based world that believes in logic and reason,” he said.
“And that’s true among Republicans as well, so I’m not making a point about party as much as it is sorts of attitudes, beliefs, etc.”
He paused to reflect on the power of women in politics, saying they were a force for good.
“I am actually convinced that if we could try an experiment in which every country on Earth was run by women for just like two years ... I am confident the world would tilt in a better direction,” he said.
The audience responded with cheers and applause, which Obama was quick to downplay.
“Before you cheer, I’m not saying you guys don’t do crazy things either, so don’t clap yourself too much on the back,” he said.
“I’m in a household of three women and so I’ve seen some stuff out of you.”
The 44th president has caused a stir since his arrival on Monday, shutting down parts of Sydney as his large motorcade with a helicopter overhead made its way around the city.
Despite throngs following the former president, he has not spent time with regular Sydneysiders, skipping eager fans.
Obama confessed that he’s sick of being the “human that has been recorded and filmed the most in human history”.
“That’s because I was the first US President of the digital age – which, by the way, puts me, even now, in selfie hell,” he said.
“If you’re wondering why I’m not taking a stroll through Sydney, it’s not security, it’s the risk of 100 selfies at one time.”
The Growth Faculty, which organised the tour, said on its website Obama and Bishop will discuss “strength in leadership” and “explore techniques for navigating an unpredictable future”.
“President Barack Obama’s path to success is unlike any other. As a global leader, pioneer and 44th president of the United States, his journey is one of resilience, perseverance and triumph, the result of exceptional determination and true tenacity,” the website read.
“In times of great challenge and change, President Obama’s leadership ushered in a stronger economy, a more equal society, a nation more secure at home and more respected around the world.
“Attendees will hear President Obama discuss strength in leadership and explore techniques for navigating an unpredictable future.”
Obama was taken on a whirlwind tour of Sydney on Monday, meeting Prime Minister Anthony Albanese in the morning before joining wife Michelle for lunch at Bathers Pavilion in Balmoral, a tour of the Opera House and dinner at Grana in Circular Quay.
“Honoured to welcome President Barack Obama to Sydney,” Albanese said on Twitter.
The pair posed for photographs, grinning under umbrellas in front of a drizzly Sydney Harbour.
Violators could face fines ranging from €135 to €700 for breaking the ban.