The 39th President of the United States, James Earl Carter, Jr., has died aged 100.
On behalf of the Coalition, I acknowledge the late President’s service to his nation and his efforts to forge a deeper relationship with Australia.
Jimmy Carter led his country between January 1977 and January 1981.
In his inaugural address, President Carter spoke to his citizens about having “fresh faith” in the old American dream and “a resurgent commitment” to the basic principles of their nation.
Motivated by a deep morality, he championed the cause of human rights, expanded social services and advocated for nuclear arms reduction.
In 1977, President Carter negotiated two treaties which gave Panama control over its eponymous canal and ensured the neutrality of the waterway. In 1978, he brokered the Camp David Accords to secure peace between Egypt and Israel. And in 1979, he established official diplomatic relations with the People’s Republic of China.
His administration also had to contend with major international incidents. In 1979, the Soviet Union invaded Afghanistan. In the same year, and following the Iranian Revolution, militants stormed the US Embassy in Tehran and held Americans hostage for 444 days which included a highly publicised failed rescue operation.
Malcom Fraser was the Prime Minister of Australia during Jimmy Carter’s presidency. When he visited the United States in June 1977, the President reflected warmly on our bilateral relationship:
“… it’s with a sense of assurance that because of our past friendships and sharing of challenge and opportunity that the future will bind us even closer to one another.”
With America plagued by rising inflation, soaring interest rates, high unemployment and an energy crisis, President Carter was unable to secure a second term.
Yet, in leaving office, he spoke optimistically about his country, its values and the American people:
“These last four years have made me more certain than ever of the inner strength of our country – the unchanging value of our principles and ideals, the stability of our political system, the ingenuity and the decency of our people.
… Our social and political progress has been based on one fundamental principle – the value and importance of the individual. The fundamental force that unites us is not kinship or place of origin or religious preference. The love of liberty is a common blood that flows in our American veins.”
Post his presidency, Jimmy Carter remained active in international diplomacy and authored more than 30 books. In 1982, he founded the Carter Center at Emory University in Atlanta, Georgia, which focuses on human rights, conflict resolution and disease eradication.
In 2002, he was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for his “decades of untiring effort to find peaceful solutions to international conflicts, to advance democracy and human rights, and to promote economic and social development.”
As we reflect on the life of President Jimmy Carter, our thoughts are with his children, his family, his Democratic Party colleagues and the American people.
President Jimmy Carter is now with his dear wife and former first lady, Rosalynn Carter.
May he rest in peace.
30 December 2024