Australia's Foreign Affairs minister, Kevin Rudd, says he is keen to give the United States greater access to Australia's defence bases.
Mr Rudd on Saturday welcomed the American Secretary of State Hillary Clinton to Australia for talks on security issues.
Her visit is part of the annual talks between the Australian foreign and defence ministers and the US secretaries of state and defence.
The ABC reports that Mrs Clinton will spend two days in Melbourne and is to meet Prime Minister Julia Gillard on Sunday.
Mr Rudd confirmed both countries are interested in closer co-operation between their defence forces.
He says he is keen to give the United States greater access to Australian defence bases and confirmed both countries are interested in closer cooperation between their defence forces.
On Monday Mrs Clinton and US defence secretary Robert Gates will meet their Australian counterparts for talks on issues including Afghanistan and security in the Asia Pacific region.
Mrs Clinton flew out of Christchurch airport on Saturday after a visit that cemented a new strategic partnership between New Zealand and the US with the signing of the Wellington Declaration on Thursday.
