The government has said it will announce its decision on which type of nuclear-powered submarine it will acquire in March,and there is mounting speculation it could strike a deal to speed up the process by buying several vessels directly from the US.
Sinodinos is respected by both sides of politics despite being one of the Liberal Party’s most influential figures over recent decades.
Sinodinos served as John Howard’s chief-of-staff for a decade before becoming Malcolm Turnbull’s cabinet secretary when he seized the prime ministership from Tony Abbott in 2015.
The cancer survivorarrived in Washington in February 2020,just before the onset of the coronavirus pandemic.
Sources said the likely Republican takeover of the US House of Representatives,and possibly the Senate,in January would create a volatile political environment in the US capital,added to the argument for a period of stability at the Australian embassy in Washington.
The decision on whether to extend Sinodinos’ term,and who will succeed him in the highly sought-after role,will be made by Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and Foreign Minister Penny Wong.