Sources familiar with the campaign who spoke on the condition of anonymity say the kitchen sink was thrown at some members, like the United States, which Morrison, Foreign Minister Marise Payne, Treasurer Josh Frydenberg and ambassador Arthur Sinodinos all targeted. Sinodinos was Howardâs long-serving chief of staff and the veteran operatorâs wily ways were crucial to opening the doors to the new Biden administration. Western Australia Governor Kim Beazley also called Democrats he knew from his own ambassadorial stint in Washington to make the case for Cormann. Cormann slipped into the US following President Joe Bidenâs inauguration in January for five days of meetings with senior officials, including at the White House. Effort went into making sure the visit stayed under-the-radar given Cormannâs travel through Europe on a Royal Australian Air Force jet had caused controversy in November.