Gov. Greg Abbott and Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull show off hats they exchanged after their meeting Tuesday in Sydney. Abbott was vacationing with his family in the city.
Gov. Greg Abbott and Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull show off hats they exchanged after their meeting Tuesday in Sydney. Abbott was vacationing with his family in the city. Greg Abbott

Gov. Greg Abbott paused a family vacation to Sydney on Tuesday to meet with Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull. 

The two spoke for more than an hour about issues including the economic ties between Australia and the U.S., energy policy, transportation policy and trade, according to Abbott aides. They said the governor and Turnbull also “talked at length about regulatory policy — both under the incoming Trump administration and in Texas.” 

Many Republicans, including Abbott, are hoping President-elect Donald Trump will be a boon for their states’ economies.

Abbott and Turnbull began the meeting by swapping gifts. Turnbull gave Abbott an Akubra hat, and Abbott gave Turnbull a Stetson hat. 

“Engaging visit in Sydney with Australian Prime Minister,” Abbott tweeted after the meeting, sharing a picture of the two modeling their new hats. “I traded a Stetson for an Australian Akubra.”

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Patrick Svitek was the primary political correspondent for The Texas Tribune. Patrick covered elections, state leaders, the Legislature and political trends across the state from 2015 until 2024. He previously...