"Admiral Harris is a frequent visitor to Australia. He's well-known to Australians, highly respected. I'm sure his appointment would be welcomed by both sides of politics," said Andrew Shearer, senior adviser on Asia-Pacific security at the Centre for Strategic and International Studies. "He's a straight talking, engaging kind of bloke and that's how Australians like it."
In the past, the Australia post has often but not always gone to a political appointee without national security or foreign policy experience. Before he resigned, White House Chief of Staff Reince Priebus favoured Trump fundraiser and alleged slumlord Rod Gidwitz for the post, officials said. Shearer said now is not the time for a novice.
"Australia is grappling with some of the issues involved in China's rise and is looking for reassurance from the United States in that context," he said. "Harris knows us, he knows our region, and he knows the issues we are grappling with. That would certainly be an advantage."
Known to take a tough line on dealing with China, Harris' appointment was pushed strongly by former White House chief strategist Stephen Bannon. Harris has also been discussed for other senior roles in the administration, officials said.
Harris has been a strong proponent of increasing the US operations that are meant to respond to Chinese maritime aggression, including the militarisation of reclaimed features in the South China Sea. He coined the term "Great Wall of Sand" to illustrate China's strategy in building up the features.
The Chinese Government went so far as to ask the incoming Trump Administration during the transition to cut Harris's PACOM tour to two years and show him the door, but the White House did not comply. Beijing denies making the request.
Although Harris's tour would be shortened if he were made ambassador to Australia, that would not constitute a sop to the Chinese Government, officials said. The odds-on favourite to replace Harris atop PACOM, according to officials, is Admiral Scott Swift, the current head of the US Pacific Fleet. Swift is also known to support strong responses to Chinese aggression.
The move would be similar to when then-PACOM Commander Admiral Joseph Prueher was nominated to serve as ambassador to China in 1999 and Admiral Dennis Blair was simultaneously appointed to replace him.
The Australia ambassador post is only one of many senior positions related to Asia that remain unfilled. Trump has yet to name an ambassador to South Korea, assistant secretary of defence for Asian and Pacific Affairs, assistant secretary of state for East Asian and Pacific affairs, among others.
Former George W. Bush Administration White House official Victor Cha is the leading candidate for US envoy to Seoul, Administration officials said. Former State Department official Randall Schriver is the leading candidate for the Pentagon job, officials said.
Secretary of State Rex Tillerson wanted to appoint Susan Thornton, the acting top Asia official at State, to fill that role permanently, but she was opposed for months by Bannon, according to Administration officials. Now that Bannon has left the Administration, her prospects have improved. The White House had also been considering Hong Kong lawyer Michael DeSombre for the job, but DeSombre, a top overseas Republican fundraiser, lost his main advocate when Priebus left.
Trump's failure to get his Asia policy team in place has brought him increasing criticism as the North Korea crisis worsens, even from friendly commentators such as Laura Ingraham, who lashed out at Trump on Fox & Friends.
Trump responded directly to Ingraham on Twitter, saying he might not make all the appointments after all.
Tillerson's staff placed the blame for the vacancies directly on the White House this week.
"The system is busted," Tillerson's spokesman R.C. Hammond told Axios. "The secretary sends over recommendations and they sit on the dock."
- additional reporting AAP
