Still smarting from the debacles he incurred during the recently-concluded US midterm elections, President Barack Obama sent Secretary of State Hillary Clinton to Australia for talks on mutual policy goals and strengthening of defence pacts.

Halfway into his presidency, President Obama saw his Democratic Party losing control of the House of Representatives, the majority of state governorship and almost handed down the Senate leadership to a resurgent Republican Party that took a paralysing loss two years ago when the popular president swept into power.

While admitting that the drubbing sent ripples of rude awakening for the Democrats, which for a time seemed invincible as the party dominated both the two chambers of the US Congress for the last two years, President Obama refused to be distracted and decided to soldier on for more pressing matters such as the G20 summit in South Korea and the ongoing war effort in Afghanistan.

Sending Ms Clinton to Australia, the US is hoping to forge a better relationship with one of its closest ally despite the perceived reduction of awe on the Obama presidency in light of the losses that the Democrats suffered in the election.

In Australia, Ms Clinton is set to hold talks with Australian Foreign Minister Kevin Rudd, which the two nations said would focus on their policy in Pakistan and Afghanistan, counterterrorism, Australian military bases usage by US personnel and cyber security.

Ms Clinton also declared over the weekend that the summit between the two nations is meant to explore for more opportunities on how to effectively work together, prior to her scheduled meet with Australian authorities on Monday.

Earlier, Mr Rudd had indicated that Australia is more than willing to collaborate with the United States on joint efforts that are meant to deepen the two countries military partnership, also hinting that the US is welcome to use the country's ports and facilities for their milirary exercises.

Himself a survivor of political misfortunes, the former prime minister recalled that Australia and America have been partners in the past decades and it shall be the same case in the future as he appeared with Ms Clinton on her arrival to Melbourne.

Prime Minister Julia Gillard affirmed Mr Rudd's position as she stressed that Australia's close military relationship with the United States is in the best interest of the nation as she conceded that the closer ties also "give the possibility, of course, for further joint exercises, further collaboration."

On her part, Ms Clinton extended his appreciation of Australia's goodwill to Ms Gillard when the two met on Sunday to discuss renewable energy projects between the two nations, also thanking the country for its sacrifices in Afghanistan with the United States.

Ms Clinton cited Australia for its role in the war-torn country and for maintaining "the largest non-NATO contingent of troops serving and by everyone's estimates, doing a very good job under very difficult circumstances."

Meanwhile, notwithstanding the rousing rejections of his party's candidates, President Obama quickly picked up the pieces and embarked on a 10-day tour in Asia where Ms Clinton is expected to join the US leader following her mission in Australia.

The elections that reshaped the political landscape of the United States almost reduced the Democrats into the minority that for a while threatened Mr Obama's legislative and economic agenda, though analysts were quick to add that political re-alignments are in order for the beleaguered administration if only to survive the next presidential elections in the coming two years.