Who is the new US ambassador to Australia?

NEW AMERICAN AMBASSADOR TO AUSTRALIA

* Born in Tennessee, Arthur Culvahouse has become one of Washington DC's most prominent lawyers.

* The 70-year-old served as counsel to former United States president Ronald Reagan and earlier worked for Gerald Ford.

* He has had the responsibility of vetting some of America's landmark appointments, including Alan Greenspan as Federal Reserve chairman and Anthony Kennedy as a Supreme Court judge.

* Perhaps most famously, he vetted vice presidential candidates for John McCain's 2008 campaign, leading to the appointment of Sarah Palin. He later did the same for Donald Trump's deputy Mike Pence.

* Has provided legal work for multi-national corporations including Exxon, Ford, Goldman Sachs and AT&T.

* His most recent legal role was as chair emeritus to international law firm O'Melveny & Myers.

* Announced as Donald Trump's pick for US ambassador to Australia in November, filling the post vacated by John Berry in September 2016. Trump had originally selected former US Pacific Command commander Harry Harris to do the job, before making him ambassador to South Korea.