An Australian observer of US politics says Donald Trump's win could resonate with the disaffected in those Australian regions with similarities to the so-called US rust bucket belt.

Associate professor of history and politics at Wollongong University Greg Melleuish said there were two Americas — the affluent city areas and the rust bucket areas that turned out for Trump.

He said, traditionally, the older working-class demographic would vote Democrat.

"I think that what Trump has done is to bring out people from the rust bucket states and people from rural areas who are totally dissatisfied with the way that America is being run," he said.

He compared the rejection of the mainstream political message to the Brexit campaign in England and believed Hillary Clinton failed because her message did not resonate widely enough.

"As in the case of Brexit, she failed to connect with the other America, in the same way that the campaign to stay in the EU failed to connect with many of the rural and working-class areas of Britain," he said.

Professor Melleuish is based in Wollongong where tens of thousands of job losses have occurred in manufacturing resulting in entrenched pockets of high unemployment.

"The Illawarra is a bit like the rust bucket parts of America and I think it indicates if the Government of this country is not willing to take on-board the sorts of problems that the Illawarra has, perhaps in the longer term it could find some sort of reaction against the Government comparable to what happened in America," he said.

In terms of US engagement with Australia, Professor Melleuish said while Trump would be less likely to engage with the Asia–Pacific, the traditional close ties between the two nations would remain.

"I don't think there is any issue in terms of America wanting close ties with Australia, it's just that he may not have quite the same attitude in the region that his predecessors have," he said.