UNITED States of America’s Consul General to Australia, Judith R. Fergin arrived at the Young Golf Club on Tuesday afternoon at about 6:30pm, as a guest speaker to the meeting of Young Rotary. It is part of her tour of regional NSW which, this time around, has also taken in Albury and Tumut.

Mrs Fergin is a career member of the U.S. Foreign Service, holds the rank of Minister Counselor and took up her posting in Sydney in July, 2007. She participated in a diplomatic exchange program at the Australian Strategic Policy Institute in Canberra from 2003 to 2004 prior to serving as Deputy Chief of Mission at the U.S. Embassy in Singapore from 2004 to 2007.

As well as Washington and Sydney, Mrs Fergin has served in Jakarta, Moscow, Monrovia, Pretoria and Munich. She has two children and is married to retired senior foreign service officer, Gregory Fergin, whose last assignment was as Political Counselor at the U.S. Embassy in Canberra from 2001 to 2004.

Mrs Fergin arrived in a black four wheeled drive with a very discreet security presence and was greeted by Young Rotary President, Paul Sheather and Terry and Denise Norwood in an informal, friendly manner outside the clubhouse, before entering the meeting. She had asked to speak at the Rotary meeting as part of her tour of the area.

“I’m in U.S. Government relations,” said Mrs Fergin.

“The theory behind the trip is you don’t know what’s going on unless you get out and see for yourself.

“What people think and are about here affects what Canberra does, and that reflects on the relationship between Canberra and Washington.

“I’m here to celebrate the U.S. – Australian relationship, its intensity and growth areas, like technology, climate change, and one other that may surprise you, law enforcement.

“Of course, I don’t mean domestic law enforcement here, I’m talking about transnational threats to both our countries we have in common,” Mrs Fergin said.

Even though Mrs Fergin said she absolutely loves Australia and adores Canberra she admitted she had not experienced Young’s cherries straight from an orchard.

“I’m sure I must have eaten them before, in Canberra, when they were in season,” said Mrs Fergin with a somewhat apologetic smile.

Mrs Fergin returned to Sydney after the Remembrance Day ceremony.