Caroline Kennedy thinks she has a lot to learn from public service.
“It’s been incredibly rewarding to work with people in the [US] State Department, I really admire and respect what they do,” said Australia’s US ambassador.
“And people are doing it for their entire career, their whole life serving our country. I’ve only been doing it a short time.”
Speaking on The Daily Aus podcast, the ambassador was impressed by the attitude at the New York City Department of Education.
“It’s really just about where you are at that time and what you can do to move things forward and leave them better than you found it,” Kennedy said.
“If I can do that, I would be really happy with my time in government.”
During her tenure at the American department, Kennedy was director of the office of strategic partnerships.
When asked about working in allied countries, as Kennedy was Japan’s US ambassador from 2013 to 2017, she said: “I have such admiration for the State Department colleagues who serve in these really, really difficult and challenging countries, some of which don’t like the US, some of which do, or it’s a work in progress.
“You just learn so much from living in a different society; not just about that country, but about your own country as well.”
Kennedy added she felt it was “important and rewarding” to work in a country allied with the US.
It’s been a busy start to 2023 for one of the highest-profile diplomats in Australia, with Kennedy attending the ACT car show Summernats early in January.
First ambassador to ever go to Summernats*! Ambassador Kennedy had a great time at #Summernats35 yesterday. Highlights: meeting Dirty Mullet Fest entrants and the Burnout Championship Eliminations.
*we haven’t fact checked this, but we’re pretty sure. pic.twitter.com/6lhkTYyOWW
— U.S. Embassy Australia (@USEmbAustralia) January 8, 2023
Before the holiday break, Kennedy issued a statement on former prime minister Kevin Rudd’s diplomatic posting.
“The nomination of distinguished former prime minister Kevin Rudd as Australia’s ambassador to the United States will further strengthen the US-Australia alliance, and I look forward to working closely with him to advance our shared values,” she said.
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