ABC’s Sarah Ferguson swaps Beijing for Washington post

Veteran journalist Sarah Ferguson will head to Washington as continued visa problems prevent her taking up Beijing post.

ABC veteran journalist Sarah Ferguson will relocate to Washington as the wait continues for her to be able take up her place as bureau chief in Beijing. Picture: John Appleyard

The ABC has tapped long-serving journalist Sarah Ferguson for a special in-depth reporting role in Washington as her move to China remains up in the air.

ABC news director Gaven Morris said Ferguson, formerly a Four Corners reporter and presenter, will be reporting from the US for around six months.

“We have a top-notch team in the Washington bureau and Sarah’s superb long-form and investigative reporting will add formidable firepower to our coverage of the fascinating and significant US story,” Morris said in a statement on Wednesday.

The ABC’s US team currently consists of Washington bureau chief David Lipson and North America correspondent Kathryn Diss, with chief foreign correspondent Phil Williams supporting the bureau for the US election.

Ferguson’s partner — former Q&A host Tony Jones — was to make the move to Beijing with her.

Originally his plan was to write books, but then he was tipped to sign off with the ABC as a roving elder statesman in the Asia Pacific.

It’s now understood he will also relocate to the US with her, but not as a representative of the ABC.

Ferguson’s partner, former Q&A host Tony Jones. Picture: Supplied

“The drama of the US story is compelling,” said Ferguson.

“It’s the other side of the coin in the great superpower stand-off. And I’ll be reporting in the aftermath of an era-defining election.”

The ABC last year in February appointed Ferguson as its new bureau chief in China as part of its plans to ramp-up its international coverage. But she hasn’t been able to secure work visa approval from the Chinese government, leaving her sidelined.

“Sending Sarah to Beijing and having an ABC presence in China remains our top priority,” Morris said.

“However, in the interim Sarah can bring her substantial reporting skills to covering the world’s other superpower.”

The ABC also announced that it plans to establish a short-term posting in Seoul to expand its reporting in North Asia — with no ABC reporters now stationed in China.

It comes after Australian journalists Bill Birtles from the ABC and Mike Smith from the Australian Financial Review fled China last month after Chinese state security officers told them they were persons of interest in a national security case.

They sheltered in diplomatic compounds in Beijing and Shanghai for four days while diplomats negotiated their exit from the country.

The ABC has posts in Washington, Bangkok, Jakarta, Tokyo, New Delhi, Port Moresby, London, Beirut and Jerusalem.

“We’re looking at how we can most effectively deploy our resources to provide the best world coverage for audiences,” Morris said.