The Honorable Michael Thawley, Australian ambassador to the United States, will reschedule an address at NIU on Australian-American relations.

Thawley originally was scheduled to speak Tuesday as part of the new Presidential Public Policy lecture series, but he was called home to help with ongoing trade negotiations with the United States.

The rescheduling will occur as American and Australian negotiators work in Washington to find a satisfactory free trade agreement, according to the Australian Broadcasting Corporation. Disagreements over sugar trade are threatening to undo the deal.

Knowledge and active involvement in important issues can make sudden and unexpected demands on world figures, NIU President John Peters said.

The lecture series was established by Peters earlier this year to bring speakers on a wide variety of public issues to NIU. Speakers will address a diverse range of topics from economic to political issues.

There has been no official date set for the rescheduled address, Peters said. However, Thawley has promised to return at the earliest opportunity.