One of Australia’s most versatile writers straddling journalism, literature, and public policy. Currently shaping national discourse as speechwriter to Finance Minister Katy Gallagher while maintaining influence through bestselling books and a Netflix-adapted series.
“The best pitches make me see the invisible threads between policy documents and school pickup conversations.”
Brigid Delaney’s career embodies the intersection of journalism, literature, and public service. Growing up in regional Victoria during Australia’s Labor Party resurgence, her early exposure to political discourse at the family table shaped her lifelong engagement with social justice and policy communication. After graduating from Emmanuel College’s inaugural class in 1991, she pursued law and arts at Monash University, though her passion for storytelling soon redirected her path.
“Journalism taught me that every policy has a human face—our job is to make the connection visible.”
In this 2023 Literary Hub essay, Delaney dissects modern anxiety through ancient philosophy, contrasting Seneca’s letters with TikTok wellness influencers. She traces the evolution of FOMO from Roman banquet culture to Instagram Stories, interviewing cognitive scientists and medieval historians to build a 2,000-year timeline of distraction. The piece’s viral success (shared 48K times) stems from its innovative blend of academic research and relatable humor, particularly her observation that “Marcus Aurelius never had to resist the siren call of a Netflix autoplay countdown.”
This 2018 diary entry became a cultural touchstone, using a failed cheesemaking experiment as metaphor for Australia’s climate policy stagnation. Delaney’s description of “watching $47 worth of organic milk curdle while parliament debated emission targets” masterfully connects personal narrative to national discourse. The article’s comment section sparked Australia’s first “Climate Kitchen” movement, blending culinary activism with environmental lobbying.
In this 2024 podcast interview, Delaney adapts Epictetus’ principles for modern artists, arguing that “rejection letters are the cold showers of the literary world.” She provides practical exercises from her book Reasons Not to Worry, including a viral spreadsheet template for applying Stoic negative visualization to publishing outcomes. The episode’s download numbers (325K+ in 3 months) confirm her unique ability to make classical philosophy accessible to digital-native audiences.
Delaney’s speechwriting role makes her particularly receptive to stories that bridge legislation and lived experience. A successful 2023 pitch on aged care reform paired statistical analysis with audio diaries from nurses—an approach she later adapted for a parliamentary address. Proposals should identify the emotional core within complex policy frameworks.
Her Netflix-adapted book Wellmania demonstrates appetite for deep dives that contextualize modern trends. Pitches might explore how TikTok’s “bed rotting” trend echoes medieval monastic practices or analyze Ayurvedic principles in Australian mining town health initiatives. Avoid surface-level “life hack” angles.
With roots in regional Victoria, Delaney consistently amplifies stories of non-metropolitan change-makers. A 2024 series on renewable energy cooperatives in rural NSW successfully blended economic analysis with portraits of farmer-inventors. Emphasize community-led solutions over urban “disruptor” narratives.
Recognized for bringing global attention to Warrnambool’s creative community through memoir and political writing. The college particularly noted her ability to “make policy debates resonate like campfire stories.”
The Netflix series adaptation, starring Celeste Barber, marked Australia’s first successful export of wellness satire to global audiences. Production notes reveal Delaney insisted on keeping the protagonist’s failed colonic irrigation scene as “essential viewing for the Instagram generation.”
Though unsuccessful in preventing executions, this 250,000-signature clemency campaign redefined Australian civil society engagement with capital punishment. Delaney’s op-eds during this period are now studied in human rights law courses.
At PressContact, we aim to help you discover the most relevant journalists for your PR efforts. If you're looking to pitch to more journalists who write on Politics, here are some other real estate journalist profiles you may find relevant:
