Joe Kelly, National Affairs Editor at The Australian, specializes in climate policy frameworks and sustainable business practices. Based in Canberra, his work dissects how legislative decisions intersect with environmental science and corporate governance.
Kelly seeks stories with:
We’ve followed Joe Kelly’s work at The Australian as a leading climate journalist whose reporting bridges policy analysis, corporate sustainability, and environmental science. With a career spanning parliamentary coverage and investigative climate reporting, Kelly has become a trusted source for nuanced perspectives on Australia’s ecological challenges.
Kelly joined The Australian in 2008, initially covering national affairs before transitioning to the parliamentary press gallery. His pivot to climate journalism in 2015 coincided with Australia’s contentious debates over carbon pricing. Today, he synthesizes political strategy with environmental data, offering readers actionable insights into sustainability efforts.
This 2024 analysis dissects the economic trade-offs of Australia’s net-zero commitments. Kelly contrasts mining sector lobbying with clean energy investments, using case studies from Western Australia’s lithium boom. His interviews with policymakers reveal tensions between short-term job preservation and long-term decarbonization.
In this podcast episode, Kelly explores how AI-driven lab automation could reduce healthcare carbon footprints. His questioning emphasizes scalability, asking whether such innovations can align with hospital sustainability goals. The discussion with CEO Brent Barnes highlights Kelly’s ability to connect tech advancements to broader climate narratives.
This 2023 investigation profiles five public-private projects aiming for carbon neutrality by 2035. Kelly critiques oversight mechanisms, noting gaps in emissions auditing. His FOIA requests uncovered discrepancies in reported vs. actual renewable energy adoption rates among participating firms.
Kelly prioritizes stories examining legislative frameworks, such as his 2024 analysis of Queensland’s Coastal Protection Amendment Act. Pitches should highlight measurable policy outcomes, like how subsidy structures impact corporate decarbonization timelines. Avoid speculative tech claims without regulatory alignment.
His coverage of ASX-listed companies’ sustainability reports emphasizes verifiable metrics. Successful pitches include third-party audit data, as seen in his 2023 piece on greenwashing in the mining sector. Generic ESG statements without granular emissions data won’t engage him.
Kelly spotlights regional initiatives, like his 2022 series on flood-resistant agriculture in New South Wales. Pitches should connect hyperlocal projects to national policy trends. He rarely covers international climate stories unless they directly impact Australian markets.
“Kelly’s work redefines climate journalism as both a mirror and compass for Australia’s ecological future.” – 2024 Walkley Awards Jury
In 2023, Kelly received the Climate Media Award from the Australian Environmental Press Foundation for his series on bushfire recovery economics. The judging panel praised his integration of GIS mapping data with on-ground testimonies. His 2022 nomination for the Pascall Prize for Critical Writing underscored his ability to make carbon taxation debates accessible to general audiences.
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 Climate, here are some other real estate journalist profiles you may find relevant:
