Sarah Danckert is an award-winning business journalist at The Sydney Morning Herald and The Age, specializing in corporate governance, labor rights, and financial regulation. Based in Melbourne, her investigations have reshaped Australian labor laws and insolvency practices.
“Danckert’s work proves that business journalism isn’t just about markets—it’s about justice.” – Walkley Awards Committee
With fluency in Thai and a background in Southeast Asian economics, she brings unique insights into Australia’s regional trade challenges. Her 2015 7-Eleven investigation remains a benchmark for accountability reporting, recovering millions in stolen wages and inspiring nationwide reforms.
Danckert’s career began with a focus on Southeast Asian markets during her three-year tenure in Thailand, where she developed fluency in Thai and a nuanced understanding of regional economics. This foundation informed her later work at The Age and Sydney Morning Herald, where she transitioned from feature writing to hard-hitting investigations:
“The true cost of corporate malpractice isn’t measured in balance sheets—it’s etched in the lives of workers and consumers.”
This landmark investigation revealed how 7-Eleven Australia systematically underpaid migrant workers through manipulated payroll systems. Danckert’s six-month probe combined undercover interviews with financial audits, demonstrating how franchisees falsified records to evade detection. The article triggered a Senate inquiry, resulting in the establishment of the Fair Work Ombudsman’s Migrant Worker Taskforce and $173 million in back payments to employees.
Danckert’s analysis of 50 insolvency cases uncovered systemic flaws in Australia’s corporate watchdog, ASIC. By cross-referencing court documents with creditor testimonies, she revealed how liquidators often prioritized corporate interests over small-business creditors. The series prompted ASIC to revise its compliance protocols and increase transparency in liquidation processes.
This three-part series dissected cultural and regulatory hurdles facing Australian firms in Vietnam, Indonesia, and Thailand. Danckert leveraged her regional expertise to contrast government trade incentives with on-the-ground realities, such as local licensing bottlenecks. The reporting influenced Austrade’s 2021 export advisory guidelines.
Danckert prioritizes investigations that reveal structural flaws rather than isolated incidents. A pitch about wage theft should demonstrate patterns across multiple businesses or industries, supported by aggregated data from fair work tribunals. For example, her 7-Eleven coverage analyzed 15 franchises to prove systemic misconduct.
She seeks firsthand accounts from workers, regulators, and whistleblowers. Successful pitches include secured interviews with underpaid employees or former corporate insiders, as seen in her insolvency series featuring anonymous liquidator testimonies.
Stories must articulate clear policy consequences. When pitching consumer protection topics, link complaints to specific legislative gaps—Danckert’s 2020 piece on funeral insurance exploited loopholes in the Corporations Act, prompting ASIC reforms.
Danckert rarely covers high-profile CEOs or startup “disruptors.” Pitches about executive misconduct should instead focus on governance failures, as seen in her reporting on board oversight lapses at collapsed construction firms.
With her Southeast Asian expertise, she values comparative analyses of Australian businesses in ASEAN markets. A pitch about renewable energy exports could contrast Australian policies with Vietnam’s tariff structures, mirroring her 2021 trade barriers investigation.
Recognized for her 7-Eleven investigation, this accolade highlighted Danckert’s ability to combine forensic financial analysis with human storytelling. The Walkley judges noted her “relentless pursuit of accountability” in a category typically dominated by macroeconomic reporting.
The Melbourne Press Club honored her same investigation for its impact on public policy, particularly its role in reforming temporary visa worker protections. This dual recognition underscores her dual strengths in journalism and advocacy.
Her interactive presentation of the 7-Eleven scandal, featuring video testimonies and animated payroll breakdowns, set benchmarks for digital storytelling in Australian investigative journalism.
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 Business, here are some other real estate journalist profiles you may find relevant:
