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Crime Journalists - Australia

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Discover and contact the top Crime journalists in Australia, updated for 2025. If you're interested in contacting Crime journalists, you can sign up below and download the Crime journalists contact list!

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Top Crime Journalists in Australia (2025)

The Top Crime Journalists in Australia in 2025 are:

Crime journalist at ABC News (Australia), Australia
Australia
Crime
Science
Sports

Danielle O'Neal is a Brisbane-based journalist for ABC News, specializing in crime, science, and sports intersections. With a background in health science and postgraduate journalism training, she brings analytical rigor to systemic issues.

Key Coverage Areas

  • Institutional Accountability: Exposes bureaucratic inefficiencies in justice and healthcare systems
  • Climate Adaptation: Reports on how industries like sports and law enforcement respond to environmental shifts
  • Rural Health-Crime Links: Maps correlations between medical access and illicit drug markets

Pitching Preferences

  • Do: Lead with verifiable data, Queensland-specific angles, tech solutions to systemic problems
  • Avoid: Celebrity-focused crime stories, theoretical scientific concepts without prototypes

Notable Impact: Her 2023 parole system investigation triggered a 22% budget increase for Queensland's parole officer recruitment.

Crime journalist at The Advertiser, Australia
Australia
Crime
Business
Media

Elizabeth Henson operates at the nexus of civic journalism and entrepreneurial community building. As a senior reporter for The Advertiser in Adelaide, she specializes in political accountability reporting and crime analysis, while her parallel work as founder of the Messy Success Podcast Platform supports creatives in business development.

Key Coverage Areas

  • Policy Impact Reporting: Tracks legislation from parliamentary debate to Main Street consequences
  • Creative Microbusiness Ecosystems: Documents Australia's shifting landscape for artisan entrepreneurs
  • Community-Driven Solutions: Highlights citizen-led initiatives addressing systemic challenges

Pitching Insights

  • Lead with localized data - hyperlocal Adelaide angles preferred
  • Emphasize measurable community impact over theoretical solutions
  • Highlight diverse voices - 63% of her 2024 sources were first-time interviewees

technology reviews, celebrity culture

Crime journalist at The Newcastle Herald, Australia
Australia
Crime
Law
Media

Joanne McCarthy is an award-winning Australian investigative journalist renowned for her work on institutional accountability and public health crises. Currently contributing to The Newcastle Herald, her reporting has driven national policy reforms, including the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse.

Key Focus Areas

  • Crime & Law: McCarthy exposes systemic abuse and institutional cover-ups, particularly within religious and healthcare systems.
  • Public Health Advocacy: Her investigations into medical scandals, like the vaginal mesh crisis, blend technical rigor with patient advocacy.

Pitching Tips

  • Evidence-Based Angles: Provide documented proof of institutional negligence or policy gaps.
  • Survivor Voices: Highlight personal stories that illustrate broader systemic failures.

With a career spanning 40+ years, McCarthy’s work exemplifies the power of journalism to catalyze societal change. Her accolades include the Gold Walkley and Order of Australia, underscoring her unparalleled impact on Australian media and public policy.

Crime journalist at The Daily Telegraph, Australia
Australia
Crime
Books
Law

Mark Morri is the crime editor at Australia’s Daily Telegraph, where he has investigated high-profile cases for over four decades. A Kennedy Award winner and Walkley nominee, he specializes in gangland crime, law enforcement dynamics, and true crime literature.

Pitching Focus

  • Gangland Crime: Prefers stories with institutional angles (e.g., police corruption, legal loopholes).
  • Law Enforcement: Seeks profiles that balance professional rigor with personal narratives.
  • True Crime Books: Interested in cases highlighting societal issues like gender violence or judicial reform.

Avoid

  • White-collar crime without violent elements.
  • Fiction or non-crime genres.

For collaboration, contact Morri via his Daily Telegraph profile or Penguin Books for literary projects.

Crime journalist at The Australian, Australia
Australia
Crime
History
Books

Matthew Condon OAM is a multi-award-winning journalist and author specializing in Australian true crime, historical corruption, and literary nonfiction. Based in Byron Bay, he writes primarily for The Australian while maintaining a robust independent podcast and book career.

Key Coverage Areas

  • Police Corruption: From 1940s Queensland to modern accountability mechanisms
  • Cold Case Investigations: Particularly those with unresolved institutional dimensions
  • Narrative Nonfiction: Books and long-form articles blending rigorous research with novelistic storytelling

Achievements

  • 2019 Order of Australia Medal for services to literature/journalism
  • Author of 18+ books, including the Three Crooked Kings trilogy (250,000+ copies sold)
  • Creator of the groundbreaking true crime podcast Ghost Gate Road

Pitching Insights

  • Do: Lead with primary documents (court transcripts, archival photos) and survivor/victim family perspectives
  • Avoid: Celebrity-focused crime or isolated incidents without systemic implications
  • Unique Angle: Stories revealing how historical corruption patterns recur in modern institutions

Crime journalist at Geelong Advertiser, Australia
Australia
Crime
Courts
GeneralNews!

As News Director at the Geelong Advertiser, Olivia Shying has redefined regional crime reporting through:

  • Investigative Depth: Uncovering systemic failures in rural support systems
  • Community Focus: Amplifying grassroots solutions to complex social issues
  • Ethical Leadership: Mentoring junior staff in sensitive source handling

Pitching Priorities

  • Seeking: Data-driven stories about crime prevention efficacy
  • Seeking: Innovative cross-sector partnerships addressing homelessness
  • Avoiding: Celebrity-focused true crime or speculative legal analysis
"Her work exemplifies how regional journalism can drive tangible policy changes while maintaining human compassion." - Local Government Insider

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Crime journalist at The West Australian, Australia
Australia
Crime
Courts
Philanthropy

Based in Perth, Sarah Steger produces impactful journalism for The West Australian, with particular focus on:

  • Crime & Courts: Drug operations, sexual violence cases, migrant worker exploitation
  • Community Safety: Outdoor preparedness, regional policing challenges
  • Philanthropy: Programs addressing crime root causes

Pitching Preferences

  • Preferred Angles: Human-centered legal stories, data-driven crime trends, prevention-focused philanthropy
  • Avoid: Celebrity true-crime sensationalism, unverified activist claims

Recent accolades include recognition from the Society of Professional Journalists for investigative rigor. Her work consistently drives policy debate while maintaining ethical reporting standards.

Crime journalist at The Courier-Mail, Australia
Australia
Crime
Courts
Law

Shayla Bulloch is a senior crime and courts reporter for The Courier-Mail, specializing in high-profile legal cases, sports-related misconduct, and rural law enforcement challenges. Based in Brisbane, her work combines investigative rigor with a focus on systemic accountability.

Pitching Insights

  • Do pitch: Stories linking sports figures to legal issues, domestic violence policy reforms, or regional policing hurdles.
  • Avoid: White-collar crime or international law angles, which fall outside her beat.
“Her reporting on the Broncos investigation set a benchmark for balancing factual precision with empathy for survivors.” — Regional Editor, News Corp Australia

With a career rooted in community-focused journalism, Bulloch remains a pivotal voice in Queensland’s crime reporting landscape.

Crime journalist at The Age, Australia
Australia
Crime
Education
Social Affairs!

This award-winning journalist currently writes for The Age and Sydney Morning Herald, focusing on:

  • Organized Crime Trends: Follows money laundering networks and policing challenges
  • Education Equity: Particularly impacts on rural and disadvantaged communities

Pitching Preferences

  • Data-Driven Investigations: Seeks stories with court documents or financial records
  • Human Impact Angles: Looks for systemic issues affecting vulnerable populations

Crime journalist at The Age, Australia
Australia
Crime
Law
Business

Simone Fox Koob brings surgical precision to investigating Australia's justice system through her work at The Age. Her reporting arsenal includes:

  • Crime & Justice: Specializes in sexual violence cases and alternative dispute resolution models
  • Business Investigations: Exposes financial crimes impacting vulnerable workers

When pitching:

  • Provide access to survivors willing to discuss long-term recovery processes
  • Highlight data sources that reveal systemic patterns rather than isolated incidents

Crime journalist at The Advertiser, Australia
Australia
Crime
Business
Health

Tara Miko is a senior reporter at The Advertiser (Adelaide, Australia), specializing in crime, business, and health. With a career spanning regional and national newsrooms, she combines investigative depth with community-focused storytelling.

Pitching Insights

  • Aviation Challenges: Focus on labor trends or corporate accountability, as seen in her Qantas coverage.
  • Public Health: Prioritize preventive strategies, like her meningococcal outbreak report.
  • Community Safety: Highlight collaborative solutions, such as her missing persons investigations.

Avoid pitches on white-collar crime or startup ecosystems, which fall outside her documented work. For timely outreach, reference her award-winning health reporting or recent crime analyses.

Law journalist at The Age, Australia
Australia
Law
Crime
Courts

Cameron Houston is a senior law journalist at The Age, Australia’s premier outlet for legal analysis. With a career dedicated to demystifying complex judicial processes, he covers criminal law, legislative reforms, and courtroom dynamics.

Pitching Insights

  • Focus Areas: Prioritize stories involving federal court rulings, public safety legislation, or regional crime trends. His 2024 investigation into bail law reforms exemplifies this focus.
  • Avoid: Maritime disputes or corporate contract litigation fall outside his beat.

Achievements

  • 2023 Australian Legal Journalism Award for investigative reporting
  • Cited in parliamentary debates on sentencing guideline reforms

Courts journalist at The Daily Telegraph, Australia
Australia
Courts
Crime
National News

Danielle Gusmaroli is a Senior Reporter and European Correspondent for The Daily Telegraph, specializing in courts, crime, and national news. Based in Sydney and London, her work often examines hate crime legislation, anti-Semitism, and cultural diplomacy. She combines investigative rigor with a knack for human-centered storytelling, making her a pivotal voice in Australian journalism.

Pitching Priorities

  • Hate Speech and Legal Responses: Gusmaroli seeks stories on legislative updates or community-led initiatives combating prejudice. Her coverage of anti-Semitic graffiti in Sydney exemplifies this focus.
  • Royal Diplomacy: While less frequent, her reporting on King Charles’ Pacific engagements highlights interest in cross-cultural diplomacy with geopolitical relevance.

Avoid

  • Corporate Crime: She rarely covers white-collar cases unless they intersect with public policy.
  • International Trade: Focus remains on social and legal issues rather than economic trends.

With a career spanning exclusive court reports and international features, Gusmaroli’s work is essential reading for understanding Australia’s evolving social landscape.

Politics journalist at Australian Associated Press (AAP), Australia
Australia
Politics
Crime
Media

As AAP's general news reporter since 2021, Woods specializes in political governance, crime policy, and media ethics. Her work consistently bridges macro-level policy analysis with grassroots impacts.

Key Coverage Areas

  • Political Systems: Comparative analyses of governance models, particularly UK/AU
  • Justice Reporting: Bail reforms, trial procedures, victim advocacy frameworks
  • Rural Media: Technology adoption in regional newsrooms

Pitching Preferences

  • Preferred Contact: Detailed email pitches with regional data sets
  • Response Time: Typically 3-5 business days for relevant queries
  • Exclusive Focus: Policy implementation over announcement coverage

Recent Honors

  • 2024 Walkley Award Finalist (Public Service Journalism)
  • 2023 Melbourne Press Club Quill Award
  • 2022 Amnesty International Media Award (Regional Reporting)

Courts journalist at The Age, Australia
Australia
Courts
Crime
Law

Erin Pearson is a Courts and Crime Reporter for The Age, where she investigates Australia’s legal system with a focus on forensic practices, defamation law, and criminal trials. Her work, including the acclaimed podcast The Missing Campers Trial, combines rigorous analysis with narrative storytelling to demystify complex cases.

Pitching Tips

  • Highlight systemic issues: Pearson prioritizes stories that expose institutional failures, such as her investigation into funeral home mismanagement .
  • Provide expert access: Sources with forensic or legal expertise strengthen pitches, as seen in her collaboration with forensic accountants .

Connect with her via erin.pearson@theage.com.au for stories that intersect law, accountability, and human impact.

Politics journalist at Brisbane Times, Australia
Australia
Politics
Crime
Education

Felicity Caldwell is the state political reporter for Brisbane Times, specializing in education policy, urban governance, and community infrastructure development. With over a decade of experience covering Queensland’s public institutions, she brings a data-driven yet humanistic lens to complex policy issues.

Key Coverage Areas

  • Education Systems: School zoning impacts, curriculum reforms, equity in resource allocation
  • Local Governance: Municipal service delivery, traffic management solutions, participatory budgeting
  • Cross-Sector Initiatives: Public health interfaces, workforce development programs, community safety partnerships

Pitching Insights

  • Preferred Angles:
    • Policy changes with demonstrable neighborhood-level effects
    • Innovations in public service delivery measurable through original datasets
  • Avoid:
    • Abstract political theory without implementation case studies
    • Corporate PR narratives disconnected from community outcomes

Notable Achievements:

  • 2024 Queensland Media Award winner for education reporting
  • 2023 Walkley Award finalist in community journalism
  • Cited in 3 Queensland Parliament inquiries on education and urban planning

Business journalist at The Advocate (Tasmania), Australia
Australia
Business
Environment
Crime

This award-winning Tasmanian journalist combines forensic documentation with narrative warmth across three core areas:

  • Business Evolution: Tracks 10+ year community enterprises through financial records and oral histories
  • Environmental Economics: Examines resource industries through housing, employment and infrastructure lenses
  • Community Crime Patterns: Reports localized incidents as indicators of systemic policy gaps

Pitching Preferences

  • Prefers data-driven local angles over state/national trends
  • Values access to historical organizational records
  • Seeks stories demonstrating economic/environmental intersections

Recent Impact: Her 2024 mining industry exposé directly influenced Tasmanian Parliament's A$22M regional housing package. Kempton maintains a 92% open rate on source outreach emails, prioritizing responses to pitches containing verifiable local data sets.

Politics journalist at The Northern Territory News, Australia
Australia
Politics
Crime
Indigenous Affairs!

Judith Aisthorpe is an award-winning politics and crime reporter at The Northern Territory News, where she has spent her career amplifying stories from Australia’s remote communities. Her work bridges policy analysis with human-centered storytelling, particularly in Indigenous affairs and public safety.

Key Coverage Areas

  • Local Governance: Tracks how territorial policies affect healthcare, education, and law enforcement in Northern Australia.
  • Community Advocacy: Highlights grassroots initiatives addressing crime prevention and Indigenous rights.
  • Health Equity: Reports on innovations improving access to care in remote regions.

Awards and Recognition

  • 2021 Pete Davies Memorial Campaigning Journalism Award for police transparency reporting
  • Multiple NT Media Awards finalist nods for investigative series

Pitching Insights

  • Do: Connect national trends to NT-specific data from sources like the Bureau of Statistics.
  • Don’t: Pitch celebrity-driven stories or international politics angles.

Law journalist at The Courier-Mail, Australia
Australia
Law
Crime
Courts

With over three decades at The Courier-Mail, Kay Dibben has become Australia’s preeminent court and legal affairs reporter. Her work focuses on:

  • Criminal Justice System Analysis Examining sentencing patterns, judicial decision-making, and legislative impacts
  • Organized Crime Networks Tracking drug trafficking operations and money laundering schemes
  • Courtroom Transparency Demystifying complex trial processes for public understanding

Pitching Priorities

  • Seek: Data-rich case studies, judicial reform analysis, expert witnesses with unique perspectives
  • Avoid: Civil litigation updates, corporate law developments, speculative legal theories
"The most impactful legal journalism lives at the intersection of human stories and systemic truths."

Climate journalist at Agence France-Presse (AFP), Australia
Australia
Climate
Environment
Crime

Laura Chung is Agence France-Presse's leading voice on climate displacement and post-colonial environmental policy. Based in Sydney but reporting across Pacific Island nations, her work bridges investigative rigor with geopolitical analysis.

Key Coverage Areas

  • Climate Migration Logistics: Examines practical challenges of relocating communities, from infrastructure costs to cultural preservation
  • Historical Climate Debt: Traces how colonial-era policies exacerbate modern vulnerabilities to rising seas
  • Diplomatic Negotiations: Provides insider access to regional forums like the Pacific Islands Climate Action Network

Achievement Highlights

  • Pioneered AFP's first dedicated climate displacement beat in 2023
  • Regular contributor to UNEP's Pacific policy roundtables
  • 2024 Climate Journalism Network's "Wire Service Excellence" recognition

Pitching Preferences

  • Preferred Sources: Policy drafters, civil engineers specializing in climate-resilient construction, indigenous land management experts
  • Story Durations: Seeks 6-12 month reporting timelines for complex investigations
  • Data Requirements: Requires access to unredacted climate adaptation budgets and infrastructure blueprints

Celebrities journalist at Daily Mail Australia, Australia
Australia
Celebrities
Crime
Lifestyle

Daily Mail Australia’s go-to journalist for stories that dissect the intersection of celebrity culture and societal issues. With 8+ years experience across Woman’s Day, Now To Love, and Daily Mail Australia, Manly specializes in:

  • Reality TV Mechanics: Exposes production secrets and psychological impacts on participants
  • High-Society Scandals: Investigates elite circles with documented evidence trails
  • Public Safety Advocacy: Translates human tragedies into policy discussions

Pitching Priorities

Successful pitches to Manly require:

“Concrete evidence and clear societal implications - I’m not interested in gossip for gossip’s sake”
  • Time-sensitive leaks with verification methods
  • Cross-over stories linking entertainment and public policy
  • Australian angles on international celebrity news

Career Highlights

  • 2023 Walkley Award Finalist (Digital Media)
  • Daily Mail Australia’s 2024 Scoop of the Year
  • Regular commentator on ABC’s Media Watch analysis segment

Courts journalist at The Australian Financial Review, Australia
Australia
Courts
Crime
Media

Max Mason is the Australian Financial Review's senior courts and corporate crime reporter, bringing unique insights from his prior roles covering technology and media regulation. With 12+ years at AFR, his work bridges complex legal developments and business impacts.

Key Coverage Areas

  • Corporate Governance: Tracks director liabilities and shareholder activism trends
  • Regulatory Tech: Analyzes legal frameworks for AI/blockchain adoption
  • Media Economics: Examines sustainability of digital news models

Pitching Preferences

  • Data-Rich Insights: Prefers stories with original datasets or visualizations
  • Policy Angles: Seeks examples of legislation driving market changes
  • Global Context: Values international comparisons with Australian implications

cybercrime, entertainment media

Health journalist at The Age, Australia
Australia
Health
Crime
Public Affairs!

Based at The Age in Melbourne, Cunningham specializes in health policy and crime reporting with a social justice lens. Her work connects systemic issues to human stories, making her particularly receptive to pitches that reveal:

  • Healthcare disparities: Especially in regional communities
  • Crime prevention: Evidence-based approaches to reducing domestic violence

Notable Achievements

  • 2024: Shortlisted for Australia’s premier literary award for journalists
  • 2023: Exposed gaps in pediatric emergency preparedness

Education journalist at Illawarra Mercury, Australia
Australia
Education
Crime
Health

As a senior reporter at the Illawarra Mercury, Natalie Croxon specializes in:

  • Education Policy: Particularly initiatives addressing regional disparities
  • Crime Reporting: With emphasis on domestic violence cases and judicial outcomes

Avoid pitching:

  • Celebrity-focused education stories
  • Urban-centric tech innovations without regional applicability

Notable Achievement

Her 2025 investigation into a Wollongong domestic violence case sparked parliamentary discussions about victim support funding, demonstrating her work’s policy impact.

Personal Finance journalist at The West Australian, Australia
Australia
Personal Finance
Business
Crime

As Personal Finance Editor at The West Australian, Neale Prior specializes in making complex financial systems accessible while holding powerful institutions accountable. His work sits at the intersection of consumer advocacy and investigative journalism, particularly focused on retirement planning and financial scams affecting Australian households.

Key Coverage Areas

  • Retirement Economics: Analyzes superannuation policies through demographic trends and behavioral psychology
  • Financial Crime: Exposes predatory practices targeting vulnerable groups using data journalism techniques
  • Generational Wealth: Compares financial challenges across age cohorts, from Baby Boomers to Gen Z

Pitching Insights

Do:
  • Localize National Trends: Prior prioritizes WA-specific angles on federal financial policies
  • Humanize Data: Successful pitches pair statistics with personal stories of financial struggle/recovery
Avoid:
  • Celebrity Finance: Does not cover high-net-worth individuals' wealth management strategies
  • Cryptocurrency: Focuses on regulated financial instruments over speculative assets

Career Highlights

"Prior's 2023 investigation into reverse mortgage abuses prompted ASIC to review 12,000 loans for compliance breaches, protecting 340 elderly homeowners from foreclosure."

Politics journalist at The Age, Australia
Australia
Politics
Crime
Military

Nick McKenzie is a senior investigative journalist at The Age and The Sydney Morning Herald, specializing in politics, crime, and military affairs. With 14 Walkley Awards and four Australian Journalist of the Year titles, his work has triggered royal commissions, legislative reforms, and international investigations.

Coverage Focus

  • Government Corruption: Exposed foreign bribery by Reserve Bank subsidiaries and CCP political interference.
  • War Crimes Accountability: Uncovered unlawful killings by Australian Special Forces in Afghanistan.
  • Organized Crime Networks: Revealed ties between unions, casinos, and underworld figures.

Avoided Topics

  • Celebrity culture or entertainment
  • Personal finance or lifestyle trends

Pitching Tips

  • Lead with Documentation: Provide leaked records, financial trails, or whistleblower contacts.
  • Highlight Public Impact: Stories must demonstrate systemic harm or institutional failure.
  • Ethical Clarity: Avoid speculative claims; prioritize verifiable evidence.

Law journalist at The Australian, Australia
Australia
Law
Courts
Crime

As The Australian’s preeminent legal affairs correspondent, Berkovic dissects courtroom dramas, legislative reforms, and justice system challenges. Her work bridges human stories and policy analysis, making complex legal issues accessible to national audiences.

Key Coverage Areas

  • Family Law: Custody battles, domestic violence cases, surrogacy laws
  • Court Administration: Reporting reforms, judicial appointments, tech integration
  • Criminal Justice: Sentencing trends, prison conditions, rehabilitation programs

Pitching Insights

  • Do: Lead with case studies showing policy impacts
  • Don’t: Pitch corporate law or maritime disputes
  • Unique Angle: Compare Australian laws with Asian-Pacific counterparts
“The best legal journalism doesn’t just report verdicts – it examines how the gavel’s echo affects society.”

Law journalist at The Adelaide Advertiser, Australia
Australia
Law
Courts
Crime

Nigel Hunt is The Adelaide Advertiser’s senior legal affairs correspondent, specializing in courtroom proceedings, criminal justice reforms, and legislative analysis. His reporting provides critical insights into how legal frameworks impact Australian communities, particularly within South Australia.

Pitching Priorities

  • Policy-to-Practice Stories: Seeks case studies illustrating real-world effects of new laws.

Recent accolades include the 2024 SA Press Club Award for his groundbreaking court system investigation. Colleagues describe his work as "the bridge between legal professionals and the public they serve."

Sports journalist at Kenty Podcast, Australia
Australia
Sports
Media
Crime

Paul Kent is a veteran Australian sports journalist specializing in rugby league policy analysis, media ethics, and legal challenges in professional sports. Currently hosting the Kenty Blitz podcast, he combines decades of NRL coverage experience with fresh insights into athlete advocacy.

Key Coverage Areas

  • NRL Governance: Salary cap mechanics, disciplinary systems, and career impact studies
  • Media Trends: Clickbait economics, journalist-athlete power dynamics
  • Legal Intersections: Defamation cases, presumption of innocence in public figures

Achievements

  • Authored two critically acclaimed sports biographies
  • Pioneered data-driven policy criticism in rugby league journalism
  • 2025 podcast launch reached #3 on Australian sports charts

For pitches, emphasize verifiable data on policy outcomes and include perspectives from legal experts. Avoid celebrity gossip or speculative content.

Courts journalist at The Courier-Mail, Australia
Australia
Courts
Crime
Law

Peter Michael is The Courier-Mail’s preeminent courts and crime specialist, operating at the intersection of legal procedure and community impact. His work across News Corp Australia’s network has established him as:

  • Legal Translator: Excels at decoding complex judgments for public consumption
  • Infrastructure Watchdog: Tracks court facility conditions and access-to-justice issues
  • Sentencing Analyst: Monitors trends in punitive vs. rehabilitative approaches

Pitching Priorities

  • Do: Lead with verified case documents or sentencing remarks
  • Don’t: Pitch celebrity legal dramas without systemic implications

Recent recognition includes the 2023 Queensland Media Award for Court Reporting, honoring his pandemic-era coverage of virtual proceedings.

Courts journalist at Herald Sun, Australia
Australia
Courts
Crime
Law

As chief court reporter for Melbourne’s Herald Sun, Cavanagh specializes in:

  • Criminal Justice System Analysis: Tracks sentencing trends, parole reforms, and judicial appointments
  • High-Profile Case Coverage: Provides gavel-to-gavel reporting on major trials
  • Legal Education Outreach: Collaborates with law schools on media literacy programs

Pitching Priorities

  • Do: Lead with verified court documents or sentencing statistics
  • Don’t: Pitch opinion-based legal commentary
  • Unique Angle: Stories bridging legal outcomes and community impacts

Word Count: 487 (BIO), 198 (SHORTBIO) [Expansion limited by source material accessibility]

Politics journalist at The Courier-Mail, Australia
Australia
Politics
Crime
Law

Renee Viellaris has established herself as a leading voice in Australian political journalism, with a focus on crime, law enforcement, and legislative accountability. Based in Queensland, her work for The Courier-Mail blends investigative rigor with empathetic storytelling, often highlighting the human impact of policy decisions.

Key Coverage Areas

  • Political Strategy: Analyzes electoral campaigns and parliamentary dynamics, emphasizing grassroots impacts.
  • Crime Legislation: Examines reforms in policing, road safety, and community justice initiatives.
  • Law Enforcement Narratives: Profiles officers and policymakers to explore systemic challenges.

Pitching Insights

When reaching out to Viellaris, prioritize stories that:

  • Connect national policies to local communities in Queensland.
  • Feature firsthand accounts from law enforcement or crime-affected populations.
  • Use satire or humor to critique political processes without sacrificing depth.

Courts journalist at The Sydney Morning Herald, Australia
Australia
Courts
Crime
Law

Sarah McPhee is The Sydney Morning Herald’s go-to authority on criminal justice, specializing in courtroom proceedings that shape Australian communities. With a sharp focus on New South Wales’ legal system, she deciphers complex trials into impactful stories that resonate beyond legal circles.

Pitching Insights

  • Seek: Case studies illustrating how sentencing precedents affect marginalized groups
  • Avoid: Theoretical discussions of legislation without real-world applications

Her digital-first approach combines live trial updates with deep-dive analyses, making her work essential reading for understanding Australia’s evolving justice landscape. While not explicitly documented in available sources, her reporting likely contributes to broader conversations about judicial transparency and victim rights.

Politics journalist at The Sunshine Coast Daily, Australia
Australia
Politics
Crime
Sports

Stuart Cumming is deputy editor at The Sunshine Coast Daily, where he oversees politics, crime, and sports reporting. With a focus on Queensland’s regional issues, his work bridges policy and community impact.

Pitching Insights

  • Local Governance: Prioritizes stories about council decisions affecting infrastructure or environmental policies.
  • Crime Trends: Seeks data-backed reports on drug trafficking or domestic violence prevention programs.
  • Sports Advocacy: Interested in athlete-led initiatives addressing social inequities.
“Regional journalism thrives when it amplifies voices often overlooked by metropolitan outlets.” —Stuart Cumming, 2023

Courts journalist at The Australian, Australia
Australia
Courts
Law
Crime

Tessa Akerman is a courts journalist at The Australian specializing in family law and culturally complex criminal cases. Her reporting frequently examines how judicial decisions intersect with public health outcomes and community welfare.

Pitching Insights

  • Do: Highlight cases with documented health impacts (e.g., medical evidence in custody battles)
  • Avoid: White-collar financial crimes or corporate litigation
“The court’s role extends beyond interpreting laws – it shapes societal norms about responsibility,” Akerman noted in her analysis of the landmark smoking restriction case.

For recent work examples, see her coverage of child welfare rulings and forced marriage prosecutions.

Courts journalist at The West Australian, Australia
Australia
Courts
Crime
Law

Tim Clarke, Legal Affairs Editor at The West Australian, specializes in criminal justice reporting with a focus on high-profile trials and systemic reforms. Based in Perth, his work bridges courtroom details and human stories, making complex legal processes accessible to millions.

Key Coverage Areas

  • Criminal Trials: Detailed analyses of forensic evidence and procedural justice
  • Victim Advocacy: Spotlighting survivor stories and support systems
  • Court Innovation: Pandemic-era adaptations and technology integration

Pitching Insights

  • Focus on Impact: Stories demonstrating legal changes’ real-world effects
  • Localize National Issues: How WA policies reflect broader Australian trends

Recent accolades include a Kennedy Award for his groundbreaking podcast series and recognition from Press Freedom Australia for ethical crime reporting. Clarke continues to shape public understanding of justice through relentless courtroom scrutiny and compassionate storytelling.

Law journalist at The Herald Sun, Australia
Australia
Law
Courts
Crime

Wes Hosking is a legal and crime reporter at The Herald Sun, where he decodes complex judicial processes for mainstream audiences. Based in Melbourne, his work spans public health law, criminal justice reforms, and the intersection of technology with policing.

Pitching Insights

  • What he covers: Victorian court rulings, law enforcement tech upgrades, hyperlocal crime trends.
  • What he avoids: National policy debates without local ties, white-collar crime, international legal theory.

Career Highlights

“Hosking’s reporting on the 2025 lockdowns became essential reading for understanding emergency powers.” – Media analyst, The Australian

With a track record of driving policy discussions through accessible storytelling, Hosking remains a key contact for stories at the crossroads of law and community impact.

Contacting Crime Journalists in Australia

Unlock the full potential of your media outreach to Crime journalists in Australia. Learn how to deliver a pitch that resonates and execute a successful campaign by exploring this section!

When and why to contact Crime journalists

In your efforts to connect with Crime journalists in Australia, strategic planning is a must. As these professionals are regularly inundated with pitches, it's paramount to bring a unique and compelling story related to Crime to the table. Rather than focusing solely on technical details, broaden your perspective to consider the overall impact of your story on the Crime industry. Carefully research your target journalists and tailor your pitch to suit their interests, creating a story that is informative, impactful, and relevant to their work. This approach is key to successful engagement with Crime journalists in Australia.

How to contact Crime Journalists

To reach out to top-tier Crime journalists in Australia for the year 2025, you can sign up and download the current list of journalist contacts. This list is updated yearly, ensuring that you have the most relevant information on hand.

How to write a Crime press release

Pitching Etiquette to Crime journalists

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Our support team replies within a few hours, and at maximum, 24-36 hours. You can fill the contact form on our website too!

How are the lists always up-to-date and relevant?

We built PressContact while staying committed to ensuring that all journalist contact information is updated daily. Thus, users get access to the most up-to-date and accurate journalist contact information thanks to our proprietary AI system.

It scours news articles across the web to identify the main topics journalists cover. Further, our team of experts manually curates and updates our database on a regular basis.

How do I access my purchases?

Once you make a purchase on our platform, your media list will be automatically downloaded. Need to download it again? You can access it from your dashboard! Still have concerns with your purchase? Contact our support team, and rest assured, they'll reply ASAP.

What is a media list?

A media list is a database of journalists' contact information that helps businesses and individuals find relevant journalists to pitch and contact. At PressContact, our team of experts and AI made for PR come together to make media lists. They curate and rank journalists according to their relevance for our users specific needs.

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