Tell us about your journey into the role of host of The West Live and Senior Reporter for The West Australian?

I dreamed of being a journalist as a kid growing up in Arnhem Land in the NT, and back then podcasts didn’t even exist (no age jokes, please). So it literally was beyond my wildest dreams to imagine hosting the flagship news podcast for The West Australian. But, after a long stint as the editor of the Inside Cover section of The West, I was given that opportunity in 2021, and it’s been an amazing ride ever since.

 

What does a typical day in your role look like?

It’s an early start these days, because people love getting their poddies for that morning workout session, so I’m in the office at 5am to get the show out by 6.30am. Then my day revolves around what I have to write for our various platforms, including an opinion column for PerthNow, an NFL column for The Sunday Times and movie stories across our Features products. Did I mention I’m also the film critic at The West? I like keeping busy, what can I say.

 

What is one of the biggest news stories you’ve covered in the past year or so that has captivated readers?

That’s an easy one. Doing a daily podcast at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic was eagerly received by West Aussies, who wanted to hear from epidemiologists, former Premier Mark McGowan on lockdowns and updates on what we should be doing to stay safe. For very different reasons, the shocking disappearance of Cleo was another story that I’ll never forget covering for my audience.

 

Who or what inspires you most?

My 11-year-old daughter, constantly.

 

If you could give your younger self some advice, what would it be?

Time is the great reckoner, so don’t be too quick to declare anything a success or failure. Trust the process and know everything will work out in the end. Or it won’t. Either way, you can only control what you can control.