Brooke Boney

Boney was born in 1987 in Muswellbrook, New South Wales,Chrysanthos, Natassia (17 January 2019) [https://www.smh.com.au/entertainment/tv-and-radio/brooke-boney-on-being-commercial-breakfast-tv-s-first-indigenous-star-20190111-p50qrl.html Brooke Boney on being commercial breakfast TV's first indigenous star], The Sydney Morning Herald, Nine Entertainment Co. Retrieved 23 March 2018. the eldest of six children.{{cite web|title=Brooke Boney Today Show Entertainment host|website=9Now|date=13 January 2019|url=https://www.9now.nine.com.au/today/brooke-boney/0bc4bd16-8a55-4285-8339-22385df54abf |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190326193042/https://www.9now.nine.com.au/today/brooke-boney/0bc4bd16-8a55-4285-8339-22385df54abf |archive-date=2019-03-26 |url-status=dead |access-date=2025-04-20}} She is a Gamilaroi woman.

She worked as a volunteer in community radio while at high school. She has also undertaken an advertising cadetship at the Australian Financial Review.

After entering as a mature age student, Boney graduated from University of Technology Sydney with a Bachelor of Communication (Journalism) in 2014.{{cite web|title=Communication Graduate: Brooke Boney|website=University of Technology Sydney|date=8 October 2019|url=https://www.uts.edu.au/about/faculty-arts-and-social-sciences/fass-alumni/meet-our-alumni/communication-graduates/communication-graduate-brooke-boney|access-date=21 January 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220121131817/https://www.uts.edu.au/about/faculty-arts-and-social-sciences/fass-alumni/meet-our-alumni/communication-graduates/communication-graduate-brooke-boney|archive-date=21 January 2022|url-status=dead}}

While studying for her degree, Boney produced the Blackchat program on Sydney's Koori Radio before morning lectures, and did an internship at the Australian Broadcasting Corporation in the afternoons. Before graduating, she was appointed as a political correspondent for NITV, based at Parliament House from 2013. Her first assignments had to cover the March 2013 Australian Labor Party leadership spill and the federal election that followed.

She worked as a newsreader on the ABC's radio network Triple J from 2016 to 2018,(27 November 2018) [https://www.abc.net.au/triplej/news/musicnews/triple-j-farewell-breakfast-news-brooke-boney-house-party-klp/10555840 Two triple j legends are bidding a fond farewell], Triple J, Australian Broadcasting Corporation. Retrieved 23 March 2019. and became known for using the traditional Gamilaroi greeting of "Yaama" when introducing herself at the start of Triple J's news bulletin.(28 August 2018) [https://www.abc.net.au/triplej/programs/triplej-breakfast/yaama-explainer-from-brooke/10156458 Why does Brooke keep saying 'Yaama' before the news?], Triple J, Australian Broadcasting Corporation. Retrieved 23 March 2019.

In December 2018, it was announced that Boney had been appointed as entertainment reporter on the Nine Network's breakfast program Today, to work alongside the network's long-serving entertainment editor Richard Wilkins in 2019.Fryer, Brooke (21 December 2018) [https://www.sbs.com.au/nitv/article/2018/12/21/brooke-boney-set-be-one-few-young-indigenous-women-commercial-television Brooke Boney set to be one of the few young Indigenous women on commercial television], NITV, Special Broadcasting Service. Retrieved 23 March 2019.{{cite web | title=Brooke Boney, TODAY Entertainment Reporter TODAY Show News Team | website=9News | date=22 December 2018 | url=https://www.9news.com.au/meet-the-team/today-show/brooke-boney | access-date=15 November 2022}}

In January 2019, just days into her new job, she was asked for her opinion on Change the Date, a campaign which proposes moving Australia Day from its current date, which marks the date of the arrival of the First Fleet in Sydney. She replied:{{blockquote |This is the best country in the world, no doubt. But I can't separate the 26th of January from the fact that my brothers are more likely to go to jail than they are to go to school, or that my little sisters and my mum are more likely to be beaten and raped than anyone else's sisters and mum, and that started from that day.}}

This prompted a harsh backlash, mixed reactions from some viewers, and much commentary in the media.{{Cite web |title=Brooke Boney brings an Indigenous perspective on January 26 to breakfast TV |url=https://www.sbs.com.au/nitv/article/brooke-boney-brings-an-indigenous-perspective-on-january-26-to-breakfast-tv/25754332j |access-date=2023-07-06 |website=NITV |language=en}}(17 January 2019) [https://www.abc.net.au/news/2019-01-17/brooke-boney-weighs-in-on-debate-around-australia-day-date/ Breakfast TV reporter Brooke Boney weighs in on debate around Australia Day date], ABC News, Australian Broadcasting Corporation. Retrieved 23 March 2018.{{Cite web |title=TV journalist Brooke Boney receives backlash over January 26 stance |url=https://www.sbs.com.au/news/article/tv-journalist-brooke-boney-receives-backlash-over-january-26-stance/u161yhbgr |access-date=2023-07-06 |website=SBS News |language=en}}{{Cite news |last=Meade |first=Amanda |date=2019-01-17 |title=Daily Mail throws tabloid tantrum over Brooke Boney and Australia Day |language=en-GB |work=The Guardian |url=https://www.theguardian.com/media/2019/jan/18/daily-mail-brooke-boney-australia-day-weekly-beast |access-date=2023-07-06 |issn=0261-3077}}{{Cite web |date=2019-01-18 |title=Pollie slams Today host's 'absurd' speech |url=https://www.perthnow.com.au/news/australia/victimology-one-nations-mark-latham-lays-into-today-host-brooke-boney-over-australia-day-comments-ng-b881077922z |access-date=2023-07-06 |website=PerthNow |language=en}}Molloy, Shannon (31 January 2019) [https://www.news.com.au/national/brooke-boney-was-praised-while-kerrianne-kennerley-was-called-racist-whats-the-difference/news-story/95f9b0db6b62e3327636bbb3c1498548 Brooke Boney was praised while Kerri-Anne Kennerley was called racist. What's the difference?], news.com.au, News Corp Australia. Retrieved 23 March 2019.

In February 2021, Southern Cross Austereo announced that Boney and Linda Marigliano would host The Dream Club podcast on LiSTNR. The podcast is a weekly social commentary and pop culture reviews on internet culture.{{Cite web|date=2021-02-25|title=LiSTNR brings Brooke Boney and Linda Marigliano together for The Dream Club podcast|url=https://radiotoday.com.au/the-dream-club-podcast-brooke-boney-linda-marigliano/|access-date=2021-11-15|website=Radio Today|language=en-AU}}

In November 2021, Boney won Nine Network's Lego Masters: Bricksmas specials.{{Cite web |last=Gavin |first=Rachael |title=Brooke Boney opens up about winning LEGO Masters Bricksmas specials |url=https://9now.nine.com.au/lego-masters/bricksmas-2021-brooke-boney-winner-lego-masters/a5db3099-18fc-4a2d-8822-5e6f1b983b4f |access-date=2022-05-06 |website=9now.nine.com.au |language=en-AU}}

In December 2022, Nine announced that Boney will host Carols by Candlelight with David Campbell.{{Cite web |last=Molk |first=Steve |date=2022-12-10 |title=David Campbell and Brooke Boney host Vision Australia's Carols By Candlelight |url=https://tvblackbox.com.au/page/2022/12/11/david-campbell-and-brooke-boney-host-vision-australias-carols-by-candlelight/ |access-date=2022-12-10 |website=TV Blackbox |language=en-AU}}

In January 2023, Boney replaced Alex Cullen as news presenter on Today taking on news and entertainment with Cullen focusing on sport.{{Cite web |title=Eric the Eel sparked presenter's Olympic dream |url=https://wwos.nine.com.au/news/today-sports-presenter-alex-cullen-paris-olympics-nine/5b341ddd-fe17-4910-85f8-3d13cc5aecc0 |access-date=2023-02-27 |website=wwos.nine.com.au |language=en}}

In April 2023, Boney filled in on Will & Woody on the KIIS Network whilst Woody Whitelaw competed in I'm a Celebrity...Get Me Out of Here!.{{Cite web |last=Boland |first=Bray |date=2023-04-02 |title=Brooke Boney joins Will McMahon for KIIS national Drive show |url=https://radiotoday.com.au/brooke-boney-joins-will-mcmahon-for-kiis-national-drive-show/ |access-date=2023-04-03 |website=Radio Today |language=en-AU}}

In March 2024, Boney announced her resignation from the Nine Network to take up an opportunity to study at Oxford University.{{Cite web |last=Faruqi |first=Osman |date=2024-03-21 |title=Brooke Boney announces departure from Today show |url=https://www.smh.com.au/culture/tv-and-radio/brooke-boney-announces-departure-from-today-show-20240322-p5fefp.html |access-date=2024-03-22 |website=The Sydney Morning Herald |language=en}} She will finish with the network after the 2024 Summer Olympics.

Boney is a spokesperson for the GO Foundation, which focuses on education for Indigenous Australians.{{cite web | title=An interview with GO Ambassador, Brooke Boney | website=GO Foundation | date=23 January 2020 | url=https://www.gofoundation.org.au/blog/interview-brooke-boney/ | access-date=21 January 2022}}

A portrait of Boney and her pet pug Jimmy by Laura Jones was a finalist for the 2022 Archibald Prize.{{Cite web |title=Archibald Prize Archibald 2022 work: Brooke and Jimmy by Laura Jones |url=https://www.artgallery.nsw.gov.au/prizes/archibald/2022/30430/ |access-date=2022-05-06 |website=Art Gallery of New South Wales |language=en}}

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Category:1987 births

Category:Living people

Category:Australian women television journalists

Category:Gamilaraay

Category:Australian television newsreaders and news presenters

Category:People from Muswellbrook

Category:University of Technology Sydney alumni