The Australian

The Australian is published by News Corp Australia,{{cite book|first=Denis|last=Cryle|title=Murdoch's Flagship: Twenty-Five Years of the Australian Newspaper|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=42zI5MWxp7cC|publisher=Academic Monographs|date=2008|isbn=978-0-522-85991-1|via=Google Books}} [http://www.mup.com.au/uploads/files/acmo/MurdochFlagship_pre.pdf Preface] an asset of News Corp, which also owns the sole daily newspapers in Brisbane, Adelaide, Hobart, and Darwin, and the most circulated metropolitan daily newspapers in Sydney and Melbourne.{{cite journal

| last = Manning

| first = James

| title = National daily plans new business website and monthly colour magazine

| journal = Mediaweek

| issue = 854

| pages = 3, 7, 8

| location = Sydney, Australia

| date = 10 March 2008

}} News Corp's chairman and founder is Rupert Murdoch.

The Australian integrates content from overseas newspapers owned by News Corp Australia's international parent News Corp, including The Wall Street Journal and The Times of London.

The first edition of The Australian was published by Rupert Murdoch on 15 July 1964, becoming the third national newspaper in Australia following shipping newspaper Daily Commercial News (1891){{citation | publisher = National Library of Australia Trove | url = http://trove.nla.gov.au/work/17114605?selectedversion=NBD6648874 | title = Daily commercial news and shipping list | url-status = live | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20140326171825/http://trove.nla.gov.au/work/17114605?selectedversion=NBD6648874 | archive-date = 26 March 2014}} and Australian Financial Review (1951). Unlike other original Murdoch newspapers, it is not a tabloid publication. At the time, a national paper was considered commercially unfeasible, as newspapers mostly relied on local advertising for their revenue. The Australian was printed in Canberra, then plates flown to other cities for copying. From its inception, the paper struggled for financial viability, and ran at a loss for several decades.

A Sunday edition, The Sunday Australian, was established in 1971.[http://www.naa.gov.au/collection/explore/cabinet/by-year/1971-events-issues.aspx Events and issues that made the news in 1971] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141109165050/http://www.naa.gov.au/collection/explore/cabinet/by-year/1971-events-issues.aspx |date=9 November 2014 }}, National Archives of Australia It was discontinued in 1972, though, because press capacity was insufficient to print The Sunday Telegraph, the Sunday Mirror, and it.[https://www.theaustralian.com.au/50th-birthday/time-for-a-change/story-fnlk0fie-1226893551728 Time for a change] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190823054640/https://www.theaustralian.com.au/50th-birthday/time-for-a-change/story-fnlk0fie-1226893551728 |date=23 August 2019 }}, The Australian, 2014

The Australian's first editor was Maxwell Newton, before leaving the newspaper within a year,{{cite web|last=Tiffen|first=Rodney|title=The Australian at forty-five|date=14 July 2009 |url=http://inside.org.au/the-australian-at-forty-five/|publisher=inside.org.au|access-date=16 April 2013|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130421063550/http://inside.org.au/the-australian-at-forty-five/|archive-date=21 April 2013}} and was succeeded by Walter Kommer, and then by Adrian Deamer. Under Deamer's editorship, The Australian encouraged female journalists, and was the first mainstream daily newspaper to hire an Aboriginal reporter, John Newfong.{{rp|p=174}}

During the 1975 election, campaigning against the Whitlam government by its owner led to the newspaper's journalists striking over editorial direction.

Editor-in-chief Chris Mitchell was appointed in 2002 and retired on 11 December 2015; he was replaced by Paul Whittaker, formerly the editor-in-chief of Sydney's Daily Telegraph.{{cite news|last = Davidson|first = Darren|author-link=Darren Davidson|title = Chris Mitchell retires, Paul Whittaker new editor-in-chief of The Australian|url = http://www.theaustralian.com.au/business/media/chris-mitchell-retires-paul-whittaker-new-editorinchief-of-the-australian/news-story/8c45d5d8846a26577d8d39d39f940ccd|access-date = 4 January 2016|newspaper=The Australian|date = 2 December 2015|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20190416105548/https://www.theaustralian.com.au/business/media/chris-mitchell-retires-paul-whittaker-new-editorinchief-of-the-australian/news-story/8c45d5d8846a26577d8d39d39f940ccd|archive-date = 16 April 2019|url-status = live|ref=none}}

In May 2010, the newspaper launched the first Australian newspaper iPad application.{{Cite news|url=http://www.pcworld.idg.com.au/article/346739/australian_launches_ipad_newspaper_app/|title=The Australian launches iPad newspaper app|author=Omar Dabbagh|date=17 May 2010|work=PC World|access-date=3 April 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100522081733/http://www.pcworld.idg.com.au/article/346739/australian_launches_ipad_newspaper_app/|archive-date=22 May 2010|url-status=live|publisher=IDG Communications}}

In October 2011, The Australian announced that it was planning to become the first general newspaper in Australia to introduce a paywall, with the introduction of a $2.95/week charge for readers to view premium content on its website, mobile phone, and tablet apps.{{cite news|url=http://www.theage.com.au/business/media-and-marketing/australian-to-charge-295-a-week-for-all-online-content-20111018-1lufn.html|title=Australian to charge $2.95 a week for all online content|last=Dick|first=Tim|date=18 October 2011|newspaper=The Age|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111018193916/http://www.theage.com.au/business/media-and-marketing/australian-to-charge-295-a-week-for-all-online-content-20111018-1lufn.html|archive-date=18 October 2011|url-status=live|location=Melbourne}} The paywall was officially launched on 24 October, with a free 3-month trial.{{Cite news|title=Paywall turns The Australian gold|date=9 November 2011|work=B&T Weekly|id = {{ProQuest|928405002}}}}

In September 2017, The Australian launched a Chinese website.{{Cite web|url=https://www.sbs.com.au/news/the-australian-newspaper-launches-chinese-language-website|title=The Australian newspaper launches Chinese language website|last1=Kallios|first1=Natarsha|last2=Connellan|first2=Matt|date=21 September 2017|publisher=SBS News|access-date=20 October 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181020225300/https://www.sbs.com.au/news/the-australian-newspaper-launches-chinese-language-website|archive-date=20 October 2018|url-status=live}}

In October 2018, Chris Dore, former editor of The Daily Telegraph, The Courier-Mail, and The Sunday Times (Western Australia) was announced as taking over as editor-in-chief.{{Cite news|url=https://www.smh.com.au/business/companies/paul-whittaker-appointed-sky-news-ceo-in-major-news-corp-shake-up-20181008-p508cg.html|title=Paul Whittaker appointed Sky News CEO in News Corp shake-up|last=Duke|first=Jennifer|date=7 October 2018|newspaper=The Sydney Morning Herald|access-date=2 January 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190103004853/https://www.smh.com.au/business/companies/paul-whittaker-appointed-sky-news-ceo-in-major-news-corp-shake-up-20181008-p508cg.html|archive-date=3 January 2019|url-status=live}} After Dore resigned in November 2022, the newspaper appointed its first female editor-in-chief, Michelle Gunn, in January 2023.{{Cite news|last=Samios |first=Zoe |date=2022-11-20 |title=Top News Corp editor departed after lewd comments towards woman |url=https://www.smh.com.au/business/companies/top-news-corp-editor-departed-after-lewd-comments-towards-woman-20221117-p5bz7a.html |access-date=2023-01-07|newspaper=The Sydney Morning Herald}}{{Cite news|last=Bonyhady |first=Nick |date=2023-01-06 |title=The Australian appoints first female editor-in-chief |url=https://www.smh.com.au/business/companies/the-australian-appoints-first-female-editor-in-chief-20230106-p5casa.html |access-date=2023-01-06|newspaper=The Sydney Morning Herald}}

The editorial board began investigating a senior editor after allegations of misconduct were raised following events of the papers' Christmas drinks. The senior editor was accused of inappropriate conduct at the event by multiple female employees.{{Cite news|last=Samios |first=Zoe |date=2023-01-08 |title=News Corp investigation upholds allegations of misconduct by senior editor |url=https://www.theage.com.au/business/companies/news-corp-investigation-upholds-allegations-of-misconduct-by-senior-editor-20230105-p5cahg.html |access-date=2023-01-08|newspaper=The Age}}

Since 2019, The Australian has published an annual study, called Australia's Richest 250, which ranks the country's wealthiest people from one to 250, in order of their net worth.{{Cite news|title=The List – Australia's Richest 250 are worth a collective $532bn|type=2023 edition|author=John Stensholt|date=23 March 2023|url=https://www.theaustralian.com.au/business/the-list-australias-richest-250-in-2023/news-story/751aed315ba69938254781a6812e4349|newspaper=The Australian}}

Daily sections include national news ("The Nation"), world news ("Worldwide"), sport news, and business news ("Business"). Contained within each issue is a prominent opinion/editorial (op/ed) section, including regular columnists and occasional contributors. Other regular sections include technology ("Australian IT"), media (edited by Darren Davidson since 2015), features, legal affairs, aviation, defence, horse-racing ("Thoroughbreds"), the arts, health, wealth, and higher education. A traveland indulgence section is included on Saturdays, along with "The Inquirer", an in-depth analysis of major stories of the week, alongside much political commentary. Saturday lift-outs include "Review", focusing on books, arts, film, and television, and The Weekend Australian Magazine, the only national weekly glossy insert magazine. A glossy magazine, Wish, is published on the first Friday of the month.

"The Australian has long maintained a focus on issues relating to Aboriginal disadvantage." It also devotes attention to the information technology, defence and mining industries, as well as the science, economics, and politics of climate change. It has also published numerous special reports into Australia's energy policy, legal affairs, and research sector.[https://specialreports.theaustralian.com.au/ "The Australian special reports"], The Australian

The Australian Literary Review was a monthly supplement from September 2006 to October 2011.{{Cite web|url=https://www.austlit.edu.au/austlit/page/OLD?id=C%23AiT&idtype=oldid|title=The Australian Literary Review|date=23 October 2015|website=Austlit|access-date=5 January 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190104231224/https://www.austlit.edu.au/austlit/page/OLD?id=C%23AiT&idtype=oldid|archive-date=4 January 2019|url-status=live}}

The tone and nature of The Australian's coverage has changed over time, but since the late 20th century under the ownership of Rupert Murdoch and with Chris Mitchell as editor-in-chief, it has taken a markedly conservative direction. It was outspoken in supporting the conservative government of Prime Minister John Howard.

{{Conservatism in Australia|Media}}

Former editor Paul Kelly stated in 1991, "The Australian has established itself in the marketplace as a newspaper that supports economic libertarianism".{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=2LGkO3EYE6IC|title=Do Not Disturb: Is the Media Failing Australia?|publisher=Black Inc|year=2005|isbn=9780975076941|editor-last=Manne|editor-first=Robert|editor-link=Robert Manne|page=60}} Laurie Clancy asserted in 2004 that the newspaper "is generally conservative in tone and heavily oriented toward business; it has a range of columnists of varying political persuasions, but mostly to the right."{{cite book|title=Culture and customs of Australia|url=https://archive.org/details/culturecustomsau00clan|url-access=limited|last=Clancy|first=Laurie|publisher=Greenwood Publishing Group|year=2004|isbn=978-0-313-32169-6|page=[https://archive.org/details/culturecustomsau00clan/page/n144 126]}} Former editor-in-chief Chris Mitchell has said that the editorial and op-ed pages of the newspaper are centre-right but "claims it is down the middle in its news coverage".

In 2007, Crikey described the newspaper as generally in support of the Liberal Party of Australia and the then-Coalition government, but has pragmatically supported Labor governments in the past as well.{{Cite web|url=https://www.crikey.com.au/2007/06/26/crikey-bias-o-meter-the-newspapers/|title=Crikey Bias-o-meter: The newspapers|date=26 June 2007|website=Crikey|access-date=23 December 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181007000403/https://www.crikey.com.au/2007/06/26/crikey-bias-o-meter-the-newspapers/|archive-date=7 October 2018|url-status=live}} In 2007, The Australian announced their support for Kevin Rudd of the Australian Labor Party in the Federal election.{{Cite web|url=https://www.crikey.com.au/2007/11/23/election-07-the-newpapers-choice-this-time-round/|title=Election 07: The newpapers'{{sic |nolink=yes}} choice this time round|date=23 November 2007|website=Crikey|access-date=4 April 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190404045527/https://www.crikey.com.au/2007/11/23/election-07-the-newpapers-choice-this-time-round/|archive-date=4 April 2019|url-status=live}} As of 2021, the last time the paper endorsed the Labor Party at any level, state or federal, was the 2010 Victorian election.{{citation needed|date=August 2021}} Along with other Australian papers owned by News Ltd, The Australian has been highly and repeatedly critical of the Labor Party.[https://www.theguardian.com/media/2019/may/10/australias-murdoch-moment-has-news-corp-finally-gone-too-far "Australia's Murdoch moment: has News Corp finally gone too far?"] by Gay Alcorn, The Guardian, 11 May 2019

The Australian presents varying views on climate change, including articles by those who disagree with the scientific consensus, such as Ian Plimer, and those who agree, such as Tim Flannery and Bjørn Lomborg.{{cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2010/aug/30/bjorn-lomborg-climate-change-u-turn|title=Bjørn Lomborg: $100bn a year needed to fight climate change|last=Jowit|first=Juliette|date=30 August 2010|work=The Guardian|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131109173609/http://www.theguardian.com/environment/2010/aug/30/bjorn-lomborg-climate-change-u-turn|archive-date=9 November 2013|url-status=live|location=London}} A 2011 study of the previous seven years of articles claimed that four out of every five articles were opposed to taking action on climate change.{{cite news|url=http://www.australasianscience.com.au/article/issue-november-2011/newspaper-biased-against-climate-change.html|title=Newspaper Biased Against Climate Change|last=Lowe|first=Ian|date=November 2011|work=Australasian Science|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170922145209/http://www.australasianscience.com.au/article/issue-november-2011/newspaper-biased-against-climate-change.html|archive-date=22 September 2017|url-status=live}}{{Cite news|url=http://www.abc.net.au/news/2011-11-21/rosen-news-corp-is-bad-news/3683736|title=News Corp is Bad News|date=21 November 2011|work=ABC News|access-date=1 August 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180209043520/http://www.abc.net.au/news/2011-11-21/rosen-news-corp-is-bad-news/3683736|archive-date=9 February 2018|url-status=live}}

In 2010, ABC's Media Watch presenter Paul Barry accused The Australian of waging a campaign against the Australian Greens, and the Greens' federal leader Bob Brown wrote that The Australian has "stepped out of the fourth estate by seeing itself as a determinant of democracy in Australia". In response, The Australian opined that "Greens leader Bob Brown has accused The Australian of trying to wreck the alliance between the Greens and Labor. We wear Senator Brown's criticism with pride. We believe he and his Green colleagues are hypocrites; that they are bad for the nation; and that they should be destroyed at the ballot box."{{cite web|last=Barry|first=Paul|author-link=Paul Barry|title=Gunning for The Greens|url=http://www.abc.net.au/mediawatch/transcripts/s3010433.htm|work=Media Watch|publisher=ABC|location=Australia|access-date=20 March 2013|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130505131209/http://www.abc.net.au/mediawatch/transcripts/s3010433.htm|archive-date=5 May 2013}}

The Australian has been described by some media commentators and scholars as working to promote a right-wing agenda, and as a result, encouraging political polarisation in Australia.{{Cite news|url=https://theconversation.com/mixed-media-how-australias-newspapers-became-locked-in-a-war-of-left-versus-right-79001|title=Mixed media: how Australia's newspapers became locked in a war of left versus right|last=Muller|first=Denis|date=19 June 2017|work=The Conversation|access-date=8 August 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180808172307/https://theconversation.com/mixed-media-how-australias-newspapers-became-locked-in-a-war-of-left-versus-right-79001|archive-date=8 August 2018|url-status=live}}{{Cite news|url=https://www.themonthly.com.au/issue/2014/june/1403486074/margaret-simons/daily-narcissist|title=The decline of the 'Australian'|last=Simons|first=Margaret|author-link=Margaret Simons|date=June 2014|work=The Monthly|access-date=1 August 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180707150316/https://www.themonthly.com.au/issue/2014/june/1403486074/margaret-simons/daily-narcissist|archive-date=7 July 2018|url-status=live}}{{Cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2015/dec/07/ideology-runs-rampant-at-rupert-murdochs-australian-newspaper|title=Ideology runs rampant at Rupert Murdoch's Australian newspaper|last=Buckell|first=Jim|date=7 December 2015|newspaper=The Guardian|access-date=8 August 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180808205550/https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2015/dec/07/ideology-runs-rampant-at-rupert-murdochs-australian-newspaper|archive-date=8 August 2018|url-status=live}} In August 2019, former The Australian journalist Rick Morton who left the paper earlier that year,{{cite web|url=https://influencing.com/au/story/morton-finishes-the-australian-service|access-date=20 December 2024|url-access=registration|date=13 June 2019|author=Jonas Lopez|title=Morton finishes The Australian service|website=influencing.com}} reported in The Saturday Paper that an unpublished study by Victoria University, Melbourne, found that The Australian "fuels far-right recruitment" through dog whistle coded language.{{cite news|last=Morton|first=Rick|title=Murdoch media fuels far-right recruitment|url=https://www.thesaturdaypaper.com.au/news/politics/2019/08/10/murdoch-media-fuels-far-right-recruitment/15653592008581|work=The Saturday Paper|date=10 August 2019}} Victoria University issued a statement that "At no point does the research report claim that News Ltd publication fuelled far-right sentiment."{{cite news|url=https://www.theaustralian.com.au/business/media/victoria-university-rejects-false-farright-report/news-story/d6c44278588676222aec3c1348b163ab|title=Victoria University rejects false 'far-right' report|last=Ferguson|first=John|work=The Australian|date=15 August 2019}}

In late 2022, editor-in-chief Chris Dore resigned from The Australian citing health issues.{{Cite web |date=2022-11-18 |title=The Australian's editor Chris Dore lost his job after attending News Corp event in California |url=https://www.theguardian.com/media/2022/nov/18/australians-editor-chris-dore-lost-job-party-wall-street-journal-news-corp-event-california-news-corps |access-date=2023-01-06 |website=the Guardian |language=en}} After acting as editor-in-chief following the departure of Dore, Michelle Gunn become the first female editor-in-chief at the newspaper in January 2023. Gunn was replaced as editor by Kelvin Healey.

Caroline Overington, a senior journalist writing for The Australian, reported in 2005 about the Australian Wheat Board funneling hundreds of millions of dollars to Iraq and the government of Saddam Hussein before the start of the Iraq War.{{Cite news|url=http://www.smh.com.au/news/book-reviews/kickback/2007/05/18/1178995388294.html?page=fullpage|title=Kickback|last=Cica|first=Natasha|date=18 May 2007|newspaper=The Sydney Morning Herald|access-date=27 March 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160514075454/http://www.smh.com.au/news/book-reviews/kickback/2007/05/18/1178995388294.html?page=fullpage|archive-date=14 May 2016}} This story became known as the AWB oil-for-wheat scandal, and resulted in a commission of inquiry into the matter.{{Cite news|url=https://www.allenandunwin.com/browse/books/general-books/current-affairs-politics/Kickback-Caroline-Overington-9781741751949|title=Kickback: Inside the Australian Wheat Board scandal|author=Caroline Overington|author-link=Caroline Overington|date=May 2007|publisher=Allen & Unwin|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160630033645/https://www.allenandunwin.com/browse/books/general-books/current-affairs-politics/Kickback-Caroline-Overington-9781741751949|archive-date=30 June 2016|url-status=live}} Overington received a Walkley Award for her coverage.{{Cite news|url=https://www.theage.com.au/entertainment/books/walkley-award-winners-announced-20061201-ge3oz8.html|title=Walkley Award winners announced|date=30 November 2006|newspaper=The Age|access-date=2 April 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190402195731/https://www.theage.com.au/entertainment/books/walkley-award-winners-announced-20061201-ge3oz8.html|archive-date=2 April 2019|url-status=live}}

In 2009, The Australian ran a large number of articles about the Rudd government's Building the Education Revolution policy, which uncovered purported evidence of overpricing, financial waste, and mismanagement of the building of improvements to schools such as halls, gymnasia, and libraries. On the newspaper's website, a section named "Stimulus Watch", subtitled "How your Billions Are Being Spent", contained a large collection of such articles.{{Cite news|url=http://www.theaustralian.com.au/archive/stimulus-watch|title=Stimulus Watch|author=various|date=2009|newspaper=The Australian|publisher=News Limited|archive-url=https://archive.today/20130219165700/http://www.theaustralian.com.au/archive/stimulus-watch|archive-date=19 February 2013|url-status=live}}

The following year, other media outlets also reported these issues and the policy turned into a political embarrassment for the government, which until then had been able to ignore The Australian{{'}}s reports. Along with the government's insulation stimulus policy, it contributed to criticisms, perceptions of incompetence, and general dissatisfaction with the government's performance.{{Cite news|url=https://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/blogs/tim-blair/incompetence-and-waste-versus-waste-and-incompetence/news-story/97eab6a4f9d4d05230a2c3971fd9c8ac|title=Incompetence and Waste Versus Waste and Incompetence|last=Blair|first=Tim|author-link=Tim Blair|access-date=19 April 2019|date=21 April 2016|newspaper=The Daily Telegraph|location=Sydney}}{{Cite web|url=https://menzieshouse.typepad.com/menzies-house/2010/05/kevin-rudd-literally-the-most-incompetent-and-cowardly-prime-minister-in-australian-history.html|title=Kevin Rudd: Literally the most incompetent and cowardly Prime Minister in Australian history|author=Geoff Rossiter|access-date=4 August 2021|date=6 May 2010|website=Menzies House|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180514103332/http://www.menzieshouse.com.au/kevin-rudd-literally-the-most-incompetent-and-cowardly-prime-minister-in-australian-history/ |archive-date=14 May 2018 |url-status=live}}

On 16 July 2010, Julia Gillard was reported to have admitted that the school-building program was flawed and that errors had been made because the program was designed in haste to protect jobs during the Great Recession.{{Cite news | url=https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/i-made-some-errors-julia-gillard-shares-regrets-20180405-p4z7tv.html | title='I made some errors': Julia Gillard shares regrets |newspaper=The Sydney Morning Herald| date=April 5, 2018 }}{{Cite news | url=https://www.smh.com.au/national/gillard-defends-education-blow-out-20090910-fjao.html | title=Gillard defends education blow out|newspaper=The Sydney Morning Herald| date=September 11, 2009 | url-access=subscription}}

In 2011, Glenn Milne reported on the allegations against Prime Minister Julia Gillard concerning the AWU affair, including a claim regarding Gillard's living arrangements with Australian Workers' Union official Bruce Wilson. Gillard contacted the chief executive of The Australian, resulting in the story being removed and an apology and retraction posted in its place.{{cite news|last=Wright|first=Tony|title=Bombshell for Gillard explodes under Murdoch press|url=http://www.smh.com.au/national/bombshell-for-gillard-explodes-under-murdoch-press-20110829-1jipb.html|access-date=22 August 2012|newspaper=The Sydney Morning Herald|date=30 August 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120717174437/http://www.smh.com.au/national/bombshell-for-gillard-explodes-under-murdoch-press-20110829-1jipb.html|archive-date=17 July 2012|url-status=live}}

On 18 August 2012, Hedley Thomas reported that Gillard had left her job as a partner with law firm Slater & Gordon as a direct result of a secret internal investigation in 1995 into corrupt conduct on behalf of her then-boyfriend Ralph Blewett.{{Cite news|url=http://www.theaustralian.com.au/news/investigations/revealed-julia-gillard-lost-her-job-after-law-firms-secret-investigation/story-fn6tcxar-1226452973559|title=Revealed: Julia Gillard lost her job after law firm's secret investigation|last=Thomas|first=Hedley|access-date=30 March 2013|date=18 August 2012|newspaper=The Australian|publisher=News Limited|author-link=Hedley Thomas|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130118061857/http://www.theaustralian.com.au/news/investigations/revealed-julia-gillard-lost-her-job-after-law-firms-secret-investigation/story-fn6tcxar-1226452973559|archive-date=18 January 2013|url-status=live}} The story was ignored for a long time by other media outlets until after Gillard held a press conference to respond to the allegations against her.{{Cite news|url=http://www.theaustralian.com.au/opinion/columnists/aunty-still-in-denial-but-proving-political-bias-is-as-easy-as-abc/story-fn8qlm5e-1226578726810|title=Aunty still in denial, but proving political bias is as easy as ABC|last=Kenny|first=Chris|access-date=16 February 2013|date=16 February 2013|newspaper=The Australian|publisher=News Limited|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130216062305/http://www.theaustralian.com.au/opinion/columnists/aunty-still-in-denial-but-proving-political-bias-is-as-easy-as-abc/story-fn8qlm5e-1226578726810|archive-date=16 February 2013|url-status=live}} In 2013, the Fair Work Commission commenced initial inquiries into allegations of improper union financial conduct, and the government initiated a judicial inquiry into the AWU affair in December of that year as part of a royal commission into trade unions.{{cite news |url=http://www.smh.com.au/federal-politics/political-news/abbott-government-to-launch-royal-commission-into-union-slush-funds-20131211-2z76h.html#ixzz3j8aXrt4w |title=Abbott government to launch royal commission into union 'slush funds'|newspaper=The Sydney Morning Herald |date=12 December 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161221192742/http://www.smh.com.au/federal-politics/political-news/abbott-government-to-launch-royal-commission-into-union-slush-funds-20131211-2z76h.html#ixzz3j8aXrt4w |archive-date=21 December 2016 |url-status=live }}

The Teachers Pet, an investigation into the disappearance of Lynette Dawson, is a podcast written by Hedley Thomas and Slade Gibson that ran in 2018. It was credited with generating new leads that led to the subsequent arrest of Chris Dawson for the murder of his wife,{{Cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2018/dec/06/chris-dawson-to-be-charged-with-wife-lyns-after-extradition-to-nsw|title=Husband charged with wife's murder after hit podcast|last=McGowan|first=Michael|date=6 December 2018|work=The Guardian|access-date=2 April 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190402165557/https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2018/dec/06/chris-dawson-to-be-charged-with-wife-lyns-after-extradition-to-nsw|archive-date=2 April 2019|url-status=live}} and the setting up of police enquiry Strike Force Southwood to explore claims of sexual assaults and student-teacher relationships at several Sydney high schools brought up on the podcast.{{Cite web|url=https://www.9news.com.au/national/teachers-pet-podcast-law-firm-explores-nsw-school-sex-abuse-claims/175eab83-b493-449e-b3b3-9eae04321596|title=Teacher's Pet podcast: Law firm explores NSW school sex abuse claims|last=Saunokonoko|first=Mark|date=20 August 2018|website=Nine News|access-date=2 April 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190402165557/https://www.9news.com.au/national/teachers-pet-podcast-law-firm-explores-nsw-school-sex-abuse-claims/175eab83-b493-449e-b3b3-9eae04321596|archive-date=2 April 2019|url-status=live}} The series has had 28 million downloads,{{Cite web|url=https://www.abc.net.au/news/2018-12-06/lynette-dawson-breakthrough-and-teachers-pet-podcast/10586864|title=The power of the podcast – in Lynette Dawson's case was it a help or hindrance?|last1=Cockburn|first1=Paige|last2=Sas|first2=Nick|date=6 December 2018|website=ABC News|access-date=30 December 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181229080555/https://www.abc.net.au/news/2018-12-06/lynette-dawson-breakthrough-and-teachers-pet-podcast/10586864|archive-date=29 December 2018|url-status=live}} was the number-one Australian podcast and reached number one in the UK, Canada, and New Zealand.{{cite web|url=https://www.theaustralian.com.au/news/nation/the-teachers-pet-podcast-on-hold-pending-further-developments/news-story/ed22820054d60c26a920fb0c53968814|title=The Teacher's Pet: Podcast on hold pending further developments|author=David Murray|date=17 August 2018|work=The Australian|publisher=News Corporation|access-date=25 October 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180910191937/https://www.theaustralian.com.au/news/nation/the-teachers-pet-podcast-on-hold-pending-further-developments/news-story/ed22820054d60c26a920fb0c53968814|archive-date=10 September 2018|url-status=live}} Both Hedley and Gibson received Gold Walkleys for their work on the series.{{Cite web|url=https://www.abc.net.au/news/2018-11-23/walkley-awards:-hedley-thomas,-slade-gibson-win-gold/10546658|title=Hedley Thomas, Slade Gibson win Gold Walkley for true crime podcast|date=23 November 2018|website=ABC News|access-date=2 April 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190402063319/https://www.abc.net.au/news/2018-11-23/walkley-awards:-hedley-thomas,-slade-gibson-win-gold/10546658|archive-date=2 April 2019|url-status=live}}

Former columnists include Mike Steketee, David Burchell, Michael Stutchbury, Emma Jane, George Megalogenis, Glenn Milne, Cordelia Fine,{{multiref2|{{cite web|url=https://www.cordelia-fine.com/media.html|website=cordelia-fine.com|title=It's the unspoken rules on campus that silence|access-date=27 February 2025}}|{{cite news|url=https://www.theaustralian.com.au/commentary/its-the-unspoken-rules-on-campus-that-silence/news-story/3aea9ea4e9b34366816b87492f561883|access-date=27 February 2025|title=It's the unspoken rules on campus that silence|author=Cordelia Fine|date=27 May 2021|newspaper=The Australian|ref=none}}{{subscription}}}} Alan Wood,{{cite news|url=https://www.afr.com/companies/media-and-marketing/alan-wood-a-pioneering-economics-writer-with-a-sense-of-humour-20210105-p56ryd|access-date=27 February 2025|title=Pioneering economics writer Alan Wood dies aged 76|author=Andrew Clark|date=5 January 2021|newspaper=Australian Financial Review}} Michael Costa, P. P. McGuinness, Michael Costello, Frank Devine, Matt Price, Christopher Pearson, Niki Savva. Political cartoonist Bill Leak worked for the paper until his death.{{cite web|url=https://mumbrella.com.au/bill-leaks-son-johannes-takes-up-cartoonist-position-at-the-australian-605876|access-date=9 February 2024|title=Bill Leak's son Johannes takes up cartoonist position at The Australian|author=Vivienne Kelly|date=9 November 2019|website=Mumbrella}}

{{anchor|rintoul}}Stuart Rintoul (active from around 1989) was a senior writer with The Australian, with some expertise in Indigenous languages and history. His 2020 book Lowitja: The Authorised Biography of Lowitja O'Donoghue, a biography of Indigenous Australian trailblazer Lowitja O'Donoghue, was shortlisted for a Walkley Award for Best Non-Fiction Book, and was highly commended in the National Biography Awards in 2021.{{cite web | title=Stuart Rintoul | website=AustLit | url=https://www.austlit.edu.au/austlit/page/A33738 | access-date=5 February 2024}}

Columnists include Janet Albrechtsen, Troy Bramston,{{cite web|url=https://federationpress.com.au/editor/troy-bramston/|access-date=27 February 2025|title=Troy Bramston|website=The Federation Press}} Henry Ergas, Ticky Fullerton, Antonella Gambotto-Burke, Adam Creighton, Robert Gottliebsen, Gideon Haigh, Paul Kelly, Chris Kenny, Brendan O'Neill, Nicolas Rothwell, Angela Shanahan,{{cite web|url=https://thesydneyinstitute.com.au/blog/tag/angela-shanahan/|access-date=27 February 2025|title=Angela Shanahan|publisher=The Sydney Institute}} Dennis Shanahan, Greg Sheridan, Judith Sloan, Cameron Stewart,{{cite web|url=https://melbourneinstitute.unimelb.edu.au/outlook/speakers/speaker-profiles/cameron-stewart|access-date=27 February 2025|title=Mr. Cameron Stewart|publisher=Melbourne Institute of Applied Economic and Social Research}} Peter van Onselen, Graham Richardson, Peta Credlin,{{cite news|url=https://www.theage.com.au/politics/federal/niki-savva-joins-the-age-and-the-sydney-morning-herald-20210713-p589ar.html|title=Niki Savva joins The Age and The Sydney Morning Herald|author=Zoe Samios|newspaper=The Age|date=13 July 2021|access-date=27 July 2021}} and Claire Lehmann.{{cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/media/2022/mar/18/reporters-deliver-a-fraction-of-the-horror-from-ukraines-war-zone-to-australias-lounge-rooms|access-date=15 October 2023|title= Reporters deliver 'a fraction of the horror' from Ukraine's war zone to Australia's lounge rooms – Age of enlightenment|author=Amanda Meade|newspaper=The Guardian|date=18 March 2022}} It also features daily cartoons from Johannes Leak and John Spooner.{{multiref|[https://www.abc.net.au/news/2024-12-19/australian-cartoonist-michael-leunig-dies/104748614 "Australian cartoonist and poet Michael Leunig dies aged 79"], 19 December 2024, ABC News (Australia)|[https://www.theaustralian.com.au/author/john-spooner "Our Team: John Spooner – Cartoonist"], The Australian}}

Occasional contributors include Gregory Melleuish, Kevin Donnelly, Caroline Overington, Tom Switzer, James Allan, Hal G.P. Colebatch, Luke Slattery,{{cite web|url=https://www.penguin.com.au/authors/luke-slattery|access-date=27 February 2025|title=Luke Slattery|publisher=Penguin Books Australia}} Noel Pearson, Bettina Arndt, Julia Gillard, Tony Abbott, and Lucian Boz.{{cite web|url=https://www.austlit.edu.au/austlit/page/A36228|access-date=9 February 2024|title=Lucian Boz|date=7 August 2003|website=AustLit}}

Contributors to The Weekend Australian Magazine and "Review" in The Weekend Australian include Phillip Adams, national art critic Christopher Allen, actor and writer Graeme Blundell, Jeremy Clarkson, Antonella Gambotto-Burke, author Trent Dalton, author Nikki Gemmell, poet Sarah Holland-Batt, and demographer Bernard Salt.{{cite web|url=https://www.mup.com.au/authors/bernard-salt|access-date=9 February 2024|title=Bernard Salt|publisher=Melbourne University Publishing}} Film critic David Stratton retired in December 2023.{{cite news|url=https://www.theaustralian.com.au/author/david-stratton|newspaper=The Australian| title= David Stratton | access-date=30 December 2023}}{{cite news|last=Hennessy | first=Kate | title=David Stratton's closing credits: 'I've done the best I could' |newspaper=The Guardian| date=22 December 2023 | url=https://www.theguardian.com/film/2023/dec/23/david-strattons-closing-credits-ive-done-the-best-i-could | access-date=30 December 2023}}

In 1971, The Australian instituted its own "Australian of the Year award" separate and often different from the Australian of the Year chosen by the government's National Australia Day Council. Starting in 1968, the official award had long had links to the Victorian Australia Day Council, and at the time a public perception arose that it was state-based. As a national newspaper, The Australian felt it was better situated to create an award that more truly represented all of Australia.{{Cite web|url=https://www.australianoftheyear.org.au/the-awards/awards-history/whose-australian-of-the-year/|title=Whose Australian of the Year?|website=Australian of the Year Awards|access-date=7 January 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190107124524/https://www.australianoftheyear.org.au/the-awards/awards-history/whose-australian-of-the-year/|archive-date=7 January 2019|url-status=live}} Nominees are suggested by readers, decided upon by an editorial board, and awarded in January of every year.{{Cite news|url=https://www.theaustralian.com.au/news/nation/calum-thwaites-and-tony-morris-make-a-stand-for-free-speech/news-story/1df5e04ca483005287b7db5cee8e65a4|title=The Australian's Australians of the Year 2017|last=Walker|first=Jamie|date=21 January 2017|work=The Australian|access-date=7 January 2019}}

{{Update|section|date=August 2024}}

In the June quarter of 2013, the average print circulation for The Australian on weekdays was 116,655, and 254,891 for The Weekend Australian. Both were down (9.8 and 10.8%, respectively) compared to the June quarter the previous year.{{cite news|url=http://www.crikey.com.au/2013/08/16/newspaper-circulation-results-shocker-the-contagion-edition/|title=Newspaper circulation results shocker: the contagion edition|last=Knott|first=Matthew|date=16 August 2013|work=Crikey|access-date=26 August 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130827013517/http://www.crikey.com.au/2013/08/16/newspaper-circulation-results-shocker-the-contagion-edition/|archive-date=27 August 2013|url-status=live|publisher=Private Media}}

{{As of|March 2015|post=,}} the weekday edition circulation was 104,165 and the weekend edition was 230,182, falling 6.5% and 3.3%, respectively, compared to the same period in 2014. The Australian had 67,561 paid digital subscribers in the same period.{{cite web|url=http://www.theaustralian.com.au/business/media/newspaper-circulation-declines-moderating-as-digital-sales-soar/story-e6frg996-1227355558850|title=Newspaper circulation declines moderating as digital sales soar|last=Davidson|first=Darren|author-link=Darren Davidson|date=15 May 2015|newspaper=The Australian|access-date=18 May 2015|url-access=subscription|ref=none}}

{{As of|August 2015|post=,}} according to third-party web analytics providers Alexa and Similarweb, The Australian{{'}}s website was the 72nd- and 223rd-most visited websites in Australia, respectively.{{cite web | url=http://www.alexa.com/siteinfo/theaustralian.com.au | title=theaustralian.com.au Site Overview | publisher=Alexa | access-date=2 August 2015 | url-status=live | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160305100406/http://www.alexa.com/siteinfo/theaustralian.com.au | archive-date=5 March 2016}}{{cite web | url=http://www.similarweb.com/website/theaustralian.com.au | title=Theaustralian.com.au Analytics | publisher=SimilarWeb | access-date=2 August 2015 | url-status=live | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150924122134/http://www.similarweb.com/website/theaustralian.com.au | archive-date=24 September 2015}} SimilarWeb rates the site as the 23rd-most visited news website in Australia, attracting almost 3 million visitors per month.{{cite web | url=http://www.similarweb.com/country_category/australia/news_and_media | title=Top 50 sites in Australia for News And Media | publisher=SimilarWeb | access-date=2 August 2015 | url-status=dead | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150825042518/http://www.similarweb.com/country_category/australia/news_and_media | archive-date=25 August 2015}}

In June 2018, according to Roy Morgan Research, The Australian had a readership of 292,000 for the Monday–Friday editions and 576,000 for the Saturday edition.{{cite web|url=http://www.roymorgan.com/industries/media/readership/newspaper-readership|title=Australian Newspaper Readership, 12 months to September 2018|date=September 2018|publisher=Roy Morgan Research|access-date=9 January 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190801132411/http://www.roymorgan.com/industries/media/readership/newspaper-readership|archive-date=1 August 2019|url-status=dead}}

In June 2019, Roy Morgan reported figures of 851,000 (June 2018: 831,000) for the print version (total, weekend, and weekday editions); digital versions 1,965,000 (June 2018: 1,965,000); total cross-platform 2,421,000 (June 2018: 2,564,000). (By way of comparison, The Sydney Morning Herald total figure was 4,125,000; The Age (Melbourne) 2,782,000, Herald Sun (Melbourne) 2,729,000. The only other nationally distributed daily newspaper, the business-focused Australian Financial Review, had 1,587,000 cross-platform readers.){{cite web|website=Roy Morgan Research|quote=Cross-Platform Audience is the number of Australians who have read or accessed individual newspaper content via print, web or app|url=http://www.roymorgan.com/industries/media/readership/cross-platform-audiences-newspapers|title=Newspaper Cross-Platform Audience, 12 months to June 2019|access-date=10 December 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191029050156/http://www.roymorgan.com/industries/media/readership/cross-platform-audiences-newspapers|archive-date=29 October 2019|url-status=dead}}

The paper had a 4 week reach in June 2024 of 1.82 million in print, 3.56 million on its digital platform, and 4.06 million cross-platform.

Several journalists writing for The Australian have received Walkley Awards for their investigative reporting.{{who|date=September 2024}}{{cn|date=September 2024}}

In the 2nd IT Journalism Awards in 2004, The Australian won the top award, Best Title ("Gold Lizzy"), as well as three other awards.{{cite web | title=Winners 2004 | website=IT Journalism Awards | url=https://www.thelizzies.com/winners-2004 | access-date=14 September 2024}}

The paper has won Pacific Area Newspaper Publishers' Association awards on several occasions:

• 2007 Online Newspaper of the Year award{{Cite web|url=http://www.news.com.au/business/story/0,23636,22213598-462,00.html|archive-url=https://archive.today/20120904022540/http://www.news.com.au/business/story/0,23636,22213598-462,00.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=4 September 2012|title=The Australian wins online newspaper award|last=Elks|first=Sarah|date=9 August 2007|website=News.com.au}}
• 2017 Daily Newspaper of the Year, Weekend Newspaper of the Year and Best Mobile site categories{{Cite web|url=http://www.adnews.com.au/news/winners-of-the-2017-newspaper-of-the-year-awards-revealed|title=Winners of the 2017 Newspaper of the Year Awards revealed|last=Bennet Lindsay|date=7 September 2017|website=Adnews|access-date=27 March 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190327120843/http://www.adnews.com.au/news/winners-of-the-2017-newspaper-of-the-year-awards-revealed|archive-date=27 March 2019|url-status=live}}{{Cite web|url=https://mediaweek.com.au/2017-newspaper-of-the-year-awards-winners/|title=The Australian wins three major awards at Newspaper of the Year|date=6 September 2017|website=Mediaweek|access-date=27 March 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190327120844/https://mediaweek.com.au/2017-newspaper-of-the-year-awards-winners/|archive-date=27 March 2019|url-status=live}}

{{Portal|Australia|Journalism}}

• Journalism in Australia
• List of newspapers in Australia
• List of newspapers in New South Wales
• List of Walkley awards won by The Australian

{{reflist}}

• {{Official website|https://www.theaustralian.com.au/}}

{{News Corp Australia}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Australian, The}}

Category:News Corp Australia

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Category:Daily newspapers published in Australia

Category:Conservative media in Australia