Laurie Oakes

Laurie Oakes

Oakes in 2014
Born (1941-08-14) 14 August 1941
Newcastle, New South Wales, Australia
Occupation journalist, author

Laurie Oakes (born 14 August 1943 in Newcastle, New South Wales) is an Australian political journalist and media commentator. Since 1966, he has worked in the Canberra Press Gallery, covering the Parliament of Australia and federal elections.

Early career

Oakes was educated at Lithgow High School [1][2] and graduated in 1964 from the University of Sydney while working part-time with the Sydney Daily Mirror.

At the age of 25 he was the Melbourne Sun's Canberra Bureau Chief and while working for that paper he began providing political commentaries for the TV program, Willesee at Seven. In 1978 he began The Laurie Oakes Report, a televised political journal. In 1979 he joined Network Ten and worked there for five years. He has since written about politics for The Age in Melbourne and the Sunday Telegraph in Sydney. He commentates for several radio stations.[3]

In 1980 he obtained a draft copy of the Australian federal budget, before it was tabled in Parliament.[4]

Later career

In 1997, Oakes used leaked documents to report on abuse of parliamentary travel expenses, which ended the careers of three ministers, several other politicians and some of their staff.[3] More recently he used leaked documents showing the Rudd Government ignored warnings from four key departments about its Fuelwatch scheme.[5]

Oakes has been a weekly contributor to various Publishing and Broadcasting Limited (PBL) owned media outlets, including the former Channel 9 television program, Sunday. He has also been a regular reporter for Nine News. He wrote a weekly column for The Bulletin magazine until it ceased publication in January, 2008. Oakes now writes for Sydney's The Saturday Daily Telegraph. He now presents politics for Weekend Today with hosts Cameron Williams and Leila McKinnon.

Personal politics

In a 2004 interview, Oakes said: "My personal politics are pretty much in the middle, I would think. I've voted both ways at various times. I don't know if perceptions about my politics influence whether people will be interviewed. [Paul] Keating used to boycott the program every now and again; not because he thought I was a Liberal but because he thought I wouldn't toe the line. Paul believed in rewards and punishment."[6]

In his book The Latham Diaries, former ALP leader Mark Latham said that Oakes's nickname in political circles was "Jabba the Hutt". Oakes has also been nicknamed the "Sphere of Influence" by Crikey.

Awards

In 1998 Oakes won the Walkley Award for journalistic leadership, and again in 2001 for television news reporting.[3] He claimed the Gold Walkley in 2010 for his reporting of Labor leaks during the federal election campaign.[7]

In 2011, Oakes was inducted into the Logie Hall of Fame.[8]

He delivered the 2011 Andrew Olle Media Lecture.

Books

References

  1. ↑ Williams, Brett (December 2009). "To live and breathe politics" (PDF). Police Journal. Police Association of South Australia: 26–27, 47. Retrieved 18 May 2012.
  2. ↑ "2010-2013: A unique time in politics". 702 ABC Sydney. Retrieved 2013-11-04.
  3. 1 2 3 "Laurie Oakes - Political Editor". 9 News. ninemsn. Retrieved 23 February 2010.
  4. ↑ Grattan, Michelle (19 August 1980). "Government orders Budget leak inquiry". The Age. Google News Archive. p. 1. Retrieved 23 February 2010.
  5. ↑ Farr, Malcolm; Watts, Bradd (23 June 2008). "Federal police hunt for Laurie Oakes fuel leak source". Daily Telegraph. Retrieved 23 February 2010.
  6. ↑ Interview with Laurie Oakes Steve Dow, Sydney journalist, 2 October 2005
  7. ↑ "Laurie Oakes wins the Gold Walkley". The Spy Report. Media Spy. 10 December 2010. Retrieved 10 December 2010.
  8. ↑ Meade, Amanda (18 April 2011). "'Chuffed' Oakes to be inducted into the Logies hall of Fame". The Australian. Retrieved 1 May 2011.

External links

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