Chris Mitchell

Chris Mitchell began his career in late 1973 in Brisbane on the afternoon daily, The Telegraph. He worked on the Townsville Daily Bulletin, the Daily Telegraph Sydney and the Australian Financial Review before joining The Australian in 1984. He was appointed editor of The Australian in 1992 and editor in chief of Queensland Newspapers in 1995. He returned to Sydney as editor in chief of The Australian in 2002 and held that position until his retirement in December 2015.

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CANBERRA, AUSTRALIA NewsWire Photos OCTOBER 07, 2022:Brittany Higgins walked to court for day four of the trial.Bruce Lehrmann, the man accused of the sexual assault of former Liberal staffer Brittany Higgins at the Magistrates Court in Canberra.Picture: NCA NewsWire / Gary Ramage

Journos fail public on payouts probe

Australians need to know the Higgins payout was more than a political exercise to damage the Coalition, and the Rugg payout more than a political effort to keep a crossbencher onside.

Chris Mitchell

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Usual suspects’ ‘silly’ budget take

Some left wing commentators claimed that a budget surplus would help Labor overturn the electorate’s perception of Coalition governments as better economic managers. It was all pretty silly.

Chris Mitchell

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CANBERRA, AUSTRALIA - FEBRUARY 16: Minister for Home Affairs Clare O'Neil during Question Time at Parliament house in Canberra. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Martin Ollman

Most reporting misses the actual story on migration

Australia needs young, highly skilled migrants in an era of falling natural population growth.

Chris Mitchell

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(FILES) In this file photo taken on March 28, 2019 Fox News host Tucker Carlson discusses 'Populism and the Right' during the National Review Institute's Ideas Summit at the Mandarin Oriental Hotel in Washington, DC. - Fox News star host Tucker Carlson is leaving the influential TV network, it was announced April 24, 2023, in a shock move days after the conservative outlet reached a $787.5 million settlement over a damaging defamation case. (Photo by CHIP SOMODEVILLA / GETTY IMAGES NORTH AMERICA / AFP)

Lesson for the ABC from Tucker Carlson’s sacking

Opinion-based journalism is easier and cheaper to produce than conventional reporting, and adjusting news coverage to suit the bias of the audience is a problem in the US and Australia.

Chris Mitchell

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CANBERRA, AUSTRALIA - APRIL 18: Bill Shorten, Minister for the National Disability Insurance Scheme & Minister for Government Services addresses the National Press Club of Australia in Canberra. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Martin Ollman

Political blame games fail the public at every level

All levels of government are gouged by private providers. Look at the billions Canberra spends on the big four accounting firms for work once done by the Australian Public Service.

Chris Mitchell

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13-04-2023 - Opposition Leader Peter Dutton and Senator Jacinta Price hold a press conference on ANZAC Hill in Alice Springs on Thursday. Picture: Liam Mendes / The Australian

Raging moral coercion on voice is failing

Polarised media coverage of the proposed voice suggests many journalists have forgotten both sides of politics have worked on Indigenous recognition for two decades.

Chris Mitchell

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SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA - NCA NewsWire Photos - 19 MARCH, 2023: The NSW Liberal Party "Keep Western Sydney Moving Forward" rally with the NSW Premier, the Hon Dominic Perrottet MP, and former Prime Minister, the Hon John Howard OM AC, held at the Joan Sutherland Performing Arts Centre, High St, Penrith.Picture: NCA NewsWire / Monique Harmer

Liberals must improve their political skills

The Liberal Party must go back to political basics: more grassroots membership, better state organisational campaign techniques and preselections which don’t alienate local voters.

Chris Mitchell

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