Our Team

Rhiannon Down is a political reporter in The Australian’s Canberra bureau. She began her career at the paper in the Sydney bureau, where she covered mostly courts and crime, after joining the newspaper as a cadet.

@rhi_down

Latest

vaccineNation

Double Bay Doctors in Sydney's east have their first 12-year-old receiving the Pfizer vaccine. Dr Jill Gamberg prepares Elizabeth Barber Rodger for the jab, whilst her mother Claire Barber holds her hand. From Monday September 13 the Pfizer jab opens to children and teens aged 12 to 15 year-olds, in a major step to vaccinate the whole country. Jane Dempster/The Australian.

Roll call begins for children’s rollout

The vaccine rollout has been expanded to include the nation’s youngsters, after children aged 12 and above become eligible for the Pfizer jab on Monday.

Rhiannon Down

LIVE

LIVE: COVID-19 PANDEMICPolitics

NSW region locks down after three free days

A region of NSW has been forced into hard lockdown once again; Gladys Berejiklian’s warning to unvaccinated at odds with comments from her deputy.

Ellie Dudley, Yoni Bashan and Rhiannon Down

rescueNation

NEWCASTLE, AUSTRALIA - NewsWire Photos - September 7, 2021. Exclusive stills. After a long night's sleep, three year old Anthony AJ Elfalak comes out of the family homestead with mum Kelly. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Peter Lorimer.

‘I can finally sleep now my boy’s home’

The mother of AJ Elfalak, who was found by rescuers on Monday after a desperate three-day search, says she can finally sleep now her precious boy is safe.

Rhiannon Down

black summerNation

Daily Telegraph. An out of control bushfire threatens Johns River on the NSW mid north coast. Picture Nathan Edwards.

Bushfire’s ‘unprecedented’ spread cost six lives

The speed of a bushfire that broke out on NSW’s south coast was responsible for six of the seven deaths linked to the blaze.

Rhiannon Down

Nation

Doctor suspended in vaccine clampdown

A Sydney doctor has had his registration suspended, after he was hauled in front of the medical board to defend his anti-vaccination messages.

Rhiannon Down

shark attackNation

Fears of horror shark season

Authorities are bracing for a horror shark season this summer amid mounting concerns attacks are on the rise across the country.

Rhiannon Down

LIVE

LIVE: COVID-19 PANDEMICPolitics

SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA - NewsWire Photos, SEPTEMBER, 05 2021: Premier Gladys Berejiklian provides an update on COVID-19. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Gaye Gerard

Premier’s plan to end hotel quarantine

Gladys Berejiklian to phase out hotel quarantine for returning Aussies, says current system has ‘nearly reached its use-by date’; NSW records 1485 new cases, three deaths.

Ellie Dudley and Rachel Baxendale

LIVE

LIVE: COVID-19 PANDEMICPolitics

‘Irresponsible’: Kelly slammed for Covid texts

Scott Morrison and other MPs condemn unsolicited messages from Craig Kelly, as a scare could see Queensland locked down again and NSW cases surge to 1533.

Rhiannon Down

AIEFIndigenous

02-09-21 - AIEF student Eden Timbery is about to finish year 12 at St Catherine's school Waverley . Former Qantas employee Irene Fong has been Eden's mentor for the past 3 years as part of a partnership between AIEF and Qantas. PIC Ryan Osland

Partnership stands test of time

When airline worker Irene Fong and high school student Eden Timbery met for the first time, they connected straight away, beginning a remarkable friendship.

Rhiannon Down

NSWPolitics

New freedoms unveiled, despite 1288 cases

NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian has unveiled new freedoms for NSW residents as the Delta variant continues to push case numbers higher.

Rhiannon Down

Original URL: https://www.theaustralian.com.au/author/rhiannon-down/page/127