Peter van Onselen quits Ten, returns to academia

Network’s Ten political editor is leaving daily journalism, and will return to his pre-media career of academia.

Journalist Peter van Onselen at the National Press Club. Picture: Getty Images

Network’s Ten political editor Peter van Onselen is leaving daily journalism, and will return to his pre-media career of academia.

The 47-year-old, who joined the Paramount-owned network in December 2018, helmed Ten’s political coverage across two federal elections, and co-hosted The Project for 18 months from January 2020.

Van Onselen is a professor in politics and public policy at the University of Western Australia, and will return to that role, full-time, in coming weeks.

However he will continue writing his political columns for The Australian, where he has been a contributing editor since 2009.

Network Ten journalist Tegan George appearing on The Project. Picture: Twitter

Sydney-based van Onselen has told colleagues in recent months that he dislikes the commute to Canberra for parliamentary sitting weeks.

Van Onselen’s departure from Ten comes as a bullying case — brought against the network by one of its political journalists, Tegan George — continues in the Federal Court.

George claims to have been bullied by multiple staff members, including van Onselen, during her time working in Ten’s Canberra Press Gallery bureau between 2019 and 2021.

Both van Onselen and Ten vehemently deny the allegations.

It is understood that van Onselen’s departure from Ten is in no way related to the Federal Court case.

Van Onselen declined to comment when contacted by The Australian.

Ten was also approached for comment.