Titans of business journalism shine a light down dark corridors

Australia’s leading and arguably most influential business journalists have been recognised for their service to the industry.

The Australian’s China correspondent Glenda Korporaal.

Australia’s leading and arguably most influential business journalists have been recognised for their service to the industry and decades of insight and determined reporting.

For The Australian’s China correspondent and associate business editor Glenda Korporaal, journalism has given her a box seat on where the world is going — in business, economics, technology and social trends.

“Global by nature, covering business is a powerful way to connect with the rest of the world and get a chance to see where it is going,” Korporaal says. Korporaal was awarded an Order of Australia in the general division for services to print media.

Her deep business connections and piercing analysis of business trends have been followed by readers over her near four-decade career. She stresses the importance of business journalism in being able to uncover some of the most influential economic forces that shape our lives.

Her journalism, which spans three continents and includes stints as deputy editor of The Australian Financial Review and business editor for The Bulletin magazine, has been helped by a combination of “good luck, a bit of good management and a lot of support from a lot of great people”.

Adele Ferguson is The Age and The Sydney Morning Herald business journalist and commentator whose determined reporting of the Commonwealth Bank’s financial planning arm lit the fuse that led to the Hayne royal commission into financial services.

Adele Ferguson’as reporting helped spark the banking royal commission.

Ferguson, a multi-Walkley award winner, including the Gold Walkley, was awarded the companion of the order of Australia for significant service to the print and broadcast media.

Ferguson sees journalism as crucial to democracy “for shining a light on powerful institutions and individuals without fear or favour”.

“It is a tough job but I can’t think of a more satisfying one, particularly when workers are repaid what they are owed, banks apologise, regulators promise to be tougher and laws are changed to create a better society,” she says.

The Australian’s Alan Kohler was awarded the companion of the order of Australia for his near five-decade service to the print and broadcast media as an editor, journalist and finance commentator.

Kohler, a co-founder of Business Spectator, an ABC business correspondent and the former editor of The Australian Financial Review, believes his award is partly a recognition of the importance of business journalism.

Alan Kohler. Picture: Aaron Francis

“It’s not just a matter of reporting business and keeping the buggers honest, but to a large extent these days our job is to educate people on how the financial system works,” Kohler says. “For most people, it is a mysterious necessity best left to others, and what the royal commission has shown is that ignorance and/or apathy can be very dangerous indeed. Financial journalism is far from perfect, but at its best it’s a bulwark against the many faults of capitalism, while also highlighting its strengths.”

Also in media, ABC Melbourne broadcaster Jon Faine was named member of the order of Australia for significant service to the broadcast media as a radio presenter, to the law, and to the community.