David Speers

David Gordon Speers (born 9 September 1974 in Inverell, Australia) is an Australian journalist and host of Insiders on ABC TV.

David Speers
Speers in 2016
Born
David Gordon Speers

(1974-09-09) 9 September 1974[1]
Sydney, Australia
Education1987–1988: Normanhurst Boys High School
1989: Turramurra High School
OccupationPolitical editor, journalist, host
Years active1999–present
EmployerAustralian Broadcasting Corporation
Known forPolitical reporting
Spouse(s)Liz
Children2
David Speers.

Previously he was political editor at Sky News Australia, as well as host of PM Agenda, The Last Word and Speers Tonight.

Career

Speers began his career in Geelong, Victoria in the newsroom of radio station K-Rock. Speers then worked at 2GB, 2UE and 3AW. He has been a member of the National Press Club board since 2005[2] and is currently a director.[3]

Sky News

In 2000, Speers joined Sky News as a political editor.[4]

During his time with Sky News, Speers hosted the channel's flagship PM Agenda program Monday to Thursday afternoons. Additionally, he presented political updates and conducts interviews throughout the day on the 24-hour news channel.[5]

He also previously commuted from his home in Canberra once a week to Sky News' primary studios in Sydney to host primetime program The Nation with David Speers[5] before the program ended in 2015. On 28 January 2016, Speers began hosting a new weekly Sky News format Speers Tonight from Canberra.[6][7][8]

ABC News

In June 2019, Speers was appointed as host of the ABC's Insiders, replacing Barrie Cassidy from February 2020.[9] Speers regularly appears on ABC News, News Breakfast and ABC Local Radio including Mornings with Virginia Trioli on ABC Radio Melbourne.

Speers is also a fill in presenter for Michael Rowland on News Breakfast.

Election coverage

Speers was chosen to moderate the leaders' debate between John Howard and Kevin Rudd for the 2007 Australian federal election[10] and again in the 2010 Australian federal election between Julia Gillard and Tony Abbott, as well as the 2013 Australian federal election between Kevin Rudd and Tony Abbott.

Other

In 2020, Speers released the book On Mutiny (ISBN 9780733644146) which covered the removal of Malcolm Turnbull as prime minister.

Speers has also wrote regularly for financial website Switzer.[11]

Awards

Between 2006 and 2015, Speers has been awarded with an ASTRA Award for "outstanding performance" by a presenter or journalist every year with the exception of 2010.[12][13][14] The awards were discontinued after 2015.[15]

Speers won a Walkley Award in December 2014 for a notable interview with Attorney General George Brandis, in which Brandis struggled to explain what metadata was despite being the minister in charge of proposed new laws surrounding the storage and police access of metadata.[16][17] Speers won the same award at the 2015 event (which Speers also hosted) for his notable "The Fixer" interview with Christopher Pyne on PM Agenda.[18]

In 2016, Speers was named one of the 50 most powerful people in Australian television by News Corp Australia.[19]

Speers won the Subscription Television Award for Best Male Presenter at the 2017 AACTA Awards.[20]

Personal life

Speers' parents are Peter Speers and Robyn (née Cowled). He lives in Melbourne,[21] and is married to Liz, with whom he has two children, born in 2010 and 2014.[22][23]

Speers plays the trumpet and demonstrated this ability while hosting the 2010 ASTRA Awards.[24][25]

References
  1. Speers, David (9 September 2015). "David Speers". Twitter. Retrieved 9 September 2015.
  2. "ICMI Speakers Bureau - David Speers". ICMI. Archived from the original on 21 April 2016. Retrieved 21 April 2016.
  3. "Directors - NPC". National Press Club Australia. Archived from the original on 21 April 2016. Retrieved 21 April 2016.
  4. "Sky News Team: David Speers". Sky News Australia. Archived from the original on 21 April 2016. Retrieved 21 April 2016.
  5. Knox, David (13 December 2011). "David Speers talks the talk". TV Tonight. Retrieved 28 August 2015.
  6. "Speers Tonight - Foxtel Guide". Foxtel. Archived from the original on 28 January 2016. Retrieved 28 January 2016.
  7. Speers, David (28 January 2016). "New show #SpeersTonight". Archived from the original on 28 January 2016. Retrieved 28 January 2016.
  8. "Transcript of television interview – Speers Tonight, SKY News". Anthony Albanese. 28 January 2016. Retrieved 30 January 2016.
  9. "Insiders left without a host until 2020". 5 June 2019.
  10. "Journos vie for debate". The Australian. Archived from the original on 20 October 2007.
  11. "David Speers: Switzer". Switzer. Archived from the original on 21 April 2016. Retrieved 21 April 2016.
  12. "WINNERS ANNOUNCED FOR 2006 ASTRA AWARDS" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 30 August 2007.
  13. "AstraAwards.com is for sale (Astra Awards)". www.hugedomains.com.
  14. Byrnes, Holly (13 March 2015). "ASTRA Awards 2015: Wentworth, Sky News among winners". News Corp Australia. Retrieved 13 March 2015.
  15. Christensen, Nic (24 November 2015). "Dedicated pay-TV awards scrapped, as ASTRA joins rest of industry in the AACTA Awards scheme". Mumbrella. Retrieved 21 April 2016.
  16. "News". www.foxtelmedia.com.au. Archived from the original on 20 December 2014.
  17. "David Speers – PM Agenda". YouTube. 13 October 2014. Retrieved 4 November 2016.
  18. "'The Fixer' interview wins Walkley". 3 December 2015. Retrieved 4 December 2015.
  19. Molloy, Shannon (20 March 2016). "The 50 most powerful people in Australian television, from screen stars to show makers". news.com.au. Archived from the original on 21 April 2016. Retrieved 21 April 2016.
  20. Knox, David (4 December 2017). "AACTA Awards 2017: Utopia, Little Lunch in early wins". TV Tonight. Retrieved 4 December 2017.
  21. Lallo, Michael (31 January 2020). "'Real people don't talk to each other the way politicians talk to us': David Speers". The Sydney Morning Herald.
  22. Overington, Caroline (6 December 2010). "7.30 line-up fails to impress all". The Australian. Retrieved 21 April 2016.(subscription required)
  23. Manning, James (17 August 2013). "David Speers: Campaign Diary 2013". Mediaweek (Podcast). Archived from the original on 21 April 2016. Retrieved 21 April 2016.
  24. "Dr Mumbo at the ASTRA Awards: Speers blows his own trumpet". Mumbrella. 25 June 2010. Archived from the original on 21 April 2016. Retrieved 21 April 2016.
  25. Knox, David (25 June 2010). "ASTRA host blows his own trumpet". TV Tonight. Retrieved 21 April 2016.
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