Virginia Haussegger

Virginia Haussegger, AM (born 21 March 1964), is an Australian journalist, academic advocate for gender equity, media commentator and television presenter.

Haussegger presented ABC News in Canberra from 2001 until 2016. She is an Adjunct Professor at the University of Canberra Institute For Governance and Policy Analysis. In 2018 she was named the ACT's Australian of the Year for 2019.

Career in journalism

She was previously a reporter and presenter of the ABC's national program 7:30 Report, and was a senior reporter at Nine Network and the Seven Network on flagship current affairs programs. In addition to broadcast, she is a columnist and leading commentator on a range of social and gender issues and is published across various Australian media. She was awarded the United Nations Association of Australia Media Peace Prize for her coverage of Indigenous Affairs in 1996.[1]

In September 2016, Haussegger announced that she would be leaving ABC News in October to take up a role at the University of Canberra's 50/50 by 2030 Foundation.[2] She has served on numerous boards and committees including the UN Women National Committee Australia, the Snowy Hydro SouthCare Trust, the Australia Forum Steering Committee, the ACT Government's Cultural Facilities Corporation, and Women in Media Canberra. She is also patron of the Canberra Rape Crisis Centre.[3]

Author

Haussegger is the author of Wonder Woman: The Myth of Having it All which examines issues of feminism, fertility and female choice.[4]

Social issues

Haussegger has promoted public awareness of the non-government organisation Mahboba's Promise that assists women, widows and orphans in Afghanistan.[5] She served on the board of UN Women National Committee Australia from late 2010 to 2015.[6]

Haussegger is an Adjunct Professor at the University of Canberra Institute For Governance and Policy Analysis.[7]

In 2016, Haussegger wrote an article for The Sydney Morning Herald attacking Samantha Armytage, labelling her a "mindless bimbo", saying that "when it comes to the important stuff of the day – the stuff that makes the news – there is a screaming lack of representation of women's knowledge, wisdom and expertise." [8]

Honours

In the 2014 Queen's Birthday Honours, Haussegger was appointed as a Member of the Order of Australia (AM), for "significant service to the community, particularly as an advocate for women's rights and gender equity, and to the media".[9] In October 2018 she was named the ACT's Australian of the Year for 2019.[10]

Personal life

On 15 October 2005, Haussegger married fellow journalist, Mark Kenny, who became the national political editor for Fairfax Media. It was the second marriage for both.[11] Australian National University academic, John Warhurst described them as one of Canberra's most powerful couples.[12] In December 2018 Hausseger wrote about her bowel cancer diagnosis.[13]

References
  1. "ABC News Future Forum". ABC. Retrieved 14 May 2013.
  2. Burgess, Katie (10 September 2016). "Virginia Haussegger resigns from ABC Canberra to head University of Canberra gender equity foundation". Retrieved 19 September 2016.
  3. "Virginia Haussegger". www.virginiahaussegger.com.au. Retrieved 30 October 2018.
  4. "Wonder Woman: The Myth of Having it All". Google Books. Retrieved 29 October 2018.
  5. Kimball, Chris. "Virginia Goes to Kabul". ABC Stateline. Retrieved 15 July 2009.
  6. "National Committee Board". UN Women Australia. Archived from the original on 30 September 2015.
  7. "Fellows - Virginia Haussegger AM". Institute for Governance and Policy Analysis.
  8. "How the bimbos of breakfast TV disgraced themselves and feminism". Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 15 February 2016.
  9. "The Queen's Birthday 2014 Honours List" (PDF). 8 June 2014. Retrieved 8 June 2014.
  10. Groch, Sherryn (29 October 2018). "'Our moment in history': Haussegger named ACT Australian of the Year 2019". Canberra Times. Retrieved 30 October 2018.
  11. "Haussegger, Virginia". National Library of Australia. Retrieved 28 August 2015.
  12. Raggatt, Matthew (21 June 2014). "Canberra's power couples - the cream of the crop". Canberra Times. Retrieved 28 August 2015.
  13. Haussegger, Virginia (30 November 2018). "'I'm going to cheat': How cancer made me change my thinking". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 1 December 2018.
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