David Marr (journalist)

David Marr
File:David Marr 2007.jpg (2007)
Born	(1947-07-14) 14 July 1947 Sydney, Australia
Education	University of Sydney (BA, LLB)
Occupation	Author, journalist

David Ewan Marr (born 14 July 1947) is an Australian journalist, author, and progressive political and social commentator. His areas of expertise include the law, Australian politics, censorship, the media and the arts. He writes for The Monthly, The Saturday Paper and Guardian Australia. He also appears as a semi-regular panellist on the ABC television programs Q&A and Insiders.

Career

Marr attended Sydney Church of England Grammar School in North Sydney and subsequently graduated from the University of Sydney with degrees in Arts and Law. Marr worked for a time as an articled clerk at the law firm Allen, Allen and Hemsley, before turning to journalism.

Marr began as a journalist working for The Bulletin magazine and for The National Times newspaper, before being appointed editor in 1981–82. During this period, he oversaw the publication of the articles by David Hickie that detailed long-suppressed allegations of corruption against former New South Wales Premier Robert Askin. The first article, headlined "Askin: friend of organised crime" was famously published on the day of Askin's funeral in 1981.

Marr was a reporter on the ABC TV program Four Corners (1985, 1990–91), a role in which he won a Walkley Award, and presenter of Radio National's Arts Today program (1994–96). From 2002 to 2004, he hosted the ABC TV program Media Watch. He is a frequent guest on ABC TV's Insiders program. During his term as presenter of Media Watch, he played a key role in exposing the ongoing cash for comment affair, which Media Watch had first raised in 1999, concerning radio commentators Alan Jones and John Laws. In 2004, the program's exposé of Australian Broadcasting Authority (ABA) head David Flint – who had written fan letters to Jones at a time when Jones was being investigated by the ABA – played a significant role in forcing Flint's resignation.

In 2002, Marr stated on Media Watch that conservative newspaper columnist Janet Albrechtsen had misquoted a French psychiatrist, Jean-Jacques Rassial, and claimed that she had done this deliberately to make it look as though violence and gang rape were institutionalised elements of the culture of Muslim youths.

Albrechtsen did not deny the misquote, but responded by accusing Media Watch of inherent left-wing bias, and of deliberately leading a witch-hunt against contrary views. When the Minister for Communications, Senator Helen Coonan, appointed Albrechtsen to the board of the ABC in February 2005, Marr publicly questioned whether she was qualified for such a position in light of what he described as "breaches of proper conduct as a commentator and as a journalist".

In 2008 he was named by Same Same as one of the 25 most influential gay and lesbian Australians for his coverage of the Bill Henson case.

Marr has advocated drug law reform and has written candidly about his life experiences: "I've had a lot of fun on drugs...I've had a lot of marvellous experiences. I've danced a lot. I've had a great time. I'm not ashamed of it. And I don't see what's wrong with it."

Marr announced his resignation from the Sydney Morning Herald on 13 July 2012, saying "People underestimate what a deeply conventional person I am. I'm turning 65 and that feels like the right time to go."

However, in April 2013 it was announced that Marr was joining Guardian Australia.

Publications

Marr has published several books including a critically acclaimed biography of Australian writer Patrick White, which won The Age Book of the Year award and the New South Wales Premier's Literary Award for Non-Fiction. More recently, Marr wrote, along with Marian Wilkinson, Dark Victory, an account of the 2001 Australian election campaign in the wake of the Tampa affair.

His books include:

• 1980 Barwick, Allen & Unwin, ISBN 978-1-86373-269-7
• 1984 The Ivanov Trail, Nelson, ISBN 978-0-17-006405-7
• 1991 Patrick White: A Life, Vintage Classics, ISBN 978-1-74166-757-8
• 2000 The High Price of Heaven
• 2004 Dark Victory (with Marian Wilkinson), ISBN 0-14-300258-9
• 2007 His Master's Voice: The Corruption of Public Debate under Howard in the Quarterly Essay, Issue 26, ISBN 978-1-86395-405-1
• 2008 The Henson Case, The Text Publishing Company, ISBN 978-1-921520-03-7
• 2010 Power Trip: The Political Journey of Kevin Rudd,
• 2011 Panic, Black Inc, ISBN 978-1-86395-551-5
• 2012 Political Animal: The Making of Tony Abbott, in the Quarterly Essay, Issue 47, ISBN 978-1-92187-094-1
• 2013 The Prince: Faith, Abuse and George Pell, in the Quarterly Essay, Issue 51, ISBN 978-1-86395-405-1
• 2015 Faction Man: Bill Shortens Path to Power, in the Quarterly Essay, Issue 59,

Awards

• Liberty Victoria Voltaire Award 2012
• Alfred Deakin Prize for an Essay Advancing Public Debate, for 'Do Not Disturb: Is the Media Asleep?'
• Victoria Premier's Literary Awards 2006
• Walkley Awards 2004 (jointly), 1991 and 1985

External links

• Articles and videos at The Monthly

Media offices
Preceded by Paul Barry	Presenter of Media Watch 2001–05	Succeeded by Liz Jackson