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Andrew Probyn is an Australian journalist and television presenter known for his role at the
Australian Broadcasting Corporation The Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) is the national broadcaster of Australia. It is principally funded by direct grants from the Australian Government and is administered by a government-appointed board. The ABC is a publicly-own ...
(ABC).


Life and career

Probyn spent his early years in
Lancashire Lancashire ( , ; abbreviated Lancs) is the name of a historic county, ceremonial county, and non-metropolitan county in North West England. The boundaries of these three areas differ significantly. The non-metropolitan county of Lancash ...
before moving with his parents and two sisters to
Sokoto Sokoto is a major city located in extreme northwestern Nigeria, near the confluence of the Sokoto River and the Rima River. As of 2006 it has a population of over 427,760. Sokoto is the modern-day capital of Sokoto State and was previously the ...
in
Nigeria Nigeria ( ), , ig, Naìjíríyà, yo, Nàìjíríà, pcm, Naijá , ff, Naajeeriya, kcg, Naijeriya officially the Federal Republic of Nigeria, is a country in West Africa. It is situated between the Sahel to the north and the Gulf o ...
. The family migrated to Australia in the early 1980s. Probyn attended Scotch College in
Melbourne Melbourne ( ; Boonwurrung/Woiwurrung: ''Narrm'' or ''Naarm'') is the capital and most populous city of the Australian state of Victoria, and the second-most populous city in both Australia and Oceania. Its name generally refers to a met ...
, before studying law at
Monash University Monash University () is a public research university based in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. Named for prominent World War I general Sir John Monash, it was founded in 1958 and is the second oldest university in the state. The university h ...
. He worked at the '' Herald Sun'' for nine years before becoming state political reporter with the
Australian Broadcasting Corporation The Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) is the national broadcaster of Australia. It is principally funded by direct grants from the Australian Government and is administered by a government-appointed board. The ABC is a publicly-own ...
in
Tasmania ) , nickname = , image_map = Tasmania in Australia.svg , map_caption = Location of Tasmania in AustraliaCoordinates: , subdivision_type = Country , subdi ...
from 2003 to 2005. He was federal political editor for ''
The West Australian ''The West Australian'' is the only locally edited daily newspaper published in Perth, Western Australia. It is owned by Seven West Media (SWM), as is the state's other major newspaper, '' The Sunday Times''. It is the second-oldest continuous ...
'' newspaper from 2005 until 2016. Probyn has twice been named Federal Parliamentary Press Gallery Journalist of the Year and was named Western Australian Journalist of the Year for 2016. He also won a Gold Quill award from the
Melbourne Press Club The Melbourne Press Club, commonly referred to as MPC, is a not-for-profit association of journalists in the city of Melbourne, Australia. The Melbourne Press Club provides awards in the State of Victoria for outstanding journalism, presenting th ...
Awards, and was a regular guest on the ABC's '' Insiders'' program. In late 2016, Probyn joined '' 7.30'' as its political correspondent, replacing
Sabra Lane Sabra Lane (born c.1968) is an Australian journalist and radio presenter, best known for her work at the Australian Broadcasting Corporation. Lane currently hosts the current affairs program ''AM (Australian radio series), AM'' on ABC Local Radi ...
. When
Chris Uhlmann Christopher Gerald Uhlmann (born 24 June 1960) is an Australian former journalist and television presenter. Career Uhlmann was formerly a seminarian, a security guard, and a journalist with ''The Canberra Times'' before joining the Australian ...
left the ABC, Probyn became the public broadcaster's political editor. In early 2020, Probyn became the feature of an internet meme, initially gaining popularity from a video by comedian Brooke Taylor on social media platform
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, after an encounter with Prime Minister
Scott Morrison Scott John Morrison (; born 13 May 1968) is an Australian politician. He served as the 30th prime minister of Australia and as Leader of the Liberal Party of Australia from 2018 to 2022, and is currently the member of parliament (MP) for th ...
at a press conference regarding the
COVID-19 pandemic The COVID-19 pandemic, also known as the coronavirus pandemic, is an ongoing global pandemic of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). The novel virus was first identi ...
, where Morrison stated “Andrew, I know, but you don't run the press conference, okay?” In response to these memes, Probyn added “if something like that encourages people to at least watch press conferences where some serious stuff is being discussed, all the better.”


Political views and complaints


Abbott-Turnbull Government

In 2017, Probyn described former Liberal Prime Minister Tony Abbott as "the most destructive politician of his generation" in a report for ABC News. A complaint was made to the Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) and Probyn's comment was found by ACMA to be "declarative and not in keeping with the scope of the factual matters presented earlier in the report" about a speech by Abbott on climate change policy.


Morrison Government

When the Liberal Party replaced Turnbull as leader in August 2018, Probyn reported it was "vengeance pure and simple". He attributed Turnbull's loss to "a billionaires' tug of war between the nation's most powerful media moguls" (Rupert Murdoch and Kerry Stokes), telling the ABC: "Until the end, News Corp's The Australian had been unabashed in its advocacy for an end to the Turnbull prime ministership." In the wake of a large swing against the Liberals in the subsequent Wentworth by-election, Probyn opined: "The Liberal Party and the Coalition now stand on the edge of the electoral abyss. Political gravity drags at their toes, whistling a final ruin in just over six months' time, perhaps sooner... it looks very much like a presage of a much nastier blow next year at the general election. The Prime Minister must be wondering if he's caught a hospital pass in August's madness."Wentworth by-election result a humiliating slap for the Liberals — but there could be worse to come
www.abc.net.au; 21 Oc 2018
He praised the Liberal Party's main opponent
Kerryn Phelps Kerryn Lyndel Phelps (born 14 December 1957) is an Australian medical practitioner, public health and civil rights advocate, medical educator and former politician. She was the first woman to be elected president of the Australian Medical Asso ...
as "an eloquent cleanskin with a just-add-water political persona that oozes the trust and authority so lacking in the place she's poised to become tenant."


Justin Milne resignation

In 2018, the ABC board sacked the organisation's managing director, Michelle Guthrie. It was later reported that Guthrie had received a series of complaints about the ABC's political coverage from board chairman
Justin Milne Justin Trevor Milne, , (born 19 November 1952) is an Australian business executive and company director known for his roles as Chairman of the Australian Broadcasting Corporation, chief of broadband services at Telstra, and CEO at OzEmail, as w ...
. Amid government complaints about Probyn's reporting, Milne allegedly told Guthrie that keeping him as the public broadcaster's political editor was "putting the future of the ABC at risk". These claims raised questions of potential political interference by the Turnbull-appointed chairman, and Milne resigned his position, acknowledging there had been discussion of the "Probyn issue" but denying he had ever emailed Guthrie to sack journalists.Justin Milne resigns as ABC chairman amid growing fallout over Michelle Guthrie's sacking
www.abc.net.au; 27 Septembdr 2018


Personal

Probyn is married to Felicity Hamilton. They have three children and live in Canberra.


References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Probyn, Andrew Living people Australian television journalists ABC News (Australia) presenters Year of birth missing (living people)