Beverley O'Connor (born 13 November 1960 ) is an Australian journalist and television and radio presenter. For ten years, she hosted ''

The World The world is the totality of entities, the whole of reality, or everything that exists. The nature of the world has been conceptualized differently in different fields. Some conceptions see the world as unique, while others talk of a "plu ...

'' on

ABC News ABC News most commonly refers to: * ABC News (Australia), a national news service of the Australian Broadcasting Corporation * ABC News (United States), a news-gathering and broadcasting division of the American Broadcasting Company ABC News may a ...

. O'Connor was born in South Africa and studied journalism in

Johannesburg Johannesburg ( , , ; Zulu language, Zulu and Xhosa language, Xhosa: eGoli ) (colloquially known as Jozi, Joburg, Jo'burg or "The City of Gold") is the most populous city in South Africa. With 5,538,596 people in the City of Johannesburg alon ...

. She also studied drama and ballet. She moved to Australia in the 1980s.

Career

Broadcasting

O'Connor has worked for ABC radio and television since 1987. She specialised in economics and politics and was a presenter on

ABC Radio Melbourne ABC Radio Melbourne (official List of radio station callsigns in Victoria, callsign: 3LO) is an ABC Local Radio station in Melbourne, Australia. It began transmission on 13 October 1924 and was Melbourne's second licensed radio station after Radi ...

for five years before moving to the

Seven Network Seven Network (stylised 7Network, and commonly known as Channel Seven or simply Seven) is an Australian commercial free-to-air Television broadcasting in Australia, television network. It is owned by Seven West Media, Seven West Media Limited, ...

in 2004. She was weeknight sports presenter on ''

Seven News Melbourne Seven News (stylised 7NEWS) is the television news service of the Seven Network and, as of 2021, the highest-rating in Australia. National bulletins are presented from Seven's high definition studios in South Eveleigh, Sydney, while its flags ...

'' until January 2005, when she was replaced by Sandy Roberts. She was the entertainment presenter on the Seven Network's ''

Melbourne Weekender ''Melbourne Weekender'' is an Australian travel and lifestyle show featuring various locations in Melbourne and Victoria, and showing destinations and experiences which can be enjoyed on a weekend. The weekly, half-hour program is produced by Se ...

'' in 2006 and she previously formed a part of the Vega 91.5 FM radio breakfast crew alongside

Dave O'Neil David O'Neil (born 8 May 1965) is an Australian stand-up comedian, actor, bass guitarist, writer, television and radio presenter. Early life O'Neil was a Cub, Scout, Venturer and Rover. His late father Kevin was the Group Leader at the 1st/ ...

Shaun Micallef Shaun Patrick Micallef (; born 18 July 1962) is an Australian comedian, actor, writer, television presenter, and formerly a lawyer. He was the host of the satirical news comedy series '' Shaun Micallef's Mad as Hell'' on the ABC. He also hoste ...

and

Denise Scott Denise Margaret Scott (born 24 April 1955) is an Australian stand-up comedian, actor, television and radio presenter. Career Scott has appeared frequently on Australian television since her regular slot on ABC TV's ''The Big Gig'' in 1990, a ...

. O'Connor used to read the news and traffic throughout the breakfast program until she resigned in mid-2007. In 2008, O'Connor filled in as weekend presenter of '' ABC News Victoria'' while

Tamara Oudyn Tamara Oudyn is an Australian television presenter and reporter. Oudyn currently presents ''ABC News Victoria'' from Sunday to Thursday. Career Oudyn began her media career in 2003 working as a news reporter in Brisbane. Prior to this, she was ...

was replacing weeknight presenter

Ian Henderson Ian Henderson may refer to: *Ian Henderson (footballer) (born 1985), English footballer for Rochdale * Ian Henderson (musician), New Zealand drummer * Ian Henderson (news presenter) (born 1952), Australian news presenter *Ian Henderson (police offic ...

. She remains a regular fill-in presenter for the bulletin. In August 2014, O'Connor was appointed presenter of ''

'' on

replacing both Jim Middleton and Zoe Daniel. In August 2024, O'Connor announced she was leaving the ABC after a stint of 15 years at the broadcaster.

Other work

O'Connor was the first female director of the

Melbourne Football Club The Melbourne Football Club, nicknamed the Demons or colloquially the Dees, is a professional Australian rules football club based in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. It competes in the Australian Football League (AFL), the sport's premier comp ...

, where she was on the board for nine years, and the first woman to hold a vice-presidency role with an

Australian Football League The Australian Football League (AFL) is the pre-eminent professional sports, professional competition of Australian rules football. It was originally named the Victorian Football League (VFL) and was founded in 1896 as a breakaway competition ...

(AFL) club. She stood down from the board in 2008, the year in which there was a challenge led by

Jim Stynes James Peter Stynes OAM (23 April 196620 March 2012) was an Irish footballer who converted from Gaelic football to Australian rules football and the first international player to be inducted into the Australian Football Hall of Fame in 2003. ...

. In 1998, O'Connor hosted the Ethnic Business Awards, a national business award highlighting migrant and Indigenous excellence in business. She hosted these awards again in 2000. O'Connor is a life governor of the Drug and Alcohol Foundation, having served for six years on the board. She is an

Australia Day Australia Day is the official national day of Australia. Observed annually on 26 January, it marks the 1788 landing of the First Fleet and raising of the Flag of Great Britain, Union Flag of Great Britain by Arthur Phillip at Sydney Cove, a ...

ambassador and was an inaugural board member of the Sunrise foundation which helps elite athletes to combat depression.

References

External links

ABC profile
{{DEFAULTSORT:Oconnor, Beverley 1962 births Living people Australian radio personalities Australian women radio presenters Australian women journalists Journalists from Melbourne South African emigrants to Australia