I feel like every phase of my career has been incredibly challenging. I’ve had to work hard to stay employed and stay relevant in an always evolving media landscape and reinvent and upskill myself continually. But there are two flashpoint moments that were incredibly traumatic: In 1990 I was part of the cohort of TripleJ announcers that went on strike over the banning by ABC/JJJ management of a song by NWA called “F#ck Tha Police”, which was really the first Hip Hop anthem about police violence against African Americans in the US, and written by an emerging artist called Ice Cube. It was a profoundly important political statement. TripleJ had been the only station in the world brave enough to play it, and we played it on high rotation. Proudly. It was during the period of the national roll-out of the national TripleJ network and not every state/market embraced the maverick nature of a station – and broadcasters – that had free-reign over what they played. After a protracted dispute, that also required us to reapply for our jobs, we were all replaced. An entire line-up of broadcasters lost their jobs. It is still considered one of most controversial protests in Australian radio history. I actually quit before they could sack me, but it took years – decades really – to recover from that.

The other acutely challenging phase has been more recent. At 52, having returned to the ABC in news and current affairs at the 7.30 Report, Radio Australia, ABC News Radio and TV Executive Producer at the Australia Network, I was made redundant when the Abbott Government cut funding to the Asia/Pacific services (Radio Australia/Australia Network). I was at the top of my game professionally and it came as both a surprise and a devastating blow – professionally and personally. What I didn’t realise at the time was that would signal the end of my career in broadcasting and media as a fulltime practitioner. I spent a year applying for jobs and couldn’t get interviews. I was either too old or over qualified. The modest redundancy covered a year of very limited capacity. It was very debilitating. Eventually I picked up a part-time job teaching and leading a journalism course in the higher education sector and have managed to get back on a steady path over the last few years in some really interesting and rewarding roles – including my current role at the Australian Institute of Music. But it’s been challenging. I will never be complacent about meaningful work and have a very healthy work ethic. The prospect of being unemployed terrifies me. And I’ve felt very lucky to have been able to work from home during COVID. I will never take that for granted.