After 14 election campaigns reaching from Bob Hawke to Anthony Albanese, Laura Tingle has had enough of covering federal politics. “I never intended to do it for the rest of my life, and now it’s 40 years,” Tingle told Weekly Beast. When a job ad for global political editor, replacing John Lyons, hit her inbox, she saw an exciting opportunity. Far from being parachuted by Aunty into a “plum new gig”, as the Australian reported, the political editor for 7.30 faced an interview panel of seven inquisitors from the ABC’s international division.
Understandably, fans of her forthright analytical skills, which she demonstrates across 7.30, Radio National’s Late Night Live (LNL), Insiders and online, are bereft. Tingle laughs and says the ABC will be “just fine without me”.
