ABC Insiders host Barrie Cassidy announces retirement at Melbourne Quill Awards
Barrie Cassidy, the host of ABC Insiders, is to step down from the program after 18 years as the show’s face.
Cassidy made the announcement after he received the Melbourne Press Club’s Lifetime Achievement prize at the MPC’s annual Quill Awards.
Cassidy’s award came ahead of Anthony Dowsley and Patrick Carlyon of Melbourne’s Herald Sun winning the 2018 Gold Quill for their coverage of the Lawyer X scandal involving Victoria Police and their misuse of informers to convict organised crime figures.
In awarding the Gold Quill to Dowsley and Carlyon, the judges said their work “exemplifies the very best of modern-day journalism.
“The journalists’ tenacity helped overcome many often expensive legal obstacles before they laid out a complex trail of deceit in an engrossing and powerful narrative.”
In accepting his award, Cassidy said will remain with the program until June and continue to work with the ABC: “I have genuinely loved every minute of Insiders and have always admired and respected the panelists I’ve worked with, and all those on staff who made it happen.
“I’ll be here for the federal election before leaving Insiders in June. I then plan to take a break and reboot later in the year.
“I’ll continue to contribute to the ABC – hopefully in quite a substantial way — but recently I’ve come to the view that while I’m at Insiders I’ll never really know precisely what that might be. And I do want to do other things before I run out of motivation and energy.”
69-year old Cassidy launched Insiders in 2001 with an interview with then-Prime Minister, John Howard. Previously he had been the ABC’s Canberra correspondent having entered journalism in his teens as a sports writer after complaining to his local newspaper, the Chiltern Federal Standard in north-western Victoria, about the standard of its Aussie Rules coverage.
In the 1980s Cassidy spent five years working as press secretary for Prime Minister Bob Hawke despite the notoriously garrulous PM previously describing Cassidy as a “bloody pest”.
The Melbourne Press Club Board said in its statement it was unanimous in its decision to award Cassidy the 2018 Lifetime Achievement award, saying the prize was “in recognition of his outstanding contribution to Australian political journalism”.
“Barrie is one of the finest reporters and broadcasters of his generation,” said MPC Chief Executive Mark Baker. “His work on Insiders has transformed the landscape of political journalism.”
The ABC is yet to announce a replacement for Cassidy.
At last Our ABC may get a politically impartial host for Insiders.
User ID not verified.
Won’t happen. The ABC is basically culturally Marxist. Even Ita will find it a challenge to subdue the red monster.
User ID not verified.
I can’t recall anything Barry Cassidy ever broadcast that impressed me. In fact I can’t remember anything he wrote or presented.
He’s no Beatrice Faust, Andrew Bolt or Joe Hilderbrand.
The days of entertaining, knowledgeable and inspiring journalists at the ABC is over. They prefer women with the personality of paper cups and PC policemen like Tony Jones.
User ID not verified.
Comparing Barry Cassidy to Andrew Bolt? Please.
Sometimes people are memorable for the wrong reasons – and that’s not what our public discourse needs.
User ID not verified.
+1
I see the Aunty-Bashers have parked facts and leapt to pre-determined opinions.
Fancy admitting that you can’t recall anything he wrote, presented or broadcast yet be 100% certain that Barrie Cassidy is a dud.
[BTW I loved how he was able to skewer Angus Taylor’s inability to read an admissions chart correctly].
User ID not verified.
Cassidy, in not offering anything memorable, doesn’t mean I can’t remember things he did.
I can recall old bus tickets, but that doesn’t make them memorable.
Don’t assume, merely to bolster your own prejudices.
User ID not verified.
According to Scott Morrison, Australia as we know it will no longer exist if Labor wins the coming election. Labor will steal your money, unemployment will sky rocket, house prices and real estate will plummit. You just can’t trust Labor to govern.
And yet Labor, over the years in Federal, State and local governments, gave us Superannuation, Medicare (Medibank), National Disability Insurance Scheme, Native Title, land rights, floating the dollar, equal pay for women, initiated trade with China (while the Liberals were against it) with Gough Whitlam, Sewerage for Brisbane, National parks, widows pension, unemployment benefits, the aged pension, in fact going further back, Labor initiated the Snowy Mountains Scheme, the Sydney Harbour Bridge, the Opera House, was against the war in Vietnam, while the Liberal Party went all the way with LBJ. Labor got us out of Vietnam.
John Howard did give us the Gun Laws – what else? Perhaps I’ve got it wrong? What about a fact check?
User ID not verified.
Totally agree about comments …Cassidy is a left wing clown for the ABC & Shortens mouthpiece
User ID not verified.
Dear Barry and Heather – bet you two are really looking forward to actually spending time together. You are two of the most ‘authentic, articulate and intelligent couple who are such wonderful role models. I’m looking forward to a change this Saturday … and the Extended Q @A this Sunday – which I hope you’re a part of Heather. You two have really “shared your insights …. I just love the people you find and how you just go along …” Sunday morning here is croissants, jam, coffee and Q&A – it’s just such a great program. Wishing you both the very best for your future out of the spotlight. Thanks for sharing so much positive and uplifting communication on such a range of topics/places … I hope I end up in your old people’s home – you’d have some great stories! Maybe that’s what you two do next … create a book about the adventure that has been your life. Wishing you a life filled with love, luck, laughter and happiness – thanks for keeping it ‘real’ in this plastic world. It’s so REFRESHING. You’ll both be missed sadly at our house. x
User ID not verified.
After watching Insiders most Sunday mornings for the last 18 years I wish to thank Barry for his unbiased approach that has made Insiders the best political panel show on Australian media.
Insiders gives all sides of politics a voice and asks the questions that the Australian community need to be asked.
I wish you well for the future Barry and I hope whoever leads the program into the future maintains the integrity of the much loved program.
User ID not verified.