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Fairfax’s agricultural publishing arm shuts down Canberra bureau

Fairfax’s Agricultural Media has abolished its Canberra bureau with the beat to be covered by a new national rural affairs reporter.

Michael Foley, currently the national issues writer, will take on the new role from May 6 while Canberra bureau chief Colin Bettles will leave the company.

Micheal Foley will cover politics as part of his new role as Agricultural Press’ national rural affairs reporter

Agricultural Press’ titles include The Land, West Australia’s Farm Weekly, the North Queensland Register, Queensland Country Life, Victorian title Stock & Land and South Australia’s Stock Journal.

Foley joined Fairfax as a reporter on The Land in 2010 while Bettles joined the company’s WA operations in 2006 as Farm Weekly’s grain writer. Prior to taking the Fairfax role, Bettles had been editor of Cricket Week after serving as a communications and game development manager at the West Australian Cricket Association.

In his new role, Foley will be flying into Canberra to cover Federal politics from his Melbourne base.

The statement from Brad Cooper, the group managing editor of Agricultural Publishing, announcing the change follows:

I am pleased to announce that Michael Foley will be ACM Agricultural Publishing’s new National Rural Affairs Writer.

Mike, who is currently the National Issues writer, will continue to report to National Agricultural News Editor Penelope Arthur as part of the group writer team.

Mike officially starts his new role on Monday, May 6 and in consultation with Penelope and the masthead editors will continue to make frequent trips to Canberra and Parliament House as required.

The creation of the National Rural Affairs role will mean absorbing the Federal political round, currently covered by our Canberra based group writer Colin Bettles.

Colin has advised that he will be leaving the business on Thursday, May 3.

I’d like to take the opportunity to thank Colin for his service to our readers and newsrooms during the last eight years in the Canberra role.

Colin joined our business in 2006 at Farm Weekly, before taking the Canberra round in 2010, which put him at the forefront of some the country’s biggest stories, many of which he broke first due to his extensive network of contacts and his credible, trusted byline.

Please join me in congratulating Mike and wishing Colin well for the future.

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