Guardian Australia appoints new political editor
Tom McIlroy
Guardian Australia has promoted its recently appointed chief political correspondent, Tom McIlroy, to political editor.
McIlroy joined The Guardian in April as its chief political correspondent, during a period of tumult for the masthead’s political team. The Guardian’s former political editor Karen Middleton resigned from the role in March, after a year in the job.
Middleton’s stint as The Guardian’s political editor coincided with a mass exodus of the Guardian’s Canberra bureau, with Amy Remeikis, Mike Bowers, Paul Karp, and Dan Hurst all leaving the publication.
Middleton took the role in March 2024, after the Guardian Australia’s long time political editor Katharine Murphy — who had been with the publication since its 2013 inception — was poached by Anthony Albanese’s office in January 2024. Middleton was Albanese’s press secretary for an 18-month stretch – and quit the role this June.
McIlroy has worked in the national press gallery over the past decade, for a number of mastheads, including the AFR, The Age, and the Sydney Morning Herald He will continue to work out of Canberra, and starts in the new role immediately.
Guardian Australia’s editor Lenore Taylor said of Tom’s appointment: “We were thrilled to welcome Tom to our Canberra bureau in April and are even happier to be appointing him as political editor.
“We have been impressed by his excellent reporting and insightful analysis and commentary and we are also very pleased to be promoting an internal candidate to this pivotal role.”
McIlroy said: “At a time when politicians try hard to avoid scrutiny and Australia faces historic policy challenges, journalists must work harder than ever to serve our audience. Guardian Australia’s readers expect nothing less.”
The Guardian will soon be advertising for a chief political correspondent to fill McIlroy’s previous role.
Related Content
SUBSCRIBE
Sign up to our free daily update to get the latest in media and marketing.
