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David Marr (journalist)

Australian journalist

Field	Value
name	David Marr
image	David Marr 2007.jpg
caption	Marr in 2007
birthname	David Ewan Marr
birth_date
birth_place	Sydney, Australia
education	University of Sydney (BA, LLB)
occupation
domestic_partner	Sebastian Tesoriero

David Ewan Marr FAHA (born 13 July 1947) is an Australian journalist, author, and political and social commentator. He writes about the law, Australian politics, censorship, the media, and the arts. He has written for The Monthly and Guardian Australia. Marr hosts Late Night Live on ABC's Radio National.

Early life and education

David Ewan Marr He attended Sydney Church of England Grammar School in Sydney's Lower North Shore

Career

Marr worked for a time as an articled clerk at the law firm Allen, Allen and Hemsley, and was admitted as a barrister and solicitor before turning to journalism.

He began as a journalist working for The Bulletin magazine and The National Times newspaper in 1972 before being appointed editor in 1980. In 1980 Marr published his first book, Barwick, a biography of Chief Justice Sir Garfield Barwick. It won the NSW Premier's Literary Award for Non-Fiction, but was received poorly by its subject, who accused the author of fabricating quotes. This was followed in 1991 by his biography of Nobel Laureate Patrick White.

Marr was a reporter on the ABC TV program Four Corners (1985, 1990–91), a role in which he won a Walkley Award, and presenter of Radio National's Arts Today program (1994–1996). From 2002 to 2004, he hosted the ABC TV program Media Watch.

In 2002 Marr stated on Media Watch that conservative newspaper columnist Janet Albrechtsen had misquoted a French psychiatrist, , and claimed that she had done this deliberately to make it look as though violence and gang rape were institutionalised elements of the culture of Muslim youths. Albrechtsen did not deny the misquote, but responded by accusing Media Watch of inherent left-wing bias and of deliberately leading a witch-hunt against contrary views. When the Minister for Communications, Senator Helen Coonan, appointed Albrechtsen to the board of the ABC in February 2005, Marr publicly questioned whether she was qualified for such a position in light of what he described as "breaches of proper conduct as a commentator and as a journalist".{{cite web

In 2008 Marr was named by Same Same as one of the 25 most influential gay and lesbian Australians for his coverage of the Bill Henson case.

Marr has advocated drug-law reform and has written candidly about his life experiences: "I've had a lot of fun on drugs ... I've had a lot of marvellous experiences. I've danced a lot. I've had a great time. I'm not ashamed of it. And I don't see what's wrong with it."{{cite news | last = Marr | first = David

Marr resigned from The Sydney Morning Herald on 13 July 2012, saying "People underestimate what a deeply conventional person I am. I'm turning 65 and that feels like the right time to go."{{cite news

In 2013 Marr penned the essay (later expanded to a book) The Prince: Faith, Abuse and George Pell about Cardinal Pell's dealing with sexual abuse in the Catholic Church.

In 2020 he appeared in episode 3 of ABC's series Revelation.

He appeared as a semi-regular panellist on the ABC television programs Q&A and Insiders until 2020.

In May 2024 it was announced that Marr would replace Phillip Adams as host of ABC Radio National's Late Night Live after Adams’ last show on 27 June 2024.

Awards and honours

Literary

1985, 1991, and 2004 (jointly), Walkley Awards
2006: Alfred Deakin Prize for an Essay Advancing Public Debate in Victorian Premier's Literary Awards, for "Is the Media Asleep?", from Do Not Disturb: Is the Media Failing Australia?
2009: PEN Keneally Award
2009: Shortlisted, Alfred Deakin Prize for an Essay Advancing Public Debate, for The Henson Case in the Victorian Premier's Awards
2009: Shortlisted, Non-Fiction Prize in the Prime Minister's Literary Awards
2010: Walkley Award, for his Quarterly Essay "Power Trip: The Political Journey of Kevin Rudd"
2012: Liberty Victoria Voltaire Award
2024: Shortlisted, Victorian Premier's Prize for Nonfiction, for Killing for Country: A Family Story
2024: Shortlisted, Prime Minister's Literary Award for Australian History, for Killing for Country: A Family Story
2024: Shortlisted, Australian Political Book of the Year Award, for Killing for Country: A Family Story

Honours

2011: Honorary Doctor of Letters, University of Newcastle
2013: Honorary Doctor of Letters, University of Sydney
2013: Honorary Fellow, Australian Academy of the Humanities

Personal life

Marr lives with his partner Sebastian Tesoriero.

Selected works

Biographies and nonfiction

1980 Barwick, Allen & Unwin,
1984 The Ivanov Trail, Nelson,
1991 Patrick White : A Life, Vintage Classics,
2000 The High Price of Heaven
2004 Dark Victory (with Marian Wilkinson),
2008 The Henson Case, The Text Publishing Company,
2023

Essay collections

2011 Panic, Black Inc,
2018 My Country: Stories, Essays & Speeches, Black Inc, Hardback

Contributions

2000
2007 His Master's Voice: The Corruption of Public Debate Under Howard in the Quarterly Essay, Issue 26,
2010 "Power Trip: The Political Journey of Kevin Rudd", in the Quarterly Essay, Issue 38
2012 Political Animal: The Making of Tony Abbott, in the Quarterly Essay, Issue 47,
2013 The Prince: Faith, Abuse and George Pell, in the Quarterly Essay, Issue 51,
2015 Faction Man: Bill Shorten's Path to Power, in the Quarterly Essay, Issue 59.
2017 The White Queen: One Nation and the Politics of Race, in the Quarterly Essay, Issue 65.

References

(1994). "Sydney Church of England Grammar School register, 1889–1994". Shore Old Boys Union.
and subsequently graduated from the [[University of Sydney]] with a Bachelor of Arts in 1968 and a [[Bachelor of Laws]] in 1971.''Who's Who in Australia'' – entry on David Marr
(17 October 2022). "Notable alumni".
[https://nla.gov.au/nla.obj-337269085/findingaid NLA Guide to the Papers of David Marr] Retrieved 5 March 2025.
During this period, he oversaw publication of the articles by Sydney journalist and author David Hickie, which detailed long-suppressed allegations of corruption against former New South Wales premier [[Robert Askin]]. The first article, headlined "Askin: friend of organised crime", was famously published on the day of Askin's funeral in 1981.[https://www.abc.net.au/qanda/david-marr/10643316 Q&A David Marr] Retrieved 5 March 2025.
[https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/125623439 Barwick book wins NSW award], ''[[The Canberra Times]]'', 23 September 1980.
[[Tom Frame (bishop). Tom Frame]] (2005), ''The Life and Death of Harold Holt'', Allen & Unwin, p. 125.
https://anzlitlovers.com/2020/12/11/patrick-white-a-life-1991-by-david-marr/
(9 September 2002). "Janet Albrechtsen's View". Australian Broadcasting Corporation.
Bryant, Joel. (2008). "David Marr, Journalist and author". Same Same.
(17 December 2008). "The 25 Most Influential Gay and Lesbian Australians for 2008".
(10 April 2013). "David Marr joins ''Guardian Australia''". [[The Australian]].
"David Marr Profile". [[The Guardian Australia]].
''[[Quarterly Essay]]'', Issue 51.
(Apr 7, 2020). "George Pell convictions quashed on appeal to High Court".
[https://www.canberratimes.com.au/story/6053357/david-marr-and-gerard-henderson-get-heated-on-insiders/ David Marr and Gerard Henderson get heated on Insiders] Retrieved 5 March 2025.
Maddox, Garry. (2024-05-24). "'It's going to be different': David Marr set to replace ABC doyen Phillip Adams".
Middlemiss, Perry. (20 September 2006). "2006 Victorian Premier's Literary Award".
"David Marr".
"Events {{pipe}} Liberty Victoria".
(19 December 2023). "Victorian Premier's Literary Awards 2024 shortlists announced".
(2024-08-15). "Prime Minister's Literary Awards 2024 shortlists announced". Books+Publishing.
"Australian Political Book of the Year Award 2024 shortlist announced".
(2018-10-22). "Honorary degrees".
(2013-10-11). "Mr David Ewan Marr".
Crittenden, Jasmine. (20 May 2015). "David Marr: A man of conviction".
[http://www.quarterlyessay.com/issue/power-trip-political-journey-kevin-rudd Power Trip: The Political Journey of Kevin Rudd] {{Webarchive. link. (3 March 2015, ''Quarterly Essay'' 38, Black Inc. Books, 7 June 2010)
[http://www.smh.com.au/national/we-need-to-talk-about-kevin--rudd-that-is-20100607-xnv5.html "We need to talk about Kevin ... Rudd, that is"], extract of ''Power Trip: The Political Journey of Kevin Rudd'', ''[[The Sydney Morning Herald]]'', 7 June 2010
"'Political Animal: The Making of Tony Abbott' by David Marr – Gleebooks – Booki.sh".

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