Speakers Profile - Kate McClymont










Travels From:
Sydney

Fee Range: C


Kate McClymont is one of the country's best-known investigative journalists.

She writes for the Sydney Morning Herald and The Age.

Kate is a nine-time winner of journalism's most prestigious award, the Walkley, including the Gold Walkley for her coverage of the Bulldogs salary cap rorts.

She was named the 2012 NSW Journalist of the year for her investigations into the fraudulent activities of Michael Williamson, the head of the Health Services Union and the business activities of former NSW Labor minister, Eddie Obeid. Both men were subsequently jailed.

Kate is also the recipient of numerous other awards including eight Kennedy Awards, as well as numerous awards for business reporting, legal affairs and sport. She even surprised herself by once being named Australian Racing Writer of the Year.

In 2016 she was awarded the Australian Press Council Press Freedom Medal for her work as an investigative journalist. The following year she was inducted into the Media Hall of Fame for her contribution to the industry. Her contribution to investigative journalism was recognised in 2020 when she was made a Member of the Order of Australia (AM).

With her colleague Linton Besser, she has published He Who Must Be Obeid, which chronicles corruption in NSW.

In 2019 her second book Dead Man Walking, detailing the murky dealings of colourful Sydney business identities, was published.

She graduated with a B.A. (Hons) from the University of Sydney where she is currently the Pro-Chancellor and a Fellow of the Senate.

Kate's humour is legendary. Indeed, Crikey wrote this of the standing ovation she received for her Andrew Olle Media Oration in 2014.

The Sydney Morning Herald's Kate McClymont, a highly respected Gold Walkley winner famous for her exposure of Eddie Obeid's corrupt dealings her job is combative at the best of times, but standing up to corrupt politicians is uncontroversial in the journalism fraternity, who lapped up her comments on the importance of the free press. But it wasn't all chest-thumping by media types McClymont's speech was peppered with anecdotes, like the time she called up Obeid's office for a response and had the press secretary forget to hang up the phone while the entire office began discussing how to throw McClymont off track.I took notes for a good 20 minutes and then I rang their office number and said: as much as I would love to listen to your fascinating scheming courtesy of the mobile phone you have inadvertently left on I do have a story to write.All I heard was an expletive before the line went dead. And I never did get a reply.

In 2022, Kate and 60 Minutes' Tom Steinfort, released the highly-successful podcast "Liar Liar." Detailing the fraudulent activities and disappearance of Melissa Caddick, the podcast has had more than 5 million downloads.