Why are so many journalists leaving Guardian Australia?
Guardian Australia journalists have been leaving the publication en masse, with the latest high-profile departure from its newsroom being chief political correspondent Paul Karp.
Karp will imminently depart Guardian Australia’s Canberra bureau to return to his native Sydney, taking up the role of New South Wales political correspondent for The Australian Financial Review.
It follows the departures of foreign affairs and defence correspondent Daniel Hurst and political reporter Amy Remeikis in October, as well as veteran parliamentary photographer Mike Bowers in November. The moves all follow the appointment of former Saturday Paper chief political correspondent Karen Middleton to the role of political editor in February, a move first reported by Crikey. Middleton was appointed to fill the vacancy created by longtime former political editor Katharine Murphy leaving journalism to join Prime Minister Anthony Albanese’s media team.
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The departures have been subject to considerable media coverage — and while sources with knowledge of Guardian Australia’s newsroom have panned a recent Daily Mail Australia column as inaccurate, those close to the Canberra bureau have remained tight-lipped.
Crikey contacted Guardian Australia and asked whether it had any comment in respect of the Daily Mail’s reporting, and why so many staff from one team had left in such a relatively short period of time. Guardian Australia did not respond before deadline.
On announcing his departure in December, Karp said on X it was “a bit sad” to be leaving so soon after a number of his colleagues did the same.
He also referred to his efforts in “successfully pushing for positive cultural change internally”.
Karp’s farewell speech to the Guardian Australia team last week, which was leaked to Crikey, also paraphrased Murphy on culture.
“Murph used to say this is a great place to work because we don’t write crap, and we don’t work for psychos,” Karp said.
“True enough. But those are not immutable laws of physics. They are generalisations that only remain true to the extent that they are reinforced by decisions and by action. I’m leaving with my head held high and with a clean record, despite being an extremely squeaky wheel about psychosocial risks in the workplace.
“And my final message is somewhat cliche, but nevertheless important. The standard you walk past is the standard you accept. If you see something, say something. This will only remain a good place to work if you make it so.”
Crikey understands that Karp was not referring to any individuals in referencing Murphy’s quote, but referring to media industry culture generally and to safe systems of work.
The departures leave Guardian Australia’s Canberra bureau facing significant change ahead of an imminent federal election. Remeikis has been replaced by former ABC reporter Krishani Dhanji, while the foreign affairs and defence role remains unfilled and the ad for Karp’s replacement is still open.
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