Maxine McKew

One of the most widely recognised identities in Australia, Maxine McKew’s career spans both politics and journalism.

In the 2007 federal election Maxine McKew won a spectacular victory against John Howard. She made Australian political history, defeating a sitting Prime Minister in a seat only ever been held by the Liberal Party.

As the member for Bennelong, Maxine secured over $200 million in funding for her electorate. This was principally in the areas of health, education and disability care. She was active with the local business community and championed the cause of research and technology companies in Macquarie Park. This work has been recognised with her appointment in September 2010 to the Dean’s Advisory Council for Macquarie University’s School of Advanced Medicine.

In her time in politics, Maxine established a reputation for responsiveness and effective advocacy. She has strong mediation skills and brings a direct cut-through approach to the most complex of negotiations. These talents were refined following a thirty-year career as a broadcast and print journalist.

She began her career as a cadet on This Day Tonight at the ABC’s Brisbane office in 1975. Maxine honed her reporting and interviewing skills on the ABC’s flagship current affairs programmes, Nationwide, The Carleton-Walsh Report, and AM and PM. Her hosting of Lateline in the mid 1990’s. Later, her role on the 7.30 Report earned her a reputation as one of the country’s most authoritative interviewers.

Peer recognition has come through successive awards. These include a Walkely and a Logie for broadcasting excellence, the Magazine Publishers’ Award for Columnist of the Year, and a Centenary Medal. Between 1999 and 2004, Maxine was also a regular writer for the Bulletin magazine. ‘Lunch with Maxine McKew’ produced countless candid conversations with Australia’s policy makers . It resulted in her inclusion in the Australian Financial Review’s Power List for 2003.

As a journalist, Maxine interviewed a host of international figures. Personalities included Tony Blair, Madelyn Albright, Henry Kissinger, Colin Powell, Richard Armitage, Shimon Peres, Benjamin Netanyahu, Fidel Ramos and Sir Julius Chan.

Maxine’s broadcast career also took her to North America in the late 1980’s as foreign correspondent reporting for the ABC and then the Ten Network from New York and Washington. As a result Maxine maintains a strong interest in U.S. politics. For many years, she was a regular participant in the annual Australia/U.S. Leadership Dialogue.

Over the years this diverse background attracted the interest of the corporate world. Maxine was a sought after speaker and facilitator at numerous corporate and industry events. She has always been a strong advocate of opportunities for women, both in her own industry and the wider workforce. Her voluntary activities have included the chairmanship of the Advisory Council to the National Breast Cancer Centre. Maxine held membership of the University of Sydney’s Research Institute for Asia Pacific. She also served as patron for Osteoporosis Australia and as a member of the Sydney Symphony Council.