Christine Wallace
Encyclopedia
Christine Wallace is an Australian political journalist and biographer. She is married to former Chief of staff
to Kim Beazley
, Michael Costello
AO
.
(BA, politics and history), University of Sydney
(BEc) and the Australian Graduate School of Management
(MBA). Wallace's publications include Greer
, Untamed Shrew (1997), The Private Don
(2004), Julia Gillard
(2011).
Christine Wallace's early interest in politics began when appointed a staffer in the office of Peter Shack
MP, a Liberal
member of the House of Representatives
.
Wallace is a member of the Canberra Press Gallery
and has worked for a wide range of print and electronic media outlets there including The Australian
, The Australian Financial Review
, Business Review Weekly
and ABC Television
. She is a regular member of judging panels for the Walkley Awards
for excellence in journalism each year. Wallace can be heard on regular radio spots with 666 ABC Canberra
and breakfast on Adelaide's top rating talk station 5AA.
During the 1990s, Wallace's articles in the The Australian Financial Review were very critical of Dr John Hewson
, then leader of the opposition Liberal Party
and whose economically liberal programme, "Fightback!
", anticipated the political agenda of the Howard Government
. Later she broke the story that she also claims sparked the resignation of Liberal Party leader Alexander Downer
, allowing John Howard
to regain the post and later become prime minister
.
Recent journal articles include "Libertarian Nation By Stealth" (Griffith Review
, 16, 2007) and "Clean, Orderly and Laminex Coloured" (Griffith Review, 19, 2008).
Chief of Staff
The title, chief of staff, identifies the leader of a complex organization, institution, or body of persons and it also may identify a Principal Staff Officer , who is the coordinator of the supporting staff or a primary aide to an important individual, such as a president.In general, a chief of...
to Kim Beazley
Kim Beazley
In the October 1998 election, Labor polled a majority of the two-party vote and received the largest swing to a first-term opposition since 1934. However, due to the uneven nature of the swing, Labor came up eight seats short of making Beazley Prime Minister....
, Michael Costello
Michael Costello (Australian public servant)
Michael Costello AO is a former Australian public servant and chief of staff to former Australian Labor Party politician Kim Beazley during his tenure as leader of the Opposition from 1996 to 2001....
AO
Order of Australia
The Order of Australia is an order of chivalry established on 14 February 1975 by Elizabeth II, Queen of Australia, "for the purpose of according recognition to Australian citizens and other persons for achievement or for meritorious service"...
.
Career
A graduate of the Australian National UniversityAustralian National University
The Australian National University is a teaching and research university located in the Australian capital, Canberra.As of 2009, the ANU employs 3,945 administrative staff who teach approximately 10,000 undergraduates, and 7,500 postgraduate students...
(BA, politics and history), University of Sydney
University of Sydney
The University of Sydney is a public university located in Sydney, New South Wales. The main campus spreads across the suburbs of Camperdown and Darlington on the southwestern outskirts of the Sydney CBD. Founded in 1850, it is the oldest university in Australia and Oceania...
(BEc) and the Australian Graduate School of Management
Australian Graduate School of Management
The MBA program of the Australian School of Business is known as the AGSM MBA, based in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. Founded as the Australian Graduate School of Management in 1977, the AGSM MBA is consistently ranked at the top of the national rankings and amongst one of the top MBA...
(MBA). Wallace's publications include Greer
Germaine Greer
Germaine Greer is an Australian writer, academic, journalist and scholar of early modern English literature, widely regarded as one of the most significant feminist voices of the later 20th century....
, Untamed Shrew (1997), The Private Don
Donald Bradman
Sir Donald George Bradman, AC , often referred to as "The Don", was an Australian cricketer, widely acknowledged as the greatest batsman of all time...
(2004), Julia Gillard
Julia Gillard
Julia Eileen Gillard is the 27th and current Prime Minister of Australia, in office since June 2010.Gillard was born in Barry, Vale of Glamorgan, Wales and migrated with her family to Adelaide, Australia in 1966, attending Mitcham Demonstration School and Unley High School. In 1982 Gillard moved...
(2011).
Christine Wallace's early interest in politics began when appointed a staffer in the office of Peter Shack
Peter Shack
Peter Donald Shack is a former Australian politician. Born in Perth, he was educated at Wesley College, Perth and the University of Western Australia before becoming a company director and political advisor. In 1977, he was elected to the Australian House of Representatives as the Liberal member...
MP, a Liberal
Liberal Party of Australia
The Liberal Party of Australia is an Australian political party.Founded a year after the 1943 federal election to replace the United Australia Party, the centre-right Liberal Party typically competes with the centre-left Australian Labor Party for political office...
member of the House of Representatives
Australian House of Representatives
The House of Representatives is one of the two houses of the Parliament of Australia; it is the lower house; the upper house is the Senate. Members of Parliament serve for terms of approximately three years....
.
Wallace is a member of the Canberra Press Gallery
Canberra Press Gallery
The Canberra Press Gallery, officially called the Federal Parliamentary Press Gallery, is the name given to the approximately 180 journalists and their support staff, including producers, editors and camera crews, who report the workings of the Australian Parliament...
and has worked for a wide range of print and electronic media outlets there including The Australian
The Australian
The Australian is a broadsheet newspaper published in Australia from Monday to Saturday each week since 14 July 1964. The editor in chief is Chris Mitchell, the editor is Clive Mathieson and the 'editor-at-large' is Paul Kelly....
, The Australian Financial Review
The Australian Financial Review
The Australian Financial Review is a leading business and finance newspaper in Australia.Fairfax Media publishes it in a compact format six days a week, Monday to Saturday....
, Business Review Weekly
Business Review Weekly
BRW is an Australian weekly business magazine published by the Fairfax Media group. It regularly compiles lists which rank corporations and individuals according to various criteria, similar to Fortune magazine in the United States.BRW provides news and commentary on the economy, business and...
and ABC Television
ABC Television
ABC Television is a service of the Australian Broadcasting Corporation launched in 1956. As a public broadcasting broadcaster, the ABC provides four non-commercial channels within Australia, and a partially advertising-funded satellite channel overseas....
. She is a regular member of judging panels for the Walkley Awards
Walkley Awards
The annual Walkley Awards, under the administration of the Walkley Foundation for Journalism, are presented in Australia to recognise and reward excellence in journalism. Finalists are chosen by an independent board of eminent journalists and photographers. The awards cover all media including...
for excellence in journalism each year. Wallace can be heard on regular radio spots with 666 ABC Canberra
666 ABC Canberra
666 ABC Canberra is an ABC Local Radio station based in Canberra and broadcasting to the Australian Capital Territory and surrounding New South Wales region. This includes the cities and towns of Queanbeyan, Yass and Bungendore....
and breakfast on Adelaide's top rating talk station 5AA.
During the 1990s, Wallace's articles in the The Australian Financial Review were very critical of Dr John Hewson
John Hewson
John Robert Hewson AM is an Australian economist, company director and a former politician. He was federal leader of the Liberal Party of Australia from 1990 to 1994 and led the party to defeat at the 1993 federal election.-Early life:...
, then leader of the opposition Liberal Party
Liberal Party of Australia
The Liberal Party of Australia is an Australian political party.Founded a year after the 1943 federal election to replace the United Australia Party, the centre-right Liberal Party typically competes with the centre-left Australian Labor Party for political office...
and whose economically liberal programme, "Fightback!
Fightback!
Fightback! was a radical economic policy package, 650 pages long, proposed by then Liberal Party leader John Hewson.-Key elements:The key elements of Fightback! were:...
", anticipated the political agenda of the Howard Government
Howard Government
The Howard Government refers to the federal Executive Government of Australia led by Prime Minister John Howard. It was made up of members of the Liberal–National Coalition, which won a majority of seats in the Australian House of Representatives at four successive elections. The Howard Government...
. Later she broke the story that she also claims sparked the resignation of Liberal Party leader Alexander Downer
Alexander Downer
Alexander John Gosse Downer is a former Australian Liberal Party politician who was Foreign Minister of Australia from March 1996 to December 2007, the longest-serving in Australian history...
, allowing John Howard
John Howard
John Winston Howard AC, SSI, was the 25th Prime Minister of Australia, from 11 March 1996 to 3 December 2007. He was the second-longest serving Australian Prime Minister after Sir Robert Menzies....
to regain the post and later become prime minister
Prime Minister of Australia
The Prime Minister of the Commonwealth of Australia is the highest minister of the Crown, leader of the Cabinet and Head of Her Majesty's Australian Government, holding office on commission from the Governor-General of Australia. The office of Prime Minister is, in practice, the most powerful...
.
Recent journal articles include "Libertarian Nation By Stealth" (Griffith Review
Griffith Review
The Griffith Review is a quarterly publication featuring essays, reportage, memoir, fiction, poetry and artwork from established and emerging writers and artists. Each edition of the Review is developed around a contemporary theme enabling the issues to be aired and discussed and to put the debate...
, 16, 2007) and "Clean, Orderly and Laminex Coloured" (Griffith Review, 19, 2008).