The countdown is on for a young Victorian reporter to fly the Australian flag in New Zealand in October, as one of 10 agricultural journalists selected
from around the world to take part in a prestigious leadership program.
ABC’s western Victoria rural reporter Brett Worthington was selected by the Australian Council of Agricultural Journalist (ACAJ) as the Australian
entrant in the global program organised by the International Federation of Agricultural Journalists (IFAJ).
Brett went on to be chosen for the 2015 IFAJ-Alltech Young Leaders in Agricultural Journalism Award, which includes a trip to the annual IFAJ Congress
and a professional development ‘boot camp’ in Hamilton, NZ, along with entrants from Austria, Canada, Denmark, Finland, Germany, Ireland, Sweden,
UK and USA.
The Rural Press Club of Victoria (RPCV) will also assist in Brett’s professional development by funding his trip to New Zealand.
ACAJ president Genevieve McAulay congratulated Brett on his win.
“Australia continues to have good representation on the global front with the IFAJ/Alltech award,” Ms McAulay said. “Brett is another one of our young
and upcoming rural journalists and it is fantastic that we can offer him and others with a passion for agriculture the opportunity to be part of
the professional development and leadership program.
“Other young leaders in Australian rural journalism, such as Rebecca Jennings (Coretext), Carla Wiese-Smith (Stock Journal) and Nikolai Beilharz (ABC),
are past recipients of this award. Just as they have gone on to continue to achieve excellence in their careers, the ACAJ also looks forward to
following Brett’s career.”
Ty Yeast, managing director of Alltech Australia/Lienert Australia, said Alltech has been sponsoring the Young Leaders in Agricultural Journalism program
for more than ten years in order to identify and recognise future leaders in journalism.
“Our industry is in strong need of leaders and agricultural journalism is no exception to this,” he said. “We are delighted to see a strong global
interest in the program but it makes myself and the whole Alltech Australia team proud, that the IFAJ-Alltech Young Leaders in Agricultural Journalism
award again has a winner from Australia. Congratulations to Brett for the fantastic achievement.”
Rural Press Club of Victoria President, Stephen Cooke, said Brett’s selection was a highly deserved reward for his dedication to both his craft and
his local community.
“The Rural Press Club of Victoria is delighted for Brett and very pleased to fund his flight to New Zealand,” Mr Cooke said.
“Journalists and photographers are integral members of their local community. We often see how reporting on issues of importance to the community can
bring beneficial change.
“Investing in the professional development of journalists and photographers is important for both the individual and their community.”
About Brett:
Brett is the ABC’s western Victoria rural reporter, joining the ABC in 2013 as the Mildura-Swan Hill rural reporter, having previously worked for newspapers
in Bendigo, Colac and Cambodia and for ABC TV’s Offsiders.
He lives at Horsham, in the Wimmera region of western Victoria, and studied journalism at RMIT six years ago. In 2014, he was selected for an IFAJ
Exposure-4-Development media tour to Tanzania, Africa.
Brett said he is excited to represent the ACAJ in New Zealand and will use this experience to further hone his skills, learn from experienced reporters
and immerse himself in another culture.
“Covering agriculture is not simply about producing content for farmers. It’s about giving the broader community an understanding of the role of agriculture
and the contribution it makes to regional and global economies,” Brett said.
“Australian farmers tend to look internationally to our north – with a particular focus on Asia – and often forget our neighbours on the other side
of the ditch and the major overhaul the country has undergone to transition from sheep-based industries into dairy. I am eager to learn more about
the role agriculture plays in New Zealand’s economy and the impact its transition to dairy has had across the country.”
MORE INFORMATION:
Interview contacts
Award details
IFAJ Congress
