Chris Uhlmann

Chris Uhlmann
Born	Christopher Gerald Uhlmann (1960-06-24) 24 June 1960 (age 63) Sydney, Australia
Occupation(s)	Journalist, television presenter
Years active	1998−2022
Spouse	Gai Brodtmann ​ (m. 1997)​

Christopher Gerald Uhlmann (born 24 June 1960) is an Australian journalist and television presenter.

Career

Uhlmann was formerly a seminarian, a security guard, and a journalist with The Canberra Times before joining the Australian Broadcasting Corporation as a radio producer in 1998.

From 1999 to 2004, Uhlmann co-hosted Local Radio Breakfast on ABC Radio Canberra with David Kilby. In 2005, he was Jon Faine's producer for the Mornings show on ABC Radio Melbourne, and in 2006 was made chief political correspondent for ABC Radio current affairs. ^[1]

In 2008, Uhlmann switched to television, and was political editor for The 7.30 Report , ABC News, and ABC News channel. In December 2010, he was appointed co-host of the ABC Television current affairs program, 7.30 . ^[2] In 2012, the show was revamped again, with Uhlmann returning to the political editor role, and Leigh Sales hosting the program. ^[3]

In 2013, Uhlmann stepped down as 7.30's political editor. He announced that he would be working on a documentary about the Rudd and Gillard governments for the ABC. ^[4]

In February 2014, Uhlmann became the 14th presenter of AM , the ABC Radio news and current affairs program. ^[5] He took over after Tony Eastley resigned to take up a senior presenter role with the ABC News channel.

In January 2015, Uhlmann was appointed in a newly-created position as ABC News political editor. ^[6] As a result of the new position Uhlmann left his role as presenter of AM, and was replaced by Michael Brissenden.

In July 2017, Uhlmann's 2-minute report ^[7] for ABC's Insiders on Donald Trump's appearance at the 2017 G20 Hamburg summit went viral, and he was interviewed extensively in the United States, on various television networks. ^[8]

In August 2017, Uhlmann announced that he would be leaving the ABC to join Nine News as political editor, replacing Laurie Oakes. ^[9]

In August 2018, amid the 2018 Liberal Party leadership spill, Uhlmann gained popularity again on social media when he appeared on Today , where he stated that the Sky News television channel, 2GB radio station and News Corp were "waging a war" against Prime Minister of Australia Malcolm Turnbull. When asked how he expected presenters on Sky or 2GB to respond, he said he "couldn't give a rat's arse", adding "If you dish it out, you have to be prepared to take it". ^[10]

Uhlmann retired in October 2022 and Charles Croucher was appointed political editor for Nine News. ^[11] In April 2024, Uhlmann joined Sky News. ^[12]

Awards

• 2008: Walkley Award for Broadcast Interviewing ^{[13] [14]}

Politics

Uhlmann unsuccessfully contested the ACT 1998 general election for the electorate of Molonglo with the Osborne Independent Group. ^[15] The conservative group was named after Paul Osborne, who strongly opposed abortion care and advocated blocking both euthanasia legislation and any attempt to decriminalise abortion. ^[16] Osborne and Uhlmann fell out when Osborne moved to severely restrict abortion in the Australian Capital Territory. ^[17] Six years earlier, Uhlmann had written in support of establishing an abortion clinic in the territory. ^[18]

Books

With Steve Lewis, Uhlmann has written a series of political novels set in Canberra: The Marmalade Files (2012), The Mandarin Code (2014) and The Shadow Game (2016). ^[19] These feature a political reporter, Harry Dunkley, investigating a conspiracy involving China, the US and Australian security organisations. In 2016 the first two books were adapted as the Australian television series Secret City , and Harry became Harriet.

Personal life

Uhlmann is married to Gai Brodtmann, who was an Australian Labor Party member of the House of Representatives for the Division of Canberra from 2010 to 2019. ^{[20] [21]} Brodtmann is also a member of the Australian Strategic Policy Institute council. ^{[22] [23]}

References

1. "ABC profile – Chris Uhlmann". Australian Broadcasting Corporation. Archived from the original on 3 March 2015.
2. Dick, Tim (3 December 2010). "7.30 Report loses one host, gets two". The Sydney Morning Herald . Fairfax Media. Archived from the original on 6 December 2010.
3. Mathieson, Craig (12 November 2012). "How 7.30 got its mojo back". The Age. Retrieved 1 March 2013.
4. Knott, Matthew (10 September 2013). "Chris Uhlmann departs 7.30 to try Labor doco". Crikey. Archived from the original on 4 March 2016.
5. AM presenter Tony Eastley bids farewell to early mornings, Australian Broadcasting Commission, 7 February 2014, archived from the original on 7 September 2015
6. Knox, David (8 January 2015), Chris Uhlmann becomes ABC Political Editor, TV Tonight, archived from the original on 5 March 2016
7. Chris Uhlmann (9 July 2017). "G20: Does Donald Trump's awkward performance indicate America's decline as world power?". Australian Broadcasting Corporation. Retrieved 19 May 2023.
8. Blackmore, Nicole (11 July 2017). "Donald Trump's tweets a 'window into his soul': Chris Uhlmann questioned over viral critique on US TV". ABC News . Retrieved 12 July 2017.
9. "Chris Uhlmann leaving ABC to take Laurie Oakes's job at Nine". ABC News. 30 August 2017. Retrieved 30 August 2017.
10. Clun, Rachel (23 August 2018). "Sky News, News Corp, 2GB 'waging war' against PM: Chris Uhlmann". The Sydney Morning Herald.
11. "Charles Croucher appointed chief political editor for 9News". Nine News . Nine Entertainment . Retrieved 23 July 2023.
12. Former ABC and Nine political editor Chris Uhlmann joins Sky News The Sydney Morning Herald 12 April 2024
13. The Walkley Foundation > Walkley Winners Archive Retrieved 11 July 2017.
14. 'Accidental journalist' finally arrives News.com.au 16 August 2008. Retrieved 12 July 2017.
15. "Australian Capital Territory Electoral Commission, Molonglo First Preference Results". Australian Capital Territory Electoral Commission. 1998. Retrieved 21 February 2013.
16. "Election Campaign Success". Newsletter - Autumn 1998. ACT Right to Life Association. 22 June 1998. Archived from the original on 18 February 2011. Retrieved 2 September 2010.
17. "Osborne rift: adviser considering his future". The Canberra Times . 3 August 1998.
18. "ACT's anti-abortionists have already lost battle". The Canberra Times . 28 March 1992.
19. "Q&A with 'Secret City' authors, Steve Lewis and Chris Uhlmann". Harper Collins Publishers. Archived from the original on 16 April 2019.
20. "Labor People - Gai Brodtmann". Australian Labor Party. 2010. Archived from the original on 6 March 2012.
21. Doherty, Megan (21 June 2014). "Chris Uhlmann and Gai Brodtmann a very Canberra couple". The Sydney Morning Herald. Fairfax Media. Archived from the original on 29 July 2014.
22. "Gai Brodtman". Australian Strategic Policy Initiative. 2021. Archived from the original on 31 October 2021. Retrieved 15 October 2021.
23. "Sponsors". Australian Strategic Policy Institute. 2021. Archived from the original on 14 November 2021. Retrieved 15 November 2021.

External links

• Chris Uhlmann at IMDb
• Chris Uhlmann on Twitter

Media offices
Preceded by Laurie Oakes	Nine News Chief political editor 2017–2022	Succeeded by Charles Croucher
Preceded by (none)	ABC News Political editor 2015–2017	Succeeded by Andrew Probyn
Preceded by Kerry O'Brien as The 7.30 Report	7.30 Presenter, with Leigh Sales 2011–2012	Succeeded by Leigh Sales (solo)
Preceded by (none)	ABC News Chief political editor and host of Capital Hill 2010	Succeeded by Lyndal Curtis
Preceded by Michael Brissenden	The 7.30 Report Political editor 2008–2010	Succeeded by Heather Ewart