Emma Alberici
Emma Alberici | |
|---|---|
| Born | February 3, 1970 Australia |
| Occupation | Journalist |
| Years active | –2021 |
| Known for | Chief economics correspondent for ABC; presenter of Lateline |
Emma Alberici (born 3 February 1970) is an Australian journalist renowned for her previous role as chief economics correspondent on the Australian Broadcasting Corporation's television platform and her experience as a foreign correspondent.
Up until 2017, Alberici was the presenter of ABC TV's prominent current affairs show, Lateline. Her career also includes reporting and foreign correspondence for the ABC programs The 7.30 Report and Lateline, as well as working as a producer and reporter for A Current Affair on the Nine Network in Australia.
Early life and education
Emma was born to Italian immigrant parents, Franco and Anna Alberici, who relocated to Melbourne in 1955. She completed her secondary education at Our Lady of Mercy College in Heidelberg, Victoria. Alberici holds bachelor's degrees in journalism and economics from Deakin University, alongside a degree in Italian from the University of Melbourne.
Career
Alberici launched her journalism journey as a cadet journalist at the Melbourne-based newspaper Herald Sun and contributed to The Small Business Show on the Nine Network.
She earned recognition as a three-time finalist in the Walkley Awards for investigative journalism, notably for her 1998 investigation into a patron's death at Star City Casino, which prompted an inquiry by the police integrity commission. In 2012, she was part of the Lateline team whose work contributed to initiating the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse.
Additionally, Alberici authored three editions of The Small Business Book.
Lateline
In 2012, Alberici took over hosting duties of ABC's leading current affairs program Lateline, succeeding Ali Moore and co-hosting alongside Tony Jones. The show gained recognition for shaping news narratives on subsequent days. Despite facing criticism regarding her interviewing approach, she defended herself against allegations of bias, pointing out that female journalists often endure heightened scrutiny.
In October 2017, ABC announced it would discontinue Lateline after a 28-year run to prioritize new investigative and specialist journalism teams. Following this change, Alberici assumed the role of chief economics correspondent at ABC.
Controversy and redundancy
On 14 February 2018, Alberici published an article on the ABC website asserting that only one-fifth of large corporations pay tax in Australia, accompanied by a critical evaluation of the Liberal government's proposed corporate tax cuts. Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull dismissed the piece on the same day, describing it as "one of the most confused and poorly researched articles" on this subject.
The ABC removed both Alberici’s article and its accompanying analysis, citing breaches of editorial standards. Alberici retained legal representation to negotiate with ABC management, resulting in revised versions being republished approximately one week later. Media commentators speculated that Turnbull exerted pressure on the ABC to retract the story and suggested that the broadcaster was singled out unfairly, given that other analysts had also questioned the corporate tax cut proposals. A leaked letter from Alberici’s lawyer indicated that ABC executives acknowledged she was the source of complaints from the prime minister.
In April 2018, responding to inquiries from the Australian Senate, ABC conceded that Alberici’s story contained several inaccuracies and lacked impartial analysis. Former ABC journalists criticized the corporation for capitulating to government influence.
After this episode, Alberici transitioned away from economic reporting to produce multiple programs for ABC's Foreign Correspondent. She was made redundant by ABC in 2020 and subsequently resolved a complaint filed with the Fair Work Ombudsman following her departure.
Career following ABC
Upon her departure from ABC in 2020, Alberici assumed the role of chief strategy, government relations, and communications officer at the financial comparison platform Compare the Market Australia. She exited this position in April 2021. In the same year, she authored a memoir entitled Rewrite the Story, published by Hardie Grant Books.
Personal life
Alberici was formerly married to Jason McCauley, a sound recordist associated with 60 Minutes. The couple separated in 2017. She is a mother of three and resides in Sydney. Earlier in her career, she was stationed in London while serving as ABC's Europe correspondent.