Order of Australia journalist fears decline in regional coverage

ABC foreign correspondent Sean Dorney is fearful of the ongoing decline in coverage of the Pacific region by the Australian media and the vacuum it leaves for an expansionist China. Dorney covered PNG and the Pacific for the ABC for nearly 40 years and is a recipient of the Order of Australia (AO) in this year’s Queen’s birthday honours for “distinguished service to Australia-Papua New Guinea relations, to the broadcast media as a journalist, and as an author”. Dorney, who in 2018 received the Walkley Award for outstanding contribution to journalism, told The Australian he was concerned with the lack of attention and resources Australian media was paying to its closest neighbours.