Guardian Australia launches with exclusive Gillard interview and acknowledgement to first peoples
The Guardian has launched its Australian edition this morning, bringing one of the digital world’s most successful titles a dedicated Australian editorial package.
The paper launched in Australia this morning
The paper’s Australian edition is based out of Sydney, and its opening ediiton launches with an exclusive interview with the Primie Minister Julia Gillard.
The website’s layout retains its established formula, but editorial layout priority is given to Austrlian and Asia-Pacific led news.
Editor Katherine Viner pledges to “engage you with up-to-the-moment reporting, investigations, commentary, blogging, in-depth analysis, open journalism, cutting-edge data visualisation, interactive technology, chutzpah and fun.”
The paper retains its .co.uk URL, although the paper is currently undertaking a switch to the .com domain.
Viner says the forthcoming Federal election, two Ashes series and the Lions rugby tour provide “a vast array of stories for us to get our teeth into,” and that there is “huge global interest in Australian culture, politics and society.”
“We will combine some of the best writers in Australia with the best internationally. We have a terrific political bureau in Lenore Taylor, Katharine Murphy, Greg Jericho and Simon Jackman. We have a team of talented Australian reporters, including the award-winning David Marr,” she said.
The Guardian boasts a team of 40 international correspondents around the world, and claims more than 40 million readers worldwide.
“Already more than a million of those readers are in Australia,” Viner said.
Launching the online edition, she also paid tribute to the indigenous heritage of the site of the Guardian’s office.
“We acknowledge that the Guardian’s Sydney office is located on the traditional lands of the Gadigal people of the Eora nation,” she said.
“We would like to acknowledge the Traditional Owners of the land on which we work and pay our respects to the Elders past and present.”
The Guardian Australia will be tweeting from @GuardianAus, and editor Katherine Viner tweets as @KathViner.
She will be undertaing a live Q&A at 12.30 AEST to answer readers’ questions.