Charles Croucher is an Australian journalist.
Charles Croucher | |
|---|---|
| Alma mater | Charles Sturt University |
| Occupation | journalist |
| Known for | being the Nine Network's chief political editor |
| Television | Nine News, Weekend Today |
He is currently the Nine Network's chief political editor, a position he was appointed to in October 2022.[1]
Early life and career
editHe grew up in Branxton, New South Wales.[2] He attended Hunter Valley Grammar School, graduating in 2005.[2]
He studied a Bachelor of Sport Studies/Bachelor of Communication (Journalism) double degree at Charles Sturt University, where he graduated in 2009.[citation needed]
While he was at university, he found employment with Bathurst radio stations 2BS and B-Rock where he worked as a news presenter, before becoming the host of a weekend breakfast show and then the presenter of the weekday morning program.[3]
In 2009, Croucher was a finalist in the "Best News Presenter (Country)" category at the Australian Commercial Radio Awards but lost to Lois Chislett from 3YB in Warrnambool, Victoria.[4][5]
Television career
editIn 2010, Croucher began his long association with the Nine Network in Darwin when he was appointed as a sports reporter for Nine News Darwin where he also became a weekend news presenter.[3]
In 2012, he moved to Melbourne to work as a reporter for A Current Affair before relocating to Canberra in 2013 upon being appointed as a politics reporter based at Parliament House.[3]
From 2018 to 2020, Croucher was Nine's Los Angeles-based US correspondent before returning to Australia to become a co-host of Weekend Today in 2020.[3]
In October 2022, it was announced he would succeed Chris Uhlmann as the Nine Network's political editor.[3]
As Nine's political editor, Croucher regularly provides commentary in a regular segment on RN Breakfast, where he discusses political news with Patricia Karvelas on ABC Radio National.[6][7][8]
National Press Club incident
editFollowing a National Press Club address in October 2022, Croucher asked Federal Treasurer Jim Chalmers whether the Australian Labor Party's promise to cut electricity bills by $275 had been included in the Federal Budget, Chalmers mistakenly claimed: "Yep, it's in the Budget".[9] However, Chalmers later claimed to have misheard the question, phoning Croucher to confess his mistake, and correcting the record in the House of Representatives.[9]
When pressed on the issue during Question Time by Angus Taylor, he stated: "I was temporarily blinded by the vast influence of Charles Croucher who has inherited this remarkable position of power from Laurie Oakes and Chris Uhlmann and I say, as I said to Charles who I rang straight after the press club, I rang Charles and I rang Laura Tingle and I said I thought you were asking me a different question, I misheard it and I answered a different question and so I say again to Charles, who is in the gallery through you, Mr Speaker, I misheard his question and I am generally grateful for once to the member for Hume for the opportunity to talk about this.[10]
The incident was widely reported and commentated on in the media.[11][12][13] Chalmers was criticised for his explanation by 2GB host Ben Fordham who doubted that he had misheard Croucher's question.[14]
References
edit- ^ Samios, Zoe (16 October 2022). "Charles Croucher named Nine's new political editor". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 17 March 2023.
- ^ a b "Hunter Valley Grammar alum Charles Croucher is 9News new chief political editor". The Advertiser. 17 October 2022. Retrieved 17 May 2023.
- ^ a b c d e "Nine News announces Charles Croucher as chief political editor". Mediaweek. 17 October 2022. Retrieved 17 May 2023.
- ^ "FINALISTS FOR 2009 AUSTRALIAN COMMERCIAL RADIO AWARDS (ACRAs)" (PDF). ACRAs. 2009. Retrieved 17 May 2023.
- ^ "WINNERS FOR 2009 AUSTRALIAN COMMERCIAL RADIO AWARDS (ACRAs)" (PDF). ACRAs. 2009. Retrieved 17 May 2023.
- ^ Karvelas, Patricia (29 March 2023). "Govt's housing policy faces roadblocks - Politics with Charles Croucher". RN Breakfast. Retrieved 17 May 2023.
- ^ Karvelas, Patricia (5 April 2023). "What can we expect in the upcoming budget? - Politics with Charles Croucher". RN Breakfast. Retrieved 17 May 2023.
- ^ Karvelas, Patricia (17 May 2023). "Biden's postponed visit 'a blow' for The Quad summit - Politics with Charles Croucher". RN Breakfast. Retrieved 17 May 2023.
- ^ a b McLeod, Catie (26 October 2022). "Treasurer Jim Chalmers says he 'misheard' a question about power bill savings". news.com.au. Retrieved 18 May 2023.
- ^ Cassidy, Caitlyn; Remeikis, Amy (26 October 2022). "Treasurer says Taylor's fingerprints 'all over' energy policy chaos – as it happened". The Guardian. Retrieved 18 May 2023.
- ^ Williams, Tom (26 October 2022). "The treasurer says he misheard a question during his Press Club speech". ABC News. Retrieved 18 May 2023.
- ^ Crowe, David (26 October 2022). "Albanese's election promise to bring down power bills comes back to bite Chalmers". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 18 May 2023.
- ^ Hevesi, Bryant (26 October 2022). "Treasurer Jim Chalmers says he 'misheard' a journalist's question about $275 power bill saving amid budget confirming price rise". Sky News Australia. Retrieved 18 May 2023.
- ^ "Ben Fordham fires up over Chalmers' $275 power bill stumble". The Australian. Retrieved 18 May 2023.