Marian Faa, a reporter with the ABC’s Asia Pacific Newsroom in Cairns, has been named as the 2024 Andrew Olle Scholar.
Marian has previously worked as a cross platform reporter for the Cairns-based ABC Far North bureau and in 2020 was named Queensland Clarion’s New Journalist of the Year.
As a reporter working in the ABC’s Asia Pacific newsroom, Marian has a focus on Pacific stories.
“I believe in-depth, courageous, public interest journalism from the Pacific is crucial for Australia now more than ever, with the region facing complex issues from geopolitical competition to climate change,” she said.
During her scholarship period, Marian will spend time with journalists and producers with programs and teams across the ABC, focusing on developing her investigative journalism, long form reporting and video journalism skills.
“This scholarship will allow me to foster meaningful, supportive relationships across the ABC. The skills I gain will be passed on as I mentor younger ABC journalists in the future.”
The scholarship honours the life and work of the late ABC journalist Andrew Olle, who was one of Australia’s most admired broadcasters. Andrew presented some of the ABC’s flagship programs including Four Corners, The 7.30 Report and Mornings on ABC Radio Sydney (then 2BL).
The scholarship is designed to create career development opportunities for young ABC journalists and to promote the values that epitomised Andrew Olle’s journalism.
