National Indigenous Times

The National Indigenous Times (NIT) is an Indigenous Australian affairs website, originally published as a newspaper from February 2002.

History edit

National Indigenous Times was first published in newspaper form on 27 February 2002.[1] It was established by Owen Carriage, the founder of the Koori Mail.[2]

In 2006, NIT published a major story about government staff anonymously representing themselves as independent witnesses in the Lateline report on child abuse in remote communities, with particular reference to Mutitjulu, in the Northern Territory.[3]

On 27 February 2012, the Australian Broadcasting Corporation's program Media Watch aired a segment that detailed how the newspaper had repeatedly taken substantial material from other media sources without any attribution.[4] This was addressed by editor Stephen Hagan, who promised to deliver more original material and use citations when using external references. Hagan left in December 2013.[5]

In January and February 2015, the NIT was placed in administration because of accumulating legal bills arising from a defamation case and an unfair dismissal claim by former editor Stephen Hagan.[5] NIT survived administration with a mix of the longstanding owners/founders and a number new part owners.[5][6]

Gerry Georgatos was an investigative reporter and feature writer with the NIT for around six years. He delivered stories on native title in Australia, corrupt practices and government neglect of poverty-stricken communities.[7] His correspondence for NIT was as a volunteer, "bringing to the fore voices from his many travels".[8] Just before he announced in February 2015 that he was no longer with the newspaper, he spoke positively of the newspaper on National Indigenous Television.[9]

In December 2015, Tony Barrass bought the NIT masthead from Sydney liquidators O'Brien Palmer and launched the online version on 28 February 2016.[citation needed]

Governance and description edit

Since late February 2016, it has functioned as an online publication owned by Indigenous businessman and former Kimberley Land Council CEO Wayne Bergmann and Indigenous businessman Clinton Wolf . It was formerly owned and edited by Tony Barrass. As of September 2022 the editor is Tom Zaunmayr.[1]

Awards edit

See also edit

References edit

  1. ^ a b "About". National Indigenous Times. Retrieved 3 June 2022. (Zaunmayr's name misspelled as 'Zanumayr')
  2. ^ Gosford, Bob (8 July 2010). "What's happening at the National Indigenous Times?". Crikey. Retrieved 11 December 2018.
  3. ^ "OIPC's 'Baby-faced Assassin': Senior public servant adopts bogus identity; backs minister's claims", NIT issue 109, 13 July 2006. Accessed 22 October 2006
  4. ^ Jonathan Holmes (27 February 2012). "Credit where credit's due". Media Watch. Australian Broadcasting Corporation. Retrieved 3 June 2022.
  5. ^ a b c Andrew Burrell (13 February 2015). "Push for National Indigenous Times". The Australian. The NIT's parent company, Destiny Publications was placed into voluntary administration last month over mounting legal bills sparked by an unfair dismissal case brought by former editor Stephen Hagan and a defamation case launched by former Fortescue Metals Group executive Michael Gallagher.(subscription required)
  6. ^ "Administrators put award-winning National Indigenous Times newspaper up for sale" by Emilia Terzon, ABC News, 19 January 2015
  7. ^ a b ""MMC Awards sponsored by NSW Government"".
  8. ^ Herbert, Bronwyn (30 October 2014). "Aboriginal deaths in custody bring focus to disturbing rate of imprisonment". 7.30. Australian Broadcasting Corporation.
  9. ^ "Gerry Georgatos on the Future of the National Indigenous Times" on YouTube, NITV News
  10. ^ Finalists and Judges 2004 Walkley Awards for "Stolen Wages Payback Shame" Archived 1 January 2006 at the Wayback Machine
  11. ^ Pappas, Penni (5 September 2013). "Top honour for NK Journalist". Neos Kosmos. Retrieved 28 September 2022.
  12. ^ "Gerry Georgatos". The Stringer. 18 July 2022. Retrieved 28 September 2022.
  13. ^ "How many more suicides will it take?". Indymedia Australia. 20 September 2013. Retrieved 28 September 2022.

External links edit