Peter Lewis takes on ACAJ top job

Queensland journalist Pete Lewis is the incoming Australian Council of Agricultural Journalists president, following the ACAJ’s recent annual general meeting.

He takes over the reins from Genevieve McAulay who stepped down from the role after a four-year term, part of her seven years on the ACAJ executive.

“I look forward to carrying on the momentum Genevieve brought over her time as president as the ACAJ continues to support excellence in agricultural journalism and photography across Australia,” Pete said.

“The ACAJ is in for an exciting and challenging few years, as we look forward to hosting colleagues from throughout the world here in Australia in 2021 for the International Federation of Agricultural Journalists’ (IFAJ) Congress.”

Pete has spent the past 35 years covering the people, the events and the issues that make the bush tick.

He has travelled extensively on assignment throughout Australia and overseas in an award-winning career that began in newspapers but mainly focussed on radio and television news and current affairs.

Pete is a former president of the Rural Press Club of Queensland and former national president of the journalists’ union – the Media Entertainment and Arts Alliance.

Since retiring from the ABC’s Landline team, Pete can be found clocking up the miles across Australia still telling the stories of the people he meets.

Genevieve said it was an honour to represent her industry through the ACAJ.

“There have been many great moments, including the successful IFAJ pre-congress in Cairns in 2015 where we were able to showcase how agriculture and a pristine environment co-exist to some of the world’s leading agricultural writers, and securing the 2021 IFAJ World Congress rights.

“However, the highlight for me has probably been seeing the emergence of the Rural Media Club in Canberra, which was only possible because we had a strong committee who were focussed on the future of rural journalism in Australia.

“I want to congratulate the incoming president Pete Lewis and his committee. Peter was a fantastic vice president and is a legend in rural Australia and I look forward to him taking the ACAJ to greater heights.”

Queensland’s Gordon Collie remains as ACAJ treasurer, while South Australian based freelance writer Rebecca Jennings is the new ACAJ Vice President. NSW journalist Sam Townsend is incoming secretary, while Leigh Radford, South Australia, remains as the ACAJ’s IFAJ representative.

Click here for information on the ACAJ committee.

Contact: Pete Lewis, 0408 722 113 or send him an email.