Michael Gawenda (born 1947) is an Australian journalist and was editor of The Age from 1997 to 2004. He was appointed inaugural Director of the Centre for Advanced Journalism at the University of Melbourne, launched in 2008. The centre's mission is to improve the practice of journalism through dialogue between journalists and the general community to stimulate public debate on important issues facing journalism.
Life as a refugee
Gawenda was born 1947 in a refugee camp in Austria.[1] His family moved to Melbourne, Australia, in 1949. Gawenda attended Caulfield North state school. He studied economics and politics at Monash University.[2]
Career
He started his career in 1970, joining The Age as a cadet journalist. In 1997 he became an editor and in 2003 the editor-in-chief. Before that, was a senior editor with TIME. During 2002 he became the subject of controversy when, as editor-in-chief, he rejected a Michael Leunig cartoon which juxtaposed an image of a Jew standing at the gates of Auschwitz with an image of a Jew with a gun standing at the border between Israel and Palestine. Leunig subsequently claimed that Gawenda did not understand the point he was making. Gawenda said "I think it's just inappropriate. Anyone seeing that cartoon would think it inappropriate."[3]
Writing
American Notebook
On 15 April 2004, Gawenda announced that he would return to reporting as The Age's Washington correspondent.[4]
Gawenda's final article from Washington was published on 28 May 2007 when he announced he will be returning to Australia and would no longer be writing for The Age. This led to the publication in August 2007 of a book, American Notebook, sub-titled A Personal and Political Journey, about American politics.[5]
Rocky and Gawenda
Gawenda's canine companion inspired him to join the blog revolution to escape from the stresses and frustration of journalism.[6] The blog ran on the Crikey website from February to November 2009.[7] The posts from February to June were collected in a volume titled Rocky & Gawenda.[8] The book, published by Melbourne University Press, is composed of short essays, observations and recollections, mostly reflecting on aspects of his own life: family, especially his two children; dogs; blogging; the pleasure he finds in food; friends and funerals.
Leo Meo
The birth of his first grandchild inspired Gawenda to write a poem every two weeks for the first year of Leo's life. In 2017 he published the book of poetry Leo Meo – Songs to My Grandson containing these and other poems he had written.[9]
The Powerbroker – Mark Leibler, an Australian Jewish Life
In 2020, Gawenda published an unauthorized biography of Australian lawyer Mark Leibler. This book shows how Leibler rose to a position of immense influence in Australian public life by skilfully entwining his roles as a Zionist leader and a tax lawyer to some of the country’s richest people. The book has interviews with former Prime Ministers Paul Keating, John Howard, Julia Gillard and Indigenous leader Noel Pearson.[10]
My Life as a Jew
His 2023 memoir covers much of Gawenda's life, from childhood experiences in a secular household, living a mainly non-Jewish life, to becoming a journalist and rising to editor of The Age newspaper. The book examines the rise of antisemitism and anti-Zionism and Gawenda's personal journey, embracing his Jewish identity late in life.[11][12]
Columnist
In 2023, Gawenda began contributing columns and commentary to The Australian newspaper, writing about journalism and its challenges.[13]
Personal life
Gawenda has a wife and two children, Evie and Chaskiel/Husky,[14] and resides in Melbourne. Gawenda is the uncle of television producer and former sports writer and founding executive produce of The Footy Show, Harvey Silver.[15][16]
