Dr Jeff McMullen AM

Dr Jeff McMullen AM is a distinguished Australian journalist, filmmaker, author, and keynote speaker, renowned for his incisive reporting and dedication to social justice. As a foreign correspondent for the Australian Broadcasting Corporation, Jeff has worked on flagship programs including Four Corners and Sixty Minutes, anchored the 33-part ABC series Difference of Opinion, and hosted forums on National Indigenous Television.

A passionate advocate for human rights, Jeff’s work draws attention to economic, social, and Indigenous issues in Australia and internationally. He has been a leading voice in campaigns such as Close the Gap, and has chaired forums on Indigenous health, suicide prevention, and education across multiple states and territories. His initiatives include directorships with AIME and the Engineering Aid Australia Indigenous Summer School, and fourteen years as Honorary CEO of Ian Thorpe’s Fountain for Youth, where he established early learning and literacy programs in 22 remote communities.

Jeff has produced hard-hitting documentaries on the human rights of First Peoples, the impact of the Northern Territory Intervention, and chronic health issues affecting Indigenous communities. His film East Coast Encounter has been exhibited nationally alongside leading artists, poets, and historians examining James Cook’s 1770 contact with Aboriginal people.

An accomplished author, Jeff’s books include Dispossession: Neo-Liberalism and the Struggle for Aboriginal Land and Rights in the 21st Century (Connor Court, 2013) and Jeff McMullen: A Life of Extremes – Journeys and Encounters (HarperCollins Australia), exploring global conflict, environmental challenges, and stories of extraordinary individuals shaping a better future.

Jeff’s contributions have been recognised with an Order of Australia (AM) in 2006 for service to journalism, human rights, and charity. He holds a Bachelor of Arts (Macquarie) and Honorary Doctorates in Journalism and Letters from Charles Darwin University, Macquarie University, and the University of Newcastle.