Australian Leadership Awards Fellowships: Editorial Leadership and Security in Post-Conflict Timor-Leste. November 2008, Australia

The goal of this four-week leadership program run by the APJC in Melbourne, Canberra and Sydney was to empower news media leaders in Timor-Leste to produce more inclusive and responsible forms of journalism needed for promoting security and rebuilding civil society. Seven journalists from Timor-Leste, identified as leaders or future leaders in their profession, attended the program. The program was funded by AusAID as part of its Australian Leadership Awards (ALA), and was hosted by the APJC. Security continues to be a key issue in Timor-Leste. The main aim of the program was to encourage news media leaders to help this developing nation by providing news and feature material that seeks to report public life comprehensively and inclusively. By giving space to groups and individuals who previously have been voiceless and effectively disenfranchised, news media can contribute actively to the national healing process, promote national security and help broaden participation in civil society. The program began with a one-week leadership and managing change workshop and a one-week Management for Media Organisations workshop, which included professional visits in Melbourne, followed by a week of professional visits to media and other institutions in Canberra and Sydney and ended with a relevant news media attachment. Highlights included briefings at the Australian East Timor Association, the National Indigenous Times, the Canberra Times, the Australian Conservation Foundation, Leader Newspapers, the National Museum of Australia, Tuggeranong Arts Centre, Parliament House, the Media Entertainment and Arts Alliance (MEAA), the International Federation for Journalists, Special Broadcasting Service (SBS), the Australian Consumer Association and the Australian Press Council. Senior Australian journalists acted as mentors to the visiting journalists, accompanied them on professional visits and led them in discussions. Project work focused on analysing ways in which the Fellow’s news presentations can be more socially inclusive and target particular social issues. Journalism fellows: Mr Godhino Barros, senior reporter, Suara Timor-Lorosae Mr Jose Gabriel da Costa, editor-in-chief, Diario Nacional and Semanario Ms Gracinda da Cruz Freitas, reporter and news editor, Radio Communidade Rakambia Mr Rosario Da Graca Maia, director, Radio Timor-Leste Mr Nascimento Provinsial, editor, Radio Comunidade Los Palos Ms Maria- Zevonia Fernandes Vieira, editor and reporter, Kla’ak magazine Mr Jose Ximenes, senior editor, Timor Post Instructors, journalist mentors and support staff were: Mr Greg Burchall, freelance journalist and journalism lecturer Mr Gary Cox, associate producer, World News, SBS Ms Alex Kennedy, project officer, APJC Ms Jessica Mahar, political reporter, Fairfax Community Newspapers Ms Colleen Murrell, lecturer, Deakin University Ms Helen Musa, senior journalist and Indonesian interpreter Mr Torrey Orton, psychologist Mr Abilio Barros Soares, Tetum interpreter Ms Paula Soares, Tetum interpreter Mr John Tidey, former senior editorial executive, The Age Mr John Wallace, program director, APJC Mr Jack Waterford, editor-at-large, the Canberra Times Ms Suzy Woodhouse, former journalist and leadership instructor The following Australian individuals and organisations and individuals contributed sessions to the program: Dr Soren Blau, forensic researcher, the Victorian Institute of Forensic Medicine Mr Steve Bracks, former Premier of Victoria and adviser to the government of Timor-Leste Mr Finn Bradshaw, on-line football editor, the Herald-Sun Mr Setyo Budi, project officer, Infoxchange Mr Joseph Caputo, Victorian Multicultural Commission member and mayor of Moreland Mr Damien Carrick, presenter of The Law Report, ABC Radio Prof Julian Cribb, world food crisis expert and columnist, the Australian Ms Elise Davidson, media officer, Australian Consumer Association Mr Ben Doherty, reporter, The Age Mr Anton Enus, presenter, World News, SBS Mr Chris Graham, editor, the National Indigenous Times Ms Karla Grant, presenter, Living Black, SBS Dr Helen Hill, senior lecturer, Victoria University Ms Andra Jackson, senior reporter, The Age Ms Eulea Kiraly, project officer, Tuggeranong Arts Centre Mr Andrew Kruger, director of World Review, SBS Radio Mr Jack Lloyd, technician, Tuggeranong Arts Centre Ms Amy Mcquire, journalist, the National Indigenous Times Mr Geoff Parish, producer, Dateline, SBS Dr Mike Pickering, senior curator and Repatriation Program director, the National Museum of Australia Mr Paul Ramadge, editor-in-chief, The Age Dr Nick Richardson, editor, Leader Newspapers Mr Michael Schlecta, chief-of-staff, The Age Mr Jack Waterford, editor at large, The Canberra Times Ms Peta Yoshinaga, news journalist, Australian Consumer Association Mr Christopher Zinn, spokesperson, Australian Consumer Association The Australian East Timor Association The Australian Conservation Foundation The Australian Press Council The Media Entertainment and Arts Alliance (MEAA) Parliament House The following international organisations helped the APJC with the program: The International Federation for Journalists (IFJ) Timor-Leste Journalists Association (TLJA) Timor-Leste Media Development Centre (TLMDC) Jose Gabriel da Costa “This program is important for me because East Timor is a young country and is in great need of a program like this to develop the media in East Timor for the future.” – Jose Gabriel da Costa, editor-in-chief, Diario Nacional Gracinda da Cruz Freitas “I’m glad I got the opportunity to join this program. This program provided me with lots of information that will be most beneficial, as well as the meetings with representatives from the Age, the Canberra times, the ABC, SBS and from the instructors John Wallace and Suzy Woodhouse.” - Gracinda da Cruz Freitas, reporter and news editor, Radio Communidade Rakambia Rosario Da Graca Maia “The program has been considered as useful for all of the participants especially myself. It would be good to extend to other colleagues from Timor-Leste.” - Rosario Da Graca Maia, director, Radio Timor-Leste