Dan Bourchier facts for kids

Dan Bourchier is an Australian journalist and TV presenter. He is well-known for his work at the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) and Sky News Australia. He helps people understand important news stories.

Currently, Dan leads the ABC's reporting on big national topics. He also hosts a show called The Drum. Before this, he presented the ABC News in Canberra. He worked on the ABC TV station in the ACT.

Dan Bourchier's Journey in Journalism

Dan Bourchier grew up in Tennant Creek, Northern Territory. This is a town in Australia's Northern Territory. His journey in journalism started very early.

First Steps in Reporting

When Dan was just 13 years old, he began reporting for his local newspaper. This paper was called the Tennant and District Times. He was first hired to wash windows at the newspaper office. But one day, he was asked to cover a local netball game. This led to him becoming the newspaper's sports reporter! He then joined the NT News in 2007.

Moving to Television News

Dan started his TV career in 2010 at NITV. He worked in both Sydney and Canberra. In 2012, he joined Sky News Australia. There, he became the main reporter for their Northern Territory office. This office was based in Darwin. In 2015, he moved to Canberra. He became a political reporter there. He also reported on important topics for Indigenous Australians across the country.

Working at the ABC

In 2017, Dan Bourchier moved to the ABC. From February 16, 2017, he began presenting the local ABC News in Canberra. He presented the news from Monday to Thursday. He took over from Virginia Haussegger.

Around the same time in 2017, Dan also started hosting a breakfast radio show. This was on ABC Radio Canberra. He left this role in December 2019.

Connecting with Indigenous Culture

In 2019, Dan started a special tradition on ABC News Canberra. He began including an Acknowledgement of Country. This is a way to show respect to the traditional owners of the land. Ngunnawal elders were in the ABC TV studio for this first broadcast. Dan greeted viewers in the Ngunnawal language by saying "Yuma" (hello). At the end of the news, he would say: "...and that's the latest from the Canberra newsroom, proudly broadcasting from the land of the Ngunnawal people. As part of our ongoing commitment to Indigenous recognition, the ABC is partnering with the United Ngunnawal Elders Council and pays respect to them — the first people of this land. I'm Dan Bourchier, Yarra, Goodnight." A screen behind him also showed the words "Ngunnawal Country". This showed his commitment to respecting Indigenous culture.

Reporting During Bushfires

During the big Australian bushfires in 2019–2020, Dan faced a challenge. Thick smoke from the fires filled Canberra. The smoke alarms went off at the ABC studios. This happened just before the 7 PM news. Dan had to present ABC News Canberra from the footpath outside the building! This showed his dedication to delivering the news.

National Roles and Advocacy

Besides his work in Canberra, Dan has hosted other ABC programs. He has presented the New South Wales edition of ABC News. He has also anchored content on the national ABC TV and ABC News channels. This includes Weekend Breakfast. He often hosts The Drum and appears on Insiders.

He has also hosted national broadcasts for the Australian of the Year Awards. These events happen in Canberra and are shown on the ABC Local Radio network.

Dan is a strong supporter of social justice. He believes in education and equality for everyone. He is an ambassador for several important groups. These include the Australian Indigenous Education Foundation [1]. He is also an ambassador for the National Association of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Workers and Practitioners (NAATSIHWP) [2]. And he supports the Pinnacle Foundation [3].

Dan Bourchier's Background

Dan Bourchier is an Indigenous Australian. His mother's family has Aboriginal ancestry. He is a strong advocate for First Nations Australians. He often speaks at events to discuss important Indigenous issues. For example, he takes part in National Reconciliation Week. He has also been involved with Indigenous organizations. This includes Blakdance, a First Nation contemporary dance company. He has served as its chairperson and deputy chairperson. He is also an ambassador for the Australian Indigenous Education Foundation.

Dan believes in gender and cultural diversity. He will not join any panel discussions if women are not included. He also declines to lead discussions about a specific group of people if members of that group are not part of the conversation.