Ita Buttrose

Ita Clare Buttrose (born 17 January 1942) is an Australian television and radio personality, author and former magazine editor, publishing executive, newspaper journalist and television network executive chairperson.

Buttrose was the founding editor of Cleo, a high-circulation magazine aimed at women aged 20 to 40 that was frank about sexuality (and, in its infancy, featured nude male centrefolds) and, later, the editor of the more conventional the Australian Women's Weekly. She was the youngest person to be appointed editor of The Weekly, which was then, per capita, the largest-selling magazine in the world.

Buttrose was a panellist on the Network Ten morning program Studio 10 from 2013 until 2018.

In 2019, Prime Minister Scott Morrison announced Buttrose as the new chair of the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC). and named after her maternal grandmother, Ita Clare Rodgers (née Rosenthal), pronounced (rhyming with 'fighter'). She has Jewish ancestry on her maternal side. She was raised as a Catholic by her parents. Buttrose's father, Charles Oswald Buttrose, was a journalist and at one time the editor of The Daily Mirror in Sydney. By her own account she had decided on a career in journalism at the age of 11. Buttrose spent her first five years in New York City when her father was the New York correspondent for The Daily Mirror. The family returned to Australia in 1949 and settled in the harbourside suburb of Vaucluse. Her parents divorced during her teens, after 25 years of marriage, and details of her father's private life were printed in the tabloid press, causing considerable anguish to her mother. Buttrose briefly attended a private school but because her father could not afford the fees she was then moved to a public school. She completed her secondary education at Dover Heights Home Science High School, leaving at 15 to begin her career.

Career

Buttrose was appointed women's editor of the Telegraph at just 23 years old. In 1966 she won a racetrack fashion contest run by a rival newspaper, for which the first prize was an overseas trip, including a visit to Expo 67 in Montreal. Buttrose and her husband then stopped in England in 1967 where she worked for a time on the British national magazine Woman's Own before giving birth to her first child, a daughter, Kate. This was originally intended as an Australian edition of the American magazine Cosmopolitan, but the deal fell through after Hearst Magazines sold the Cosmopolitan rights to longtime Packer rivals Fairfax; so Packer and Buttrose set about creating a new publication, dubbed Cleo, which they launched in 1972 several months ahead of its rival. Cleo was an instant hit, selling its entire original print run in just two days; the magazine broke new ground in Australian mainstream publishing, featuring the first nude male centrefold (actor Jack Thompson) and frank articles on female sexuality and other topics, leading to the inclusion of the first sealed section in an Australian magazine. During the early months of the magazine, Buttrose became pregnant with her second child, Ben, but with the grudging support of the Packers she worked through her pregnancy; an unusual feat for that time as it was still common for women to have to give up work permanently after they became pregnant.

Buttrose edited Cleo until 1975, when she was appointed editor of the Packers' flagship magazine, The Australian Women's Weekly (1975–76). She then became editor-in-chief of both publications from 1976 to 1978, before being appointed publisher of Australian Consolidated Press Women's Division from 1978 to 1981. In 1981, she left the Packers after their rival Rupert Murdoch offered her the job of editor-in-chief of the Daily Telegraph and Sunday Telegraph, making her the first female editor of a major metropolitan newspaper in Australia, a position she held until 1984; she was also appointed to the board of News Limited. During the period 1982-1983 she also had her own weekend radio talk back show simply titled Ita for the 2UE radio station. She made frequent appearances on radio and TV and in 1980, her media prominence led to her becoming the subject of the song "Ita", recorded by rock band Cold Chisel, which was included on their successful East album.

Buttrose was chair of the National Advisory Committee on AIDS (NACAIDS) from 1984 until 1988. On one occasion, she appeared personally in a nationwide TV campaign to explain that donating blood at a blood bank did not pose a risk of catching AIDS (the fear of which had caused a significant drop in donations). During the mid- to late 1980s, she also had a regular weekly "Ask Ita" page for the magazine Woman's Day which gave readers advice on personal issues.

After her stint with News Limited, Buttrose founded her own publishing company, Capricorn Publishing, and launched her own magazine, Ita, in 1989. Due to the recession and a decline in monthly sales the publication eventually folded and she launched a new company, the Good Life Publishing Company, which in 2005 published bark!, a lifestyle magazine aimed at dog owners.

Buttrose utilised the services of celebrity agent Max Markson to assist her with publicity and promotion.

Television

Buttrose was a regular on Beauty and the Beast in the 1990s and early 2000s. She was also a regular commentator on the Nine Network breakfast show Today and was at one point considered to replace Kerri-Anne Kennerley in the network's morning slot.

In June 2013, Buttrose joined Network Ten where she hosted morning program Studio 10 two mornings a week for the station alongside Joe Hildebrand, Sarah Harris, Denise Drysdale and Jessica Rowe. The show premiered in late 2013. However, 2016 saw Buttrose reduce her appearances on the program to just twice a week to spend more time with her grandchildren.

She made a cameo appearance in episode 7547 of The Bold and the Beautiful alongside Brendan Jones and Amanda Keller as a news reporter airing in March 2017.

In April 2018, Buttrose resigned as panelist on Studio 10 to focus on other parts of her life, including spending more time with her grandchildren and writing.

Since leaving Network Ten, Buttrose has appeared on The Morning Show on the Seven Network and filled in for Sonia Kruger on Today Extra on the Nine Network.

In 2019 she was controversially appointed by Prime Minister Scott Morrison as chair of the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) for a five-year term. Morrison said he had ignored the established selection process and had decided to make a “captains pick” as he had been disappointed the independent panel had not recommended any women. She decided against seeking a second term, and was succeeded by Kim Williams in March 2024.

Other roles and activities Buttrose is also a prolific author and has published ten books, including her autobiography, A Passionate Life. In 2011, Penguin published A Guide to Australian Etiquette.

From 1993 to 1994, Buttrose was president of Chief Executive Women.

Buttrose is or has been a patron of Women of Vision, World Vision Australia, the Macular Disease Foundation of Australia, the University of the Third Age, the Juvenile Diabetes Foundation of Australia, Amarant, the National Menopause Foundation, the Sydney Women's Festival, Safety House, and the National Institute of Secretaries and Administrators.

Buttrose is also an ambassador of the Australian Women Chamber of Commerce (AWCCI) and sits on the AWCCI Advisory Board.

Recognition and honours Buttrose was made an Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) in 1979, and appointed an Officer of the Order of Australia (AO) in 1988. In 2003, she was awarded the Centenary Medal. Buttrose was inducted to the Victorian Honour Roll of Women in 2001, and advanced to Companion of the Order of Australia (AC) in 2019.

In August 2017 Buttrose was recognised for Outstanding Lifetime Achievement at the annual Kennedy Awards for Excellence in Journalism.

In 1984 she was named the Variety Club 'Personality of the Year' as well as winning the Australasian Academy of Broadcast, Arts and Sciences for the 'Most Promising Newcomer to Radio'. In 1993 Buttrose was named Juvenile Diabetes Foundation's 'Australian of the Year'.

In April 2011, Buttrose and Cleo were the subject of the ABC-TV two-part telemovie Paper Giants: The Birth of Cleo, starring Asher Keddie as Buttrose, Rob Carlton as Kerry Packer and Tony Barry as Frank Packer.

In January 2013, Buttrose was named the 2013 Australian of the Year.

She was awarded an honorary Doctor of Letters degree by Macquarie University in 2014 in recognition of her contribution to the arts. In 2015, she was awarded a second honorary Doctor of Letters degree by the University of Wollongong for her distinguished service to Australian society and for her commitment to advocating for vulnerable people in the community. She was awarded an honorary Doctor of the university degree by the University of New South Wales in 2018 in recognition of her eminent service to health, and for being an inspirational role model for aspiring women in business and for those wanting to make a difference in society.

Personal life

At 21 years of age, Buttrose married architect Alasdair "Mac" Macdonald and had two children. In 1975, while editing The Australian Women's Weekly, her marriage to Macdonald broke down and the couple divorced in 1976. Later she met Peter Sawyer and they married in 1979. By her own account it was "not a very happy marriage"; Sawyer left in 1980 and they subsequently divorced.

In his 2007 book Who Killed Channel Nine?, former Nine Network producer Gerald Stone claimed that Buttrose and Kerry Packer conducted a private but intense affair during Buttrose's tenure on Cleo. Stone also claimed that Packer even offered to marry her but she rejected the idea and they split after a "blazing row". Buttrose herself has repeatedly declined to comment on the matter.

Controversies

In 2023 Buttrose was implicated in a controversy concerning the dismissal of ABC Radio Sydney presenter Antoinette Lattouf. Her truthfulness and her understanding of protocol and procedure at the ABC was challenged when Federal Court Justice Darryl Rangiah ordered the ABC to pay Lattouf $70,000 following the illegal actions of the ABC, Buttrose and several staff members. In response to a campaign of a WhatsApp group, Buttrose applied pressure to Lattouf's manager to have her dismissed, a claim that was explicitly reinforced by Justice Rangiah's Federal Court condemnation of the ABC's capitulation to “pro-Israel lobbyists” who had specifically used Buttrose to “cancel” Lattouf.

During Federal Court proceedings, private communications and an affidavit by ABC Managing Director David Anderson indicated that Buttrose had intervened in the termination process. The documents revealed that she pressured senior executives to remove Lattouf and forwarded several complaints by lobbyists to Chief Content Officer Chris Oliver-Taylor—allegedly bypassing the broadcaster's standard disciplinary procedures. Buttrose described Lattouf as an "activist" and the Court found she "wanted Ms Lattouf gone as soon as possible." While the Federal Court found Buttrose "placed pressure" on Oliver-Taylor to dismiss Lattouf, she did “not materially contribute” to the decision.

Critics have argued that such interventions by senior ABC management could undermine internal governance and editorial independence, and the ABC's management faced criticism for its handling over Lattouf's dismissal. The ABC had maintained until the trial's conclusion that Lattouf's dismissal adhered to its internal policies and defended the actions of Buttrose, Oliver-Taylor and David Anderson, but was later retracted in an apology by Managing Director Hugh Marks who acknowledged that “many millions of dollars have been spent that shouldn’t have been spent” and that “the matter was not handled in line with our values and expectations”.

In the UNSW Centre for Healthy Brain Ageing (CHeBA) National Webinar Event Unapologetically Ita: In Conversation with Professor Henry Brodaty AO on 18 November 2025, while promoting her autobiography, Unapologetically Ita, Buttrose made the following statements about immigration in Australia: “Well, I think we’re more divided. I don’t think the multicultural society that we’ve spoken about so proudly in Australia is working as well as it could be. And that’s because we’ve allowed divisive groups to come into Australia. But – and that’s fine. I mean, we need all points of view, but this is Australia. So I think we have to be emphatic that you try and live our way, not the way you did when you were in the country that you left to become an Australian, because most people that do come here do end up taking our citizenship.”

Selected works Buttrose has authored or co-authored many books, including: A Guide to Australian Etiquette (2011) Eating for Eye Health: the Macular Degeneration Cookbook, co-authored with Sydney chef Vanessa Jones (2009) Get in Shape: A complete workout for strength, health & vitality, co-authored with Lee Campbell (2007) Motherguilt: Australian women reveal their true feelings about Motherhood, co-authored with Dr Penny Adams (2005; reprinted 2006) How Much Is Enough? Your Financial Roadmap to a Happy Retirement, co- authored with Will Buttrose and Mike Galgut (2003) What is Love? (2000) A Word to the Wise (1999) A Passionate Life (1998; updated paperback version published 2001) Every Occasion: The Guide to Modern Etiquette (1985) Early Edition: My First Forty Years (1985)

Introductions Foreword: Martins, Ralph and Ragg, Mark. Understanding Alzheimer's: the complete Australian guide to the management and prevention of Alzheimer's (2013, Pan Macmillan Australia).

TV appearances Year Title Role Type 1974 No Man's Land Herself TV series, 1 episode 1975 This Day Tonight Herself TV series, 1 episode 1977 Maggi Eckhardt Show Guest TV series, 1 episode 1978; 1981 The Don Lane Show Guest TV series, 2 episodes 1979 This Is Your Life: Ita Buttrose Special guest TV series, 1 episode 1979 This Fabulous Century Herself TV series, 1 episode 1979; 1981 Parkinson in Australia Guest TV series, 2 episodes 1980 Celebrity Tattletales Herself TV series 1980; 1982; 1984 The Mike Walsh Show Guest TV series, 3 episodes 1980 Our World with Ita Buttrose Presenter / Narrator TV series 1980 John Singleton Guest TV series, 1 episode 1981 Queensland Fashion Logie Awards Host TV special 1982 Beauty and the Beast Guest panelist TV series 1982 The Prince Philip Award For Australian Design, 1982 Host ABC TV special 1984 Tonight with Bert Newton Guest TV series, 1 episode 1985 After Noon Guest TV series, 1 episode 1986 Late Night with Jono and Dano Guest TV series, 1 episode 1986 Wednesday Woman Presenter TV series 1986 Television: The First 30 Years Herself TV special 1988 Late Night Oz Guest TV series, 1 episode 1989 The Bert Newton Show Guest TV series, 1 episode 1989; 1992 The Midday Show Guest TV series, 2 episodes 1989 60 Minutes Herself TV series, 1 episode 1990; 1992 Tonight Live with Steve Vizard Guest TV series, 3 episodes 1991 Clive James' Postcard From... Herself TV series, 1 episode 1991 Page One Herself TV series, 1 episode 1991 The World Tonight Guest TV series, 1 episode 1991 The Main Event Contestant TV series, 1 episode 1991 Celebrity Wheel of Fortune Contestant TV series, 1 episode 1992 In Sydney Today Guest TV series, 1 episode 1992 Hinch Guest TV series, 1 episode 1992 Sydney Extra Guest TV series, 1 episode 1992; 1993; 1994; 1995; 1996; 1998; 2000; 2001; 2002; 2003; 2005 Good Morning Australia Guest TV series, 26 episodes 1993 Real Life Herself TV series, 1 episode 1993 Top Sorts and Superstars Herself TV special 1994 At Home Guest TV series, 1 episode 1994; 1995 Midday with Derryn Hinch Guest host TV series, 1 episode 1994 World Series Debating Herself TV series, 1 episode 1994 Live It Up Herself TV series, 1 episode 1994 60 Minutes Herself TV series, 1 episode 1994 Witness Herself TV series, 1 episode 1995 Dr Feelgood Guest TV series, 1 episode 1995 Today Tonight Herself TV series, 1 episode 1995 Midday Guest TV series, 1 episode 1996 Our Century Herself TV series, 1 episode 1996–2002 Beauty and the Beast Regular panelist TV series 1997 Roy and HG Guest TV series, 1 episode 1997 Midday with Kerri-Anne Guest (with Lisa Wilkinson) TV series, 1 episode 1997 Sex & Beyond: 25 Years of Cleo Herself TV special 1998 Burke's Backyard Celebrity gardener TV series, 1 episode 1998; 2012 A Current Affair Herself TV series, 1 episode 1998; 1998 Midday with Kerri-Anne Guest TV series, 2 episodes 1998; 2001 Denise Guest TV series, 2 episodes 1998; 1999 Good News Week Guest TV series, 2 episodes 1999 This Fabulous Century: Heroes and Legends Herself TV special 2000 The Morning Shift Guest TV series, 1 episode 2000 Laws Guest TV series, 1 episode 2002 This Is Your Life: The Showbiz Greats Guest TV special 2002 New Idea: 100 Fabulous Years Herself TV special 2003 The Panel Guest TV series, 1 episode 2003 This Is Your Life: The Australian Women’s Weekly 70th Birthday Party Herself (with Deborah Thomas) TV series, 1 episode 2004 Rove Live Guest TV series, 1 episode 2004 The Way We Were Guest TV series, 1 episode 2005–2009 20 to One Herself TV series 2005; 2008; 2011; 2012; 2024 Today Guest TV series, 4 episodes 2006 Good as Gold Herself TV series, 1 episode 2006 50 Years 50 Stars Herself TV special 2006 Wishbone Herself TV series 2007 Rampant: How a City Stopped a Plague Herself TV special 2007 What a Year Herself TV series, 1 episode 2007 Susie Guest TV series, 1 episode 2007 Thanks for Listening: History of Australian Radio Herself TV series, 1 episode 2008 Who Do You Think You Are? Special guest TV series, 1 episode 2008 Talking Heads Guest TV series, 1 episode 2010 Ten News Herself TV series, 1 episode 2010 Nine News Herself TV series, 1 episode 2010 Seven News Herself TV series, 1 episode 2010 ABC News Herself TV series, 1 episode 2011 Talkin' 'Bout Your Generation Contestant TV series, 1 episode 2011 Mornings with Kerri-Anne Guest TV series, 1 episode 2011 9am with David & Kim Guest TV series, 1 episode 2011 Sunrise Guest TV series, 1 episode 2011; 2022 The Morning Show Guest TV series, 2 episodes 2012;2025 A Current Affair Self - Guest TV series, 1 episode 2012 Today Self - Guest TV series, 1 episode 2012 The Circle Self - Guest TV series, 1 episode 2013 Australian of the Year Awards 2013 Herself TV special 2013–2018 Studio 10 Regular host TV series 2015 Julia Zemiro's Home Delivery Guest TV series, 1 episode 2016; 2022 Today Extra Guest host TV series, 2 episodes 2016 Silvia's Italian Table Guest TV series, 1 episode 2017 The Bold and the Beautiful Reporter #1 TV series, US / Australia, 1 episode 2018 Hughesy, We Have a Problem Guest TV series, 1 episode 2019 The Daily Edition Guest TV series, 1 episode 2019 One Plus One Guest TV series, 1 episode 2019; 2021 News Breakfast Guest TV series, 2 episodes 2019 7.30 Guest TV series, 1 episode 2020; 2022 Shaun Micallef's Mad as Hell Herself TV series, 2 episodes 2021 National Press Club Guest speaker TV series, 1 episode 2022 Back in Time For the Corner Shop Herself TV series, 1 episode 2022 The ABC Of Guest TV series, 1 episode 2022 Ticketyboo Guest TV series, 1 episode 2022 Insiders Herself - Talking Pictures TV series, 1 episode 2022 Australian Story Herself TV series, 1 episode2022ABC News Herself (on The Queen's death)TV series, 1 episode 2022; 2023 Studio 10 Guest TV series, 3 episodes 2024; 2025 Today Herself TV series, 1 episode 2024 9 News Herself TV series, 1 episode 2024 7 News Spotlight Herself TV series, 1 episode 2024 The Sunday Project Herself TV series, 1 episode 2025 The Rise and Fall of Kings Cross Herself - Interviewee TV Documentary, 2 episodes 2025 The Great Entertainer Herself TV Special 2025; 2025 A Current Affair Herself TV series, 1 episode 2025 Today Herself TV series, 1 episode 2025 The Morning Show Herself TV series, 1 episode 2025 A Current Affair Herself TV series, 1 episode