Margot O'Neill

Margot O'Neill (born 16 May 1958) is an Australian journalist, writer and producer. She founded Original Thinking Productions, a multi-platform content provider after leaving the ABC in 2019 where she was a journalist for over 25 years. O’Neill worked as a journalist for nearly 40 years in television, radio, newspapers and online in Australia and overseas covering politics, national security and social justice issues and has worked on a variety of ABC programs including the investigative flagship program, Four Corners. O'Neill twice won Australia's Walkley Awards including for Best Investigative Reporting as well as four human rights awards. She also wrote a book called Blind Conscience (UNSW Press 2008) telling the stories of some of the key players in Australia's refugee advocacy movement. It won the 2009 Human Rights award for best non-fiction. She has a Bachelor of Arts (Politics) degree from the University of Melbourne. She was a Journalist Fellow at the University of Oxford.

Early life, education and personal life Margot O’Neill is one of five children who grew up in Gippsland, Victoria. She is married to Dr Ken Hudson and lives in Sydney. She has one daughter, Molly, and a step-daughter, Charlotte.

Professional career

O’Neill founded Original Thinking Productions in 2019 after leaving a career as a journalist with the Australian Broadcasting Corporation, ABC. 2003 - LOGIE Finalist Most Outstanding Public Affairs program Lateline ABC 2005 - Human Rights Commission winner TV 'Vivian Solon' Lateline ABC 2005 - Walkley Finalist TV Current Affairs (less than 20 mins) 'Vivian Solon' Lateline ABC 2005 - Walkley Award Winner (All Media) - Investigative Journalism, 'Vivian Solon', Lateline ABC (with Hamish Fitzsimmons, Tom Iggulden & Lisa Millar) National Library of Australia - Trove 2006 - LOGIE Finalist Most Outstanding News Coverage 'Vivian Solon' Lateline ABC TV 2006 - Walkley Social Equity Journalism Commendation 'Sex Abuse of the Elderly' Lateline ABC 2006 - UNAA Media Peace Award - Finalist - Best Television - News - Margot O'Neill & Michael Edwards, ABC TV Lateline – 'Belgrade Exile', United Nations Association of Australia 2007 - LOGIE Finalist Most Outstanding News Coverage 'Sexual Abuse of the Elderly' Lateline ABC 2008 -Walkley Finalist Best TV Current Affairs (under 20 mins) 'Tragic Story of Tony Tran' Lateline ABC 2009 - John Button Prize - Short Listed - Margot O'Neill: Blind Conscience (UNSW Press) 2009 - National Human Rights Award for Best Non-Fiction - Winner - Blind Conscience (UNSW Press) 2010 - Donald McDonald ABC Reuters Journalism Institute Fellowship to Oxford University - University of Oxford - Fellowships 2012 - Walkley Finalist Social Equity Journalism 'Aged Drugs' Lateline ABC 2013 - Human Rights Commission Finalist 'Aged Care Crisis' Lateline ABC 2013 - UNAA Media Award - TV Current Affairs - Margot O'Neill, Lateline ABC TV, - 'Aged Care Crisis'