BEYOND
THE HEADLINE.

I'm drawn to stories that don't have easy answers. I want to understand what sits beneath the headlines, ask difficult questions and meet people on their own terms. For me, journalism is about looking beyond first impressions and recognising the human experience behind an issue.

While volunteering with Homeless Not Nameless, I met Manaya, a 21-year-old man experiencing homelessness. I was 19. We started talking about music, football and our lives before discussing his struggles with drugs, time in jail and his efforts to return to his family in New Zealand. Hearing someone so close to my own age describe losing his independence and sense of identity was confronting. It taught me that meaningful stories often begin with a conversation, not a list of questions.

That lesson followed me into the newsroom. While reporting on an elderly man critically injured in a hammer attack in Eastwood, I encountered residents frightened and reluctant to speak. One woman eventually opened her door and described her fear for a neighbour who had helped care for her daughter. Her distress made the consequences of violence real in a way facts alone could not convey. I was reminded that asking questions is a privilege that comes with responsibility.

For UTS Central News, I have investigated illegal tobacco, unregulated peptides, firearms, homelessness and the war in Sudan. I've also reported for 2SER and North Shore Lorikeet. At 7News Central West, I've covered breaking news and stories about regional communities, where a journalist's work can have a direct and lasting impact. I want to keep pursuing difficult questions, listening without judgement and reporting stories that matter.

I've worked hard to improve my results and get more out of my degree. I want to bring that same willingness to learn, accept criticism and challenge my own assumptions to every story I tell.