Virginia Haussegger AM is an award-winning journalist and gender equity advocate. Her extensive media career spans 30 years, in which Virginia has reported from around the globe for primetime current affair programs on Channel 7, the 9 Network, and ABC TV. She anchored the ABC’s flagship TV News in Canberra from 2001-2016.

A leading social commentator, Virginia is widely published across Australian media and remains a regular contributor to The Canberra Times, The Mandarin, Sydney Morning Herald and The Age.

In 2017 Virginia established the 50/50 by 2030 Foundation, at the University of Canberra, where she is an Adjunct Professor, and served as the Foundation’s founding Director and Chair until 2021. She currently hosts BroadTalk, a podcast about women, power, policy and leadership. She recently guest curated an historic exhibition, Australian Women Changemakers, at the Museum of Australian Democracy (MoAD).

In 2014 Virginia was appointed a Member of the Order of Australia (AM). She is the 2019 ACT Australian of the Year. 

Widely recognised as a leading communications and media strategist, Virginia regularly hosts a broad range of public forums, conferences and panel discussions, covering diverse fields of knowledge spanning academic, public and private sectors. She has worked across Commonwealth departments on the design and delivery of bespoke communication and presentation masterclasses. Virginia is an ANZSOG Fellow and sessional lecturer in the Public Policy Program (BGL) at the University of Canberra.

Virginia is Patron of the Canberra Rape Crisis Centre. She has served on a number of boards and committees including: UN Women Australia; The Rhodes Scholarship Australia at Large Selection Committee; the Snowy Hydro SouthCare Trust; Our Watch, Media Advisory Committee; Women in Media, Canberra; and served six years as a Director on the ACT Government’s Cultural Facilities Corporation.