Jim Middleton

Jim Middleton's Biography

Jim Middleton has been Australia Network's chief current affairs anchor since 2008. His interviews on the program have included former Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd, former Malaysian Prime Minister Abdullah Badawi, Indonesian Finance Minister Sri Mulyani Indrawati, Indonesian Trade Minister Mari Pangestu, former Indonesian Environment Minister Rachmat Witoelar, New Zealand Prime Minister John Key, Indian Foreign Minister S.M. Krishna, Sri Lankan Foreign Minister Rohitha Bogollagama, Thai Foreign Minister Kasit Piromya, East Timorese President Jose Ramos-Horta, former Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad and ASEAN Secretary-General Surin Pitsuwan.

Jim joined Australias international television service after a distinguished career as one of the senior statesmen in the federal parliamentary press gallery in Canberra. An ABC journalist since 1970, he has four decades experience as a correspondent, focusing on political and international reporting.

For six years, at the height of the Reagan era, he was a foreign correspondent in New York and Washington. He was present at US President Reagan's first two summits with Russian leader Mikhail Gorbachev, saw Alan Bond's Australia II win the America's Cup in 1983, was present in Barbados as Ronald Biggs defied British efforts at extradition and reported the Falklands war from Argentina as well as the guerrilla conflict in El Salvador and Nicaragua.

From 1988 until the end of 2007, Jim was ABC TV's Political Editor based in Canberra. He covered seven federal elections and three eras of government under Prime Ministers Howard, Keating and Hawke. In that role he reported throughout Asia, Europe and the Americas.

Jim is also the chief presenter of Australia Network's Asia Pacific Focus program, which is also shown on ABC Television in Australia.