Charles Croucher | |
|---|---|
| Alma mater | Charles Sturt University |
| Occupation | journalist |
| Known for | being theNine Network's chief political editor |
| Television | Nine News,Weekend Today |
Charles Croucher is an Australian journalist.
He is currently theNine Network's chiefpolitical editor, a position he was appointed to in October 2022.[1]
He grew up inBranxton, New South Wales.[2] He attendedHunter Valley Grammar School, graduating in 2005.[2]
He studied a Bachelor of Sport Studies/Bachelor of Communication (Journalism) double degree atCharles Sturt University, where he graduated in 2009.[citation needed]
While he was at university, he found employment with Bathurst radio stations2BS andB-Rock where he worked as a news presenter, before becoming the host of a weekend breakfast show and then the presenter of the weekday morning program.[3]
In 2009, Croucher was a finalist in the "Best News Presenter (Country)" category at theAustralian Commercial Radio Awards but lost to Lois Chislett from3YB inWarrnambool, Victoria.[4][5]
In 2010, Croucher began his long association with the Nine Network inDarwin when he was appointed as a sports reporter forNine News Darwin where he also became a weekend news presenter.[3]
In 2012, he moved to Melbourne to work as a reporter forA Current Affair before relocating toCanberra in 2013 upon being appointed as a politics reporter based atParliament House.[3]
From 2018 to 2020, Croucher was Nine's Los Angeles-based US correspondent before returning to Australia to become a co-host ofWeekend Today in 2020.[3]
In October 2022, it was announced he would succeedChris Uhlmann as the Nine Network's political editor.[3]
As Nine's political editor, Croucher regularly provides commentary in a regular segment onRN Breakfast, where he discusses political news withPatricia Karvelas onABC Radio National.[6][7][8]
Following aNational Press Club address in October 2022, Croucher asked Federal TreasurerJim Chalmers whether theAustralian Labor Party's promise to cut electricity bills by $275 had been included in the Federal Budget, Chalmers mistakenly claimed: "Yep, it's in the Budget".[9] However, Chalmers later claimed to have misheard the question, phoning Croucher to confess his mistake, and correcting the record in theHouse of Representatives.[9]
When pressed on the issue duringQuestion Time byAngus Taylor, he stated: "I was temporarily blinded by the vast influence of Charles Croucher who has inherited this remarkable position of power fromLaurie Oakes andChris Uhlmann and I say, as I said to Charles who I rang straight after the press club, I rang Charles and I rangLaura Tingle and I said I thought you were asking me a different question, I misheard it and I answered a different question and so I say again to Charles, who is in the gallery through you, Mr Speaker, I misheard his question and I am generally grateful for once to the member for Hume for the opportunity to talk about this.[10]
The incident was widely reported and commentated on in the media.[11][12][13] Chalmers was criticised for his explanation by2GB hostBen Fordham who doubted that he had misheard Croucher's question.[14]