Meet the Newsport Editorial Team

 

Michael Warren

Editor

Born and raised in country NSW Michael Warren has held a lifelong passion for journalism.

Throughout his career he has worked for a number of newspapers and digital companies throughout NSW and Queensland.

In 2013 Michael won the prestigious best sports journalism in rural, regional and suburban Australia at the Australian sports commission sports media awards for a feature story on then NRL star Ben Barba.

Soon after he won best story at the Queensland multi media award in Cairns for a yarn about ex Sydney Swans star Adam Goodes which landed on the front page of major papers and websites across the country.

He loves writing about sport, crime matters and issues that reflect the interests of the local community.

Away from the desk he loves to hike and adventure. The long suffering Parramatta Eels fan likes listening to country music and enjoys watching anything that stars Ricky Gervais on television.

David Gardiner

Journalist

Originally from Fiji, David Gardiner has worked as a journalist in radio and television in Sydney, Newcastle and the NSW Central Coast.

David’s journalism has covered politics and elections, crime, business, health and medical rounds, and general news issues for over 15 years; including the production of TV documentaries and current affairs segments about the Pacific Islands and Chile.

He has also worked as a media advisor and cafe operator/owner. David moved to far north Queensland around eight years ago, where he intends to retire. 

 

Jamie Jansen

Feature Editor & Journalist

Originally from The Netherlands, where she completed her Bachelor of Journalism, Jamie always knew that one day she would escape the cold weather and live on a tropical island. And well, Port Douglas comes pretty close.

Jamie excels in writing long human-interest features and has worked for a well-known and long-standing Dutch women’s magazine. In 2019 she decided it was time to leave her little country and explore the big Down Under.

After traveling around Australia in a campervan, having seen most of the country and the most spectacular places, she was amazed by the beauty of Port Douglas and decided to settle down in this picturesque town.

In May 2020 she started writing for Newsport and the Port Douglas Magazine and so far she has fulfilled different roles within the company including communications and editor responsibilities.

She currently manages all feature editorial for Newsport - combining her passion for writing and travelling - as she loves to explore and discover beautiful hidden places in our tropical paradise and to share them with our readers.

 

Paul Makin

Journalist

Paul Makin is a 60-year veteran of the radio & television industry and is one of Australia’s most enduring and versatile media personalities. Starting off his career as a cine-cameraman, he ventured into journalism in the seventies with 5KA Adelaide then 2UE Sydney as on-road reporter whilst presenting the program Night Watch.

He was the first reporter on the scene of the Granville Rail Disaster in 1977, the year he joined the top-rated Willesee at Seven Program, where he became a national media identity.

In 1980 he joined Radio 3UZ Melbourne, at which time he was assigned to Newport Rhode Island to cover Australia’s successful tilt at the Americas Cup. Whilst at 3UZ he travelled to Perth on a weekly basis to host the national TV game show $50,000 Letterbox.

From 1984, in a fifteen-year stint with Channel 10 Adelaide, Paul hosted from the news desk Makin’s Adelaide, State Affair and Great Mysteries of the World. He was a regular contributor to Bert Newton’s Good Morning Australia, as well as Entertainment Reporter and Senior Reporter for This Week.

He moved back into radio with 5AA Adelaide as a talk show host before joined Channel 7 Adelaide in 2000 to take up a Senior Reporter’s role with Today Tonight, undertaking various positions including Executive Producer & Host of the program. He left Adelaide in 2002 to join Today Tonight in Sydney.

Paul went on to fill a variety of radio roles in Sydney, including News Director and Presenter on national broadcaster Radio 2 and behind the microphone as a talk back announcer on Radio 2GB, 2UE and ABC News Radio.

Over the years Paul has acted in numerous stage shows, feature films and television series including iconic TV shows such as Cop Shop, Prisoner, Carsons Law and Flying Doctors.

Paul and his wife Marion currently operate Radio FAB FM Port Douglas.

 

Byron Filmer

Junior Reporter

Byron embarked on his journalism journey in 2022 with a week of school-based work experience at Newsport, learning the basic ropes or reporting.

In 2023, he transitioned into freelance writing for Newsport as a junior reporter. This acted as an opportunity for Byron to work on his writing skills with guidance from the Newsport team.

Hailing from the heart of The Daintree Village, Byron now concentrates on reporting news from that region.

In addition to writing for Newsport, Byron manages a part-time position at the Daintree Village Hotel, all while completing his last year of Highschool in Mossman.

 

 

Meet our Guest Columnists


 

Rosie Wang

Guest Columnist

Born and raised in London, Rosie holds a Diploma in Travel Journalism and Photography from London’s Morris College of Journalism, and has written for London-based TNT, the backpacker’s magazine of choice.

Rosie began her sales career in 1982, with London-based company On File, the world’s first interactive electronic daily information service.

In the UK, Rosie worked on both sides of the media industry fence, involved in marketing, sales and advertising for multinationals including IBM, Hasbro Toys, Revlon and Logica, and agencies Moxon, Dolphin and Kerby (Ted Bates Advertising), BCG Communications, and her own OrangeApple Media.

Before moving to Australia in 2010, Rosie embarked on what would become a 10-year journey around the world, living and diving in eight countries, which also involved working as a professional underwater photographer and videographer.

Rosie currently works as a licensed real estate agent in Port Douglas.

Rosie joined the Newsport team in 2013 and continues to contribute as a guest columnist.

Rosie is a regular at K-Star’s Tuesday Trivia at Paddy’s. A passionate advocate for the environment and animal welfare, Rosie volunteers as a walker with Port Douglas animal shelter, Paws and Claws.

 

Crispin Hull

Guest Columnist

Crispin Hull has written for The Canberra Times for 30 years on a huge range of topics, but mainly legal and constitutional before becoming Editor of the paper for seven years.

For about two decades, he handled the paper’s defamation work, was responsible for the selection of the letters to the Editor and wrote too many editorials to count.

He has contributed to both Federal and Australian Capital Territory parliamentary inquiries on defamation and freedom of speech.

He now teaches journalism at the University of Canberra; writes a weekly column for The Canberra Times and Newsport; writes the editorial matter for allhomes.com.au; contributes to other publications and appears intermittently on ABC radio and television; and occasional consultancy work (including website design and creation) and occasional public speaking.

Crispin is also the author of “The High Court of Australia 1903-2003” and “Canberra – Australia’s National Capital”.

Crispin and his wife live in Port Douglas.