Steve Pennells

'''Steve Pennells''' (born 1971) is an Australian journalist.<ref>Bannister, Brooke (15 August 2011) [http://www.abc.net.au/local/stories/2011/08/15/3293797.htm WA journalist comes face-to-face with East Africa famine], ABC Radio Perth, Australian Broadcasting Corporation. Retrieved 12 April 2019.</ref>

In 2012, Pennells was awarded the Gold Walkley.<ref>(1 December 2013) [https://www.news.com.au/national/walkley-award-winners-announced-in-canberra/news-story/3a05a7d8f54841071e9656107735051a Walkley Award winners announced in Canberra], ''news.com.au'', News Corp Australia. Retrieved 12 April 2019.</ref><ref>Emery, Kate (1 December 2012) [https://thewest.com.au/news/australia/the-wests-gold-walkley-winner-ng-ya-286515 The West's Gold Walkley winner], ''The West Australian'', Seven West Media. Retrieved 12 April 2019.</ref> Pennells received the award in recognition for his work at ''The West Australian'', specifically a series of articles about asylum seekers<ref>Pennells, Steve (16 May 2011) [https://thewest.com.au/news/australia/freedom-beckons-for-refugees-heading-to-perth-ng-ya-169126 Freedom beckons for refugees heading to Perth], ''The West Australian'', Seven West Media. Retrieved 12 April 2019.</ref><ref>Pennells, Steve (17 May 2011) [https://thewest.com.au/news/world/hard-life-for-refugees-in-malaysia-ng-ya-168965 Hard life for refugees in Malaysia], ''The West Australian'', Seven West Media. Retrieved 12 April 2019.</ref><ref>Pennells, Steve (24 December 2011) [https://thewest.com.au/news/australia/asylum-boat-bodies-float-300km-end-up-at-bali-ng-ya-338141 Asylum boat bodies float 300km, end up at Bali], ''The West Australian'', Seven West Media. Retrieved 12 April 2019.</ref><ref>Pennells, Steve; Sas, Nick; Butterly, Nick (27 June 2012) [https://thewest.com.au/news/wa/rescue-emergency-as-asylum-boat-sinks-ng-ya-309760 Rescue emergency as asylum boat sinks], ''The West Australian'', Seven West Media. Retrieved 12 April 2019.</ref><ref>Pennells, Steve (20 August 2012) [https://thewest.com.au/news/australia/deaths-do-not-faze-smugglers-ng-ya-301497 Deaths do not faze smugglers], ''The West Australian'', Seven West Media. Retrieved 12 April 2019.</ref> and for his reports on the conflict between Australian mining magnate Gina Rinehart and her children.<ref>Pennells, Steve (14 January 2012) [https://thewest.com.au/news/wa/youngest-of-rineharts-out-of-the-shadows-ng-ya-335837 Youngest of Rinehart's out of shadows], ''The West Australian'', Seven West Media. Retrieved 12 April 2019.</ref><ref>Pennells, Steve (4 February 2012) [https://thewest.com.au/news/australia/son-breaks-his-silence-in-rinehart-battle-ng-ya-332414 Son breaks his silence in Rinehart battle], ''The West Australian'', Seven West Media. Retrieved 12 April 2019.</ref><ref>Pennells, Steve (10 March 2012) [https://thewest.com.au/news/australia/rineharts-bombshell-to-kids-over-hancock-legacy-ng-ya-327046 Rinehart's bombshell to kids over Hancock legacy], ''The West Australian'', Seven West Media. Retrieved 12 April 2019.</ref><ref>Pennnells, Steve (12 March 2012) [https://thewest.com.au/news/australia/old-fights-surface-as-rinehart-secrecy-folds-ng-ya-326963 Old fights surface as Rinehart secrecy folds], ''The West Australian'', Seven West Media. Retrieved 12 April 2019.</ref><ref>Pennells, Steve (17 March 2012) [https://thewest.com.au/news/wa/we-are-just-doing-this-for-fairness-son-ng-ya-326009 We are just doing this for fairness: son], ''The West Australian'', Seven West Media. Retrieved 12 April 2019.</ref>

Pennells won a legal battle with Rinehart in the Supreme Court of Western Australia in 2013 after she had served a subpoena, attempting to expose Pennells' sources by accessing confidential documents and communications, specifically between Pennells and her son John.<ref name=lateline>Weber, David (6 August 2013) [https://www.abc.net.au/lateline/rinehart-loses-attempt-to-discover-sources/4869572 Rinehart loses attempt to discover sources], ''Lateline'', Australian Broadcasting Corporation. Retrieved 12 April 2019.</ref><ref>Harvey, Eliza (7 August 2013) [https://www.abc.net.au/am/content/2013/s3819707.htm WA newspaper journalist wins legal battle against billionaire Gina Rinehart], ''AM'', Australian Broadcasting Corporation. Retrieved 12 April 2019.</ref> In what was considered to be the first test of Australia's shield laws, Justice Janine Pritchard described the subpoena as oppressive and an abuse of process, stating that if Pennells' sources had been disclosed it would have been a breach of a journalist's "fundamental ethical obligation".<ref name=lateline/> The ramifications of the decision were widely discussed in Australia.<ref>Bradley, Seamus (7 August 2013) [https://www.theguardian.com/world/2013/aug/07/australia-journalist-protection-shield-laws Australia's shield laws, state by state], ''The Guardian'', Guardian Media Group. Retrieved 12 April 2019.</ref><ref>Lidberg, Johan (8 August 2013) [http://theconversation.com/pennells-decision-a-win-for-source-protection-and-investigative-journalism-16755 Pennells decision a win for source protection and investigative journalism], ''The Conversation'', The Conversation Trust. Retrieved 12 April 2019.</ref>

In 2013, Pennells joined the Seven Network's weekly current affairs program, ''Sunday Night''.<ref>Cronin, Bob (18 November 2018) [http://halloffame.melbournepressclub.com/article/steve-pennells The Australian Media Hall of Fame: Steve Pennells], Melbourne Press Club. Retrieved 12 April 2019.</ref> Pennells hosted a ''Seven News'' special in 2016, ''Anita: You Thought You Knew It All''.<ref>Knox, David (30 January 2016) [https://tvtonight.com.au/2016/01/seven-news-anita-cobby-investigation.html Seven News: Anita Cobby investigation], ''TV Tonight''. Retrieved 12 April 2019.</ref>

Pennells was among 48 Australian journalists who were inducted into the Australian Media Hall of Fame in November 2018.<ref>Knox, David (18 November 2018) [https://tvtonight.com.au/2018/11/australian-media-hall-of-fame-2018-inductees.html Australian Media Hall of Fame: 2018 inductees], ''TV Tonight''. Retrieved 12 April 2019.</ref>

== References ==  {{reflist}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Pennells, Steve}} Category:1971 births Category:Living people Category:Walkley Award winners

Steve Pennells

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