Don Watson is the author of many books, including the bestselling Recollections of a Bleeding Heart: A Portrait of Paul Keating PM, Death Sentence, Watson's Dictionary of Weasel Words, Caledonia Australis, American Journeys and The Bush. In addition to books and essays, he writes films and gives occasional talks on writing and language.

Leigh Sales is one of Australia’s most respected journalists.  She anchors the ABC’s flagship TV current affairs program 7.30 and her first book Detainee 002 was released in 2007 to critical acclaim.  She has two Walkley awards, Australia’s highest journalism honour, and also co-hosts a wildly popular podcast called Chat 10 Looks 3 about books, television, politics and culture.

Image courtesy of Daniel Boud  

Sarah Ferguson is an ABC journalist. In the same year that she worked on The Killing Season, she also wrote and presented Hitting Home, the landmark series on domestic violence. She has presented the ABC's 7.30 and worked as a journalist on Four Corners, where she won four Walkleys—including the Gold Walkley in 2011 for 'A Bloody Business'—the Melbourne Press Club Gold Quill Award, four Logies for most outstanding public affairs report…

Katharine Murphy is Guardian Australia's political editor. She has worked in Canberra's parliamentary gallery for 15 years. In 2008, she won the Paul Lyneham award for excellence in press gallery journalism, while in 2012 she was a Walkley award finalist in the best digital journalism category.