Paul Kelly: 2010 Vice-Chancellor’s Fellow

The Vice-Chancellor’s Fellowships were founded in 1997 to provide ‘in residence’ status for distinguished public intellectuals who contribute to the public life of the University.

Previously Editor-in-Chief of The Australian, Mr Kelly was Graham Perkin Journalist of the Year in 1990, the Weary Dunlop medallist for 2005, and is a former Shorenstein Fellow at the Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University. Mr Kelly is also a Fellow of the Academy of Social Sciences in Australia.

“I think the concept of a Vice-Chancellor’s Fellow, where you can pursue a particular project, is a great one,” Mr Kelly says.

The Vice-Chancellor’s Fellowship highlights his long association with the University: Mr Kelly was awarded a Doctor of Letters in 2006 and has previously worked with Professor Allan Fels, Dean of the University’s Australia and New Zealand School of Government.

The University’s publishing arm, Melbourne University Press (MUP) is also publishing his latest book, the first volume of which, The March of the Patriots: The Struggle for Modern Australia, was published in September 2009. During his Fellowship Mr Kelly will complete the second volume of The March of the Patriots, focusing on John Howard’s final two terms and Kevin Rudd’s prime ministership.

Mr Kelly is undoubtedly one of Australia’s pre-eminent journalists, but his career path was somewhat unorthodox, he explains. Graduating from the University of Sydney with a Bachelor of Arts and a Diploma of Education, Mr Kelly first worked in Canberra as an administrative trainee in the public service and was later in the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet.

It was his ongoing contact with the press gallery in this role that spurred Mr Kelly’s interest in journalism.

“You get really close to the political system and that proximity motivated me,” Mr Kelly explains.

“I’m happy I made the choice to work as a journalist, I’ve been very fortunate.”

Mr Kelly says his understanding of the public service has helped enormously during his career.

One of the keys to being a successful journalist, he says, is to bring knowledge to the profession when you come, “to master a discipline, whether it’s law or economics or international relations or science or Indigenous affairs, a discipline that can then be applied to journalism.

“The other thing that’s really important is passion,” he says.

 “Journalism is tough, the hours aren’t regular, you can’t choose what you do for a long time, so you have to have passion for it.”

Mr Kelly brings his own continuing passion for his work to his roles as a Fellow. Such passion was evident when he spoke at the University’s recent forum ‘Transforming data into Policy: What can we learn from climate change policy making in Australia so far?’.

He joined 2009 Vice-Chancellor’s Fellow and author of the Garnaut Climate Change Review Professor Ross Garnaut, Minister Assisting the Minister for Climate Change the Honourable Greg Combet and Director of Port Jackson Partners Limited Rod Sims to speak about the social, political and environmental challenges that climate change presents.

Mr Kelly says he is looking forward to continuing to contribute to the public life of the University throughout his fellowship.