David Richardson is an Australian journalist who has been with the

Seven Network Seven Network (stylised 7Network, and commonly known as Channel Seven or simply Seven) is an Australian commercial free-to-air Television broadcasting in Australia, television network. It is owned by Seven West Media, Seven West Media Limited, ...

for more than 30 years, 23 years with ''

Today Tonight ''Today Tonight'' was an Australian current affairs television program produced by the Seven Network. It aired from January 1995 to November 2019 in Adelaide and Perth. Editions in Brisbane, Sydney and Melbourne were previously produced be ...

''. As a senior investigative journalist he has broken numerous stories as well as covering national and international events. He now leads a small team from Sydney for ''Today Tonight''.

Early career

* Graduated from the journalism school at the

University of South Australia The University of South Australia is a public research university based in Adelaide, South Australia. Established in 1991, it is the successor of the former South Australian Institute of Technology. Its main campuses along North Terrace are ...

* Recipient of Pater Award for "Professional Excellence in Radio Arts and Sciences" * Recipient of

Thorn Award Thorn(s) or The Thorn(s) may refer to: Botany * Thorns, spines, and prickles, sharp structures on plants * ''Crataegus monogyna'', or common hawthorn, a plant species Comics and literature * Rose and Thorn, the two personalities of two DC Comic ...

for "Best Current Affairs Report" * Cliff Neville Award – Outstanding Team Player

Notable reports

Gulf War and Operation Iraqi Freedom

David was one of the lead reporters for Network Seven during

Operation Iraqi Freedom The Iraq War (), also referred to as the Second Gulf War, was a prolonged conflict in Iraq lasting from 2003 to 2011. It began with the invasion by a United States-led coalition, which resulted in the overthrow of the Ba'athist governm ...

. Reporting on activity in Kuwait City during the conflict.

Man Monis Investigation

Before Man Monis was involved in the infamous Sydney Siege he was initially investigated by David Richardson. In the inquiry into the Siege ABC reported, "Channel 7 reporter David Richardson said after he did a 2009 television story about Monis sending letters to the families of Australian soldiers, Monis complained to the Australian Communications and Media Authority who dismissed his complaint." Mr Richardson said Monis "was never shy". The inquest was told that Monis sent the letters to funeral parlours and one was delivered at a funeral of an Australian soldier. Network Seven's six-month investigation found no official confirmation from the Iranian community that Monis was even a real sheik.

Defamation case

After a five-year court battle in July 2009, the Seven Network was ordered to pay mortgage broker Peter Mahommed $240,000 after a 2004 ''Today Tonight'' report by Richardson was found to have falsely portrayed him as having "fleeced" a dementia patient of $1 million.

References