Leigh Sales

Leigh Sales AM, the anchor of ABC-TV’s Australian Story, is one of the country’s most recognised and respected journalists.  From 2011 to 2022, she presented the ABC’s flagship evening current affairs program, 7.30, as well as being the face of major news coverage for the network, including federal elections and budget nights.  She has been a foreign correspondent based in Washington DC, covered various rounds including national security and politics, and worked for TV, radio, print and digital. 

She is the author of five books: Detainee 002: The Case of David Hicks (2007), On Doubt (2009), Well Hello (2021), the national bestseller Any Ordinary Day (2018) and her latest work Storytellers: Questions, Answers & the Craft of Journalism (2023).

Leigh co-hosts a wildly popular podcast called Chat 10, Looks 3 with her friend Annabel Crabb.  It attracts hundreds of thousands of downloads each month, performs sell-out live shows around Australia and covers subjects ranging from arts and culture to friendship and grief.

Leigh also anchors the popular ABC TV program The Assembly, in which she mentors a group of autistic journalism trainees, helping them interview well-known Australians.

Leigh has been decorated with many honours, including three Walkley awards for journalism and an Order of Australia for her public service.   She has also been awarded two honorary doctorates - from the Queensland University of Technology and Edith Cowan University - in recognition of her achievements in journalism.

She is the mother of two sons.