Hamish Macdonald joins 702 ABC Radio Sydney in 2025

Award winning journalist Hamish Macdonald will present the Mornings program on 702 ABC Radio Sydney in 2025 leading a group of incoming talent across the station this year.

Hamish will present the Mornings program from Monday to Thursday from Monday 20 January.

“First and foremost I’d like to pay tribute to the hard work and dedication of Sarah Macdonald. I know these are big shoes to fill.” Hamish said.

“I’m looking forward to putting my head down, getting to work from Monday and serving the wonderful 702 audience in what will be a huge year of news for Sydney.”

Leading audiences into the weekend will be journalist and presenter Kathryn Robinson who will present Mornings every Friday from Friday 31 January.

Audience favourite Dom Knight will host Friday Drive and Saturday Mornings. On Sunday Mornings renowned science and technology journalist and presenter Rae Johnston will bring audiences a mix of lifestyle, gardening, information and conversation.

Other new voices on the network this year are Chris Bath who will start her new role presenting Monday to Thursday Drive and Charlie Pickering who will present Thank God It’s Friday!.

New 702 ABC Radio Sydney Manager Katrina Palmer joined the team this month and said “I’m excited to be starting with such a fantastic line up.”

“ABC Radio Sydney is deeply connected to audiences across Australia’s largest city, breaking news and sharing stories from across the region every day.

“In 2025 we will build on these connections in new and meaningful ways and I’m eager to get started from ABC Radio Sydney’s new home in Parramatta.”

About Hamish Macdonald

Hamish Macdonald is an award-winning journalist who has covered wars, disasters, and major world events. He presents Take Me To Your Leader and co-hosts Global Roaming on ABC Radio National and The Project on Channel Ten.

Hamish has won numerous awards including a Walkley for current affairs journalism. In 2024 he won the EU-Qantas Journalism Prize and the Elizabeth O’Neill Journalism Award. He was also previously named Young Journalist of the Year by Britain’s Royal Television Society.

Overseas, Hamish has covered conflicts in Afghanistan, Libya and Ukraine, the nuclear disaster in Japan, uprisings in Hong Kong and Egypt, the London bombings and the rise of ISIS in Iraq.

He has featured regularly on the ABC since 2016, hosting Radio National Breakfast, Black Summer bushfire coverage, Q&A, Australian of the Year and reporting for Foreign Correspondent.

In 2016 he became a Nieman Fellow at Harvard University. Hamish is Patron of the Bobby Goldsmith Foundation and Ambassador for Dementia Australia.

About Kathryn Robinson

Kathryn Robinson is an Australian journalist and presenter who has presented Ten’s Meet the PressTen Late News and Ten Evening News and was news presenter on 6PM with George Negus.

She was a fill in presenter on The Project  and a regular Friday night panellist on the program.

Since 2015 Kathryn has been a part of the ABC News team presenting on the ABC NEWS Channel. She hosted The Business for two years, presented ABC Weekend BreakfastThe Drum and One Plus One and filled in as presenter on Radio National Drive.

About Rae Johnston

Rae Johnston is a multi-award-winning journalist. A Wiradyuri and Greek woman who was born and raised on Darug and Gundungurra Country in the Blue Mountains of NSW.

Rae is a leading commentator on all things science, technology, video games and geek culture. She is the creator and presenter of Weird Tech podcast and will also present ABC Radio National’s Download This Show in 2025.

She is also a presenter on Back Roads on ABC TV and Going Places With Ernie Dingo on NITV.

Rae serves on the boards of both the Telstra Foundation and Swinburne University of Technology.

About Dom Knight

Dom Knight is a comedy writer and broadcaster who was one of the founding members of The Chaser when it began as a satirical newspaper in a small terrace house over the road from Sydney Uni. He later worked on most of the team’s ABC TV projects.

Dom’s first radio experience came in The Chaser team’s early years, hosting late night shows on a commercial music station. More recently, he’s hosted several comedy podcasts and radio shows with his Chaser colleagues.

From 2012 to 2016 Dom presented Evenings on ABC Radio Sydney, and in recent years he has filled in across the station, including on Drive this week.

Dom is also the author of nine books, most recently The Dictionary of Terrible Ideas for ABC Books.

NIGHTS ARE ABOUT TO HEAT UP ACROSS THE HIT NETWORK WITH THE HOT HITS

Monday, January 13, 2025 – The Hit Network welcomes a new national Nights show, The Hot Hits with Nic & Loren, hosted by Nic Kelly and Loren Barry, launching on Monday, 13 January from 7pm. The Hot Hits will feature the best of what has made Hit Network Nights famous, and will be a place where listeners can discover their new favourite music, hear the best and biggest hits, tune into special guests and get the latest music news.

Nic Kelly is a passionate advocate of music and has been the host of The Hot Hits on weekends across the Hit Network. Loren Barry is an audience favourite with an established national profile, having been a valued member of The Marty Sheargold Show on the Triple M Network.

The duo now come together to take the Hit Network Nights to the next level.

Nic Kelly said: “Nights radio has been a dream for me since I listened to Tim Lee & Biggsy’s Hot 30 as a teenager on the Central Coast, and to get to do a nightly show that focuses on my greatest love, music, and helps amplify the story of super talented people is life affirming and a privilege. I’m unbelievably excited to get to do it with my friend Loren, whose zest for life and music, wit and heart are going to make our show iconic every night.”

Loren Barry said: “Co-hosting The Hot Hits is a dream come true. As someone who grew up listening to Nights radio in my bedroom every night, this is very much a ‘pinch me’ moment. To top it off, getting to work alongside someone with the passion, enthusiasm and music expertise that Nic has is an absolute privilege. I am just super excited to hang out with the Hit Night’s audience and have more fun than you can poke a stick at. Buckle up!”

Dave Cameron, SCA Chief Content Officer said: “At SCA we are committed to leading the industry in bringing fresh voices and exciting new talent to our networks for our listeners. Loren Barry has become a fan favourite from her last few years on The Marty Sheargold Show and will bring her hilarious zest for life to a new Hit nights’ audience. Nic Kelly is a music guru, with a passion for promoting new music and artists, and has fast become one of the music industry’s trusted interviewers. These great mates, Nic and Loren will together bring the spark that night-time radio is renowned for on the Hit network’s ‘The Hot Hits’ nationally.”

The Hot Hits with Nic & Loren will be heard Monday to Thursday from 7pm to 10pm, and Saturdays from 3pm to 5pm. The Lucy & Nikki Show, hosted by Lucy Jackson and Nikki Westcott, will also continue with their unique take on love and life, and of course plenty of laughs. The Lucy & Nikki Show will be heard across the Hit Network on Fridays from 7pm to 10pm, and Saturdays from 5pm to 8pm.