James Powditch Laura Tingle – the fourth estate

A two-time Walkley Award–winner, Laura Tingle is the chief political correspondent for ABC-TV’s 7.30 and president of the National Press Club.

‘Like most people, I know Laura from her fearless writing and television journalism. To my mind, she is the outstanding political journalist of our times among a group of predominately female journalists holding our mostly male politicians to account,’ says James Powditch.

‘I see her as a mighty defender of our democracy in an age of fake news and uncontrolled spin. So I imagined a film poster for a political thriller, The fourth estate, celebrating the importance of the free press with a cast of journalists (past and present) that she admires and have influenced her.

‘But like everyone, Laura is far more than her job. The portrait evolved with more personal elements becoming the focus – her love of family, Bach, writing, history and her garden, which is represented by collaged botanical engravings from the Endeavour’s 1768–71 voyage, printed from [botanical illustrator] Sydney Parkinson’s original plates.’

Powditch has been an Archibald finalist on seven previous occasions. He is also represented in the Wynne Prize for the tenth time this year.