Aaron Kearney
Aaron Kearney (born 3 July 1971) is a multi-award winning broadcaster, journalist, sports commentator and the 44th MEAA Prodi Journalist of the Year. He has covered some of the world's major sporting events from the Olympics, to the FIFA and Rugby League World Cups and AFC Champions League and Commonwealth Games. He is the creator of a 'Sports Broadcast for Development Commentary' system used at the 2019 FIFA Women's World Cup in France. It was first adopted in Australian indigenous communities in Tiwi Islands and later the basis for Pacific-wide coverage of the 2015 Pacific Games in Papua New Guinea. On 7 June 2020, he was awarded the Medal of the Order of Australia for service to the broadcast media as a radio presenter. He is currently working in media consultancy, sports diplomacy and broadcast development in Australia and overseas. Early years Born in Newcastle, Kearney is the son of journalist Malcolm Kearney and Pennie Kearney, a former schoolteacher and now Chief Executive of welfare organisation Mai-Wel. Kearney's family moved to Woodville, near Maitland when he was five years old. He has three younger sisters, Karlie, Salena and Amber. Kearney was school captain of St Peter's High School and earlier