Have a Go News has an experienced team of journalists who deliver the news each and every edition and we proudly share their stories here…
Josephine Allison
Josephine Allison started her career in journalism as a bright-eyed 18-year-old cadet on the Geraldton Guardian before heading to the city and The West Australian newspaper. She spent almost 34 years there, covering everything from court reporting to interviewing visiting celebrities including Dame Margot Fonteyn and Nana Mouskouri. She also did general news, theatre reviews and real estate reporting.
She has written for Have a Go News for more than a decade and still loves meeting and writing about people, WA’s lively arts scene and talented Australian authors.
Allen Newton
Allen Newton’s journalism career began as a copyboy running errands for senior reporters which earned him a cadetship that began his journey as a general news reporter. Over the years his rounds have included police, music, real estate, food and wine, travel and television as well as feature writing.
He was also the founding editor of digital news site PerthNow, managing editor of the Sunday Times and PerthNow and editor-in-chief at Nine’s digital news site WAtoday.
Frank Smith
Frank Smith is an 84 year old retired agricultural scientist with journalism and education degrees. He has written articles for more than 40 magazines in four continents and indexed more than 20 books. In 2007 he started writing for Have a Go News and gradually reduced his writing for other publications. He then took over subediting, ensuring Have a Go News is consistent in style and highly readable. He and his wife Mary-Helen live in a passive solar home in the Perth Hills with a varying selection of quendas, possums and native birds.
Lee Tate
Lee Tate, journalist, author and commentator has worked on Australia’s major newspapers including the Financial Review, The Australian newspaper, The West Australian, Melbourne Herald and The Sunday Times.
Lee has written television news, hosted breakfast radio and was an exchange journalist to Japan. He travelled on election campaigns with prime ministers Malcolm Fraser and Gough Whitlam and on Royal tours with Queen Elizabeth, Prince Philip and Princess Anne.
Lee was the first communications manager in mental health carers, Arafmi. He co-founded a national, business newsletter publishing company and was president-elect of Claremont-Cottesloe Rotary Club.
