Greg Sheridan is the most respected journalist in Australia who has an influential career as The Australian long-serving Foreign Editor. Based on 40 years of work experience, Sheridan has influenced the debate on the national level about diplomacy, defence, religion, and politics because he presented challenging reports and best-selling books. His analysis is an entwining of high geopolitical perception set with cultural and moral speculation, and this endeavour is what has given him a very special space in Australian media.
A Background in Ideas and Politics
Greg Sheridan is a Sydney-born writer born in 1956. He attended the University of Sydney and took Arts, where he got involved in campus politics where his interest in international relations and religion started shaping up. At The Bulletin, Sheridan began his journalism career before transferring to The Australian in 1984, where he was to establish himself as one of the leading foreign reporters.
At an early age in The Australian, Sheridan covered major cities in the world like Washington, Beijing, and Canberra, among others. Later, he was made Foreign Editor in 1992, which is the title he has maintained until today, making him one of the most long standing political and international affairs commentators in the country.
Career Highlights and Editorial Influence
Sheridan has reported on significant world and national events since the twilight years of the Cold War to the post 9/11 world, the changing Asian relationship of Australia, especially China and Indonesia. He has been a major contributor in examining the strategic partnerships of Australia, ANZUS, and the AUKUS, as well as its relationship with the United States.
Some of his more outstanding political reporting encompasses:
- In-depth discussion of relations between the US and Australia with presidents George W. Bush, Barack Obama and Joe Biden.
- Coverage of National security policy and terrorism after 9/11.
- Analysis of China Attaining Increasing Influence in the Region and Australia Diplomatic Juggling.
- Interviews of world leaders and the Australian prime ministers.
To acknowledge his work as a journalist, the Queen conferred an Officer of the Order of Australia (AO) in 2016 in recognition of his extraordinary work in the area of journalism and foreign policy debate in Australia.
A Voice Beyond Politics: Religion and Culture
Although his first subjects lie mostly in foreign affairs, Sheridan has increasingly been involved in writing with regard to faith and morality in Australian society. In 2018, a nationally best-selling book of his came, God Is Good for You: A Defence of Christianity in Troubled Times, which, according to many in media circles, defended Christianity with unapologetic, intellectual force. It also had interviews with mainstream political leaders of their faith.
Christians followed this: The Urgent Case For Jesus in Our World (2021), which further covered the issue of the relevance of faith in contemporary Australia. It is the contribution of Sheridan in rekindling the debate on religion, ethics, and secularism, which in mainstream commentary was poorly explored.
Media Appearances and Thought Leadership
Greg Sheridan is a common visitor to Australian television and radio. He has been a frequent guest on ABC Q + A, Sky News Australia and shows such as RN Breakfast, providing commentary on defence, foreign affairs, and politics. Characteristic of his style is intellectual severity, civility and moral rectitude, all of which his audiences will cross the political spectrum rather easily.
In addition to broadcasting, Sheridan writes in the think tanks, including the Lowy Institute and the Centre of Independent Studies, and regularly enters arguments concerning the future of liberal democracy and global security alongside Australia in the Indo-Pacific.
Public and Professional Reception
The amount of exposure he has had in the media and political circles gives him a reputation as a mature and honest commentator. His sources in government and diplomacy are extensive. He writes prolifically and is also regarded highly by colleagues for his ability to investigate and write on controversial subjects. Although a disparate number of critics have denounced his conservative religious beliefs as an anachronistic judgement on the current state of Australia, numerous commend his ability to embrace civility and cordial debate.
The fact that Sheridan held onto his job in journalism for so long, which is especially true in an area as politically sensitive as Foreign Editor, speaks of a high level of trust and credibility. His writing tends to fill in the blanks between intricate global happenings and the readers living in Australia, thus hitting the mark on geopolitics and its closeness to the readers.
Recent Work and Current Role
As of 2025, Sheridan remains employed there as the Foreign Editor of The Australian and writes columns regularly several times a week. He writes regularly about:
- The implications of the AUKUS security pact
- Australia’s Relationship with China
- Faith and public life
- Cultural trends shaping the West
His latest articles venture into the strategic issues confronting the Indo-Pacific as well as the philosophical basis of the liberal democratic decay in the West, some problems which not only indicate his analytical maturity but are also presently of interest to him culturally.
A Legacy of Thoughtful Journalism
In the history of Australian journalism, Greg Sheridan was an unusual phenomenon, being an expert on foreign affairs, a best-selling author, a religious columnist and an intellectual writer in the public square. He has been able to combine strategic advantage and moral outlook to make Australian public life richer by decades.
And in the world of media, where all too frequently the short-term news story takes precedence, the voice of Sheridan stands out as one with both content and depth. Whether he is examining diplomatic tensions or reflecting on the search for meaning in contemporary life, his contribution to the national discourse of Australia still remains relevant today in the sphere of politics, religion, and press.
