Long-serving ABC Melbourne broadcaster — a sharp, fair MC and facilitator for serious conversations.
Jon Faine spent more than two decades as the host of ABC Melbourne's flagship Mornings program, conducting tens of thousands of interviews with politicians, business leaders, authors, scientists and ordinary Australians caught in extraordinary stories. The job left him with the kind of instinct for live conversation that very few facilitators can match — and a credibility with senior corporate, government and not-for-profit audiences that few hosts can claim.
A lawyer by training and a broadcaster by long career, Jon brings a careful, fair, well-prepared approach to interviewing and panel moderation. He's known for getting genuine answers out of senior figures without theatrics — a quality his clients particularly value at boardroom-level events, panel discussions and serious in-house programs.
For event organisers, Jon is a strong fit for serious conferences, town halls, fireside interviews with senior leaders, and panel discussions where the subject matter rewards depth rather than entertainment. He's also a thoughtful MC for events where the brief is restrained and credible rather than performative.
Jon Faine is a keynote speaker and MC based in Victoria who speaks on media & journalism. Book through Executive Speakers Australia.
Australia is undergoing an ethical crisis. Why? How to fix it? Banks, insurers, clergy, Aged Care, politicians, lawyers… all under unprecedented scrutiny and not emerging in a good light. What do we do to restore the publics faith?
Drawing on his extensive exposure to the Black Saturday fires, Jon Faine asks “is leadership instinctive or learned?” Who stepped up in the crisis? And what happens when a capital city has collective PTSD?
The 21st Century is becoming a real time experiment. Social patterns and human interaction will never be the same again. And why is Facebook just like the motor car?
Mid career, Jon Faine took long service leave - a massive gamble and disappeared from the microphone for 6 months. He drove with his 18 year old son from Melbourne to London, along the Silk Road. What do you learn from over 30 countries as you drive some of the most rugged inaccessible and remote roads on the globe?
Why did Tony Abbott wink at me? And which politician finished an interview saying “I hope I never have to talk to you again…” Who stormed out? Who sued and why? And which Hollywood star dropped the ‘c bomb’ live to air? Stories from celebrities, sports stars and the occasional outraged politician.
Have we reached legal saturation? More law schools are churning out more lawyers, and court cases dominate the news, day after day. Why has the law become such a dominant factor in the life of the nation? And what comes next? Do we go down the US path? Or is there any alternative? Drawing on his extensive experience as both a practitioner and a commentator, Jon Faine guides you through the legal minefield.
We were delighted by Jon’s hosting - his journalistic prowess and keen curiosity ensured that the sessions were always interesting and informed. We thoroughly enjoyed working with Jon. The summit was a great success, in no small way due to Jon’s superb hosting.Solutions Summit, ATN Universities
Thank you again for the fantastic job you did as MC at our Solutions Summit. I’m so delighted that you were able to lead conversations across a range of topics – of course with such skill and professionalism. Our Vice Chancellors are absolutely thrilled with the result and we couldn’t have had such a quality result without your involvement.Solutions Summit, ATN Universities
Jon Faine was recently a moderator at our annual Neuroethics free public event, held at the State Library Victoria with an audience of around 270 people. Jon facilitated a rich discussion that was engaging and thought-provoking with our four expert panellists from the areas of digital health and privacy. Prior to the event, Jon worked with us to ensure the panel discussion would be entertaining and flow smoothly so that the audience would feel like they had attended a worthwhile event. I would not hesitate in recommending Jon as a speaker, moderator or MC. He is incredibly professional and will definitely add value to your event.Communications Officer, ARC Centre of Excellence for Integrative Brain Function Monash University
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