David Penberthy is an established Australian journalist, columnist and radio presenter with a career spanning more than two decades in newspapers, digital news platforms and broadcast media. His work is widely recognised in South Australia because of his position as co host of the FIVEAA Breakfast program and his weekly opinion writing for The Advertiser and Sunday Mail. He has shaped discussion on major political decisions, community issues and international events through writing and radio commentary.
Early Life and Family Background
David Penberthy was born in nineteen sixty nine in Adelaide. He grew up in South Australia and attended local schools before enrolling at the University of Adelaide where he initially began studying arts and law. During his time at university he worked on student publications and formed ideas about public debate and news communication. He has not publicly named his parents in interviews and he has not identified any brothers or sisters. There have been no direct references in published profiles indicating whether he grew up with siblings which means that part of his family background remains unknown. His early childhood setting appears to have been an ordinary suburban environment typical of Adelaide with strong exposure to local news stories and political conversations.
University Experience and Foundation of Writing Interests
During his university studies Penberthy developed skills in setting out arguments and presenting personal thinking in written form. He took part in student discussions about political issues and social change. Those experiences prepared him for work in mainstream journalism. Many later readers of his weekly columns recognise a direct style that can be linked back to the straightforward writing he practiced as a student. He chose journalism because he enjoyed discovering facts, speaking to people with differing opinions and shaping stories that could inform communities.
First Steps in News Reporting
After graduating from university he began work at The Advertiser in Adelaide. His first positions involved industrial relations reporting. He covered worker negotiations, company policy disputes, union campaigns and state government intervention in industry matters. These stories required discussion with business groups and government departments about jobs, wages and community concerns. He then moved into political reporting and gained experience covering debates that affected South Australians in daily life.
Canberra Press Gallery
In nineteen ninety six he was offered the role of national political editor of The Advertiser and moved to Canberra. He worked in the federal press gallery at Parliament House. His reporting involved regular attendance at press conferences, commentary on tax changes, national security discussions, foreign agreements and health funding considerations. He remained at Parliament House until nineteen ninety nine and built professional relationships with ministers, public servants and media advisers. This experience helped establish his reputation in national journalism.
Move to Sydney and Editorial Leadership
In nineteen ninety nine he moved to Sydney and accepted a position as state bureau chief for The Daily Telegraph. He later worked as chief of staff and opinion editor. During these years he played a major part in shaping newsroom direction and deciding which stories appeared on the front page. He guided coverage on local transport issues, crime developments, community problems and political events.
In two thousand and five he was appointed editor of The Daily Telegraph. He held this position until two thousand and eight. One of the most notable periods of his editorship included coverage of state police corruption discussions, community campaigns against violence, housing affordability concerns and investigations into political disputes in New South Wales. Readers during this period remember a newspaper style that was bold and clear, particularly during state election campaigns. His role as editor involved managing large editorial teams, coordinating photographers and planning long form reporting assignments.
Digital Publishing and Opinion Platforms
After stepping aside from The Daily Telegraph editor role he created a project called The Punch in two thousand and nine. The Punch offered articles from writers outside traditional newspapers and encouraged open comment discussion on Australian political and social questions. In two thousand and ten he became editor in chief of news dot com dot au. He was responsible for headlines, opinion planning and breaking news publication until two thousand and twelve. Digital writing during those years involved fast response to daily events and quick publication of arguments on public issues that reached large audiences across Australia.
Return to Adelaide in Print Media
In two thousand and thirteen Penberthy returned to South Australia and worked as editor of the Sunday Mail. The Sunday Mail publishes stories on community life, sport, business, lifestyle and local political issues. Editing a weekly newspaper emphasised big story planning, weekend news coverage and reporting on events affecting families throughout South Australia.
FIVEAA Breakfast Hosting with Will Goodings
In two thousand and fourteen he began working as co host of FIVEAA Breakfast with Will Goodings. The program airs on weekdays between six in the morning and nine. Penberthy and Goodings present news headlines, interview public figures, speak with listeners and cover state and national issues that interest South Australians. FIVEAA Breakfast includes a signature segment called Breaking at Eight which focuses on one major issue of the day and drives public attention toward government agencies or community services. The program also includes recurring interviews with the Premier of South Australia, cabinet ministers, council representatives, police media units and sports personalities.
FIVEAA is known for listener involvement and callers often raise concerns about state transport projects, public hospital delays, education funding matters and cost of living issues. Penberthy has interviewed Foreign Minister Penny Wong on international conflict matters and asking specific questions about travel safety for Australians trapped overseas. He has also discussed airport operations with airline industry officials during periods of flight cancellations. His interviewing style includes plain questions without complex language which mirrors how Adelaide residents often speak about political decisions. FIVEAA makes highlight segments available online so listeners can catch up on important interviews.
Column Writing for The Advertiser and Sunday Mail
David Penberthy continues to write weekly columns for The Advertiser and Sunday Mail in News Corp publications. He has been a columnist for more than fifteen years and typically produces two columns per week. His main subjects include youth crime in Adelaide suburbs, concerns about violence in shopping centres, parking shortages near schools, responses to energy costs and effects of national issues on local families. One recent column discussed cost of living pressures on South Australian parents during school holiday periods. Another examined community frustration with ongoing debate about Adelaide public transport expansion. His columns reflect the concerns of households in Adelaide and regional South Australia.
Relationship Status and Family Life
Penberthy is married to Kate Ellis who served as federal Member for Adelaide between two thousand and four and two thousand and nineteen. They married in February two thousand and thirteen after appearing together at public events in the years prior. The couple has two sons who were born in twenty fifteen and twenty seventeen. They live in Adelaide and take part in community events involving education projects and local business forums. Penberthy had a previous marriage before meeting Kate Ellis. That earlier marriage ended around two thousand and ten. There is no available information in public interviews about the name of his former partner and no public record of children from that earlier relationship. Public profiles sometimes state that he is married with three children although only two children are known.
Earnings Information and Net Worth Context
There is no published number for David Penberthy net worth. Salary surveys for South Australian radio suggest that senior breakfast hosts receive yearly income between three hundred thousand dollars and three hundred and fifty thousand dollars. He also continues to earn income from writing weekly columns and speaking on media panels. He has worked in salaried positions for major Australian media groups for more than two decades which points to steady financial status. There is no public information about his property holdings in Adelaide or any investment portfolio.
Net Worth and Income
David Penberthy has built his earnings through a long media career that includes newspaper editing, digital publishing and hosting breakfast radio. Salary surveys for South Australian breakfast radio presenters place senior hosts in a yearly income range between 300,000 dollars and 350,000 dollars. Column writing provides additional income through weekly work for News Corp publications including The Advertiser and the Sunday Mail. There are no public documents listing his total assets, property holdings or investment accounts, so an exact number is not available. However, based on industry income patterns and more than twenty years of regular work across major Australian media companies, a reasonable estimate for his personal financial position is between 1,200,000 dollars and 4,000,000 dollars as an overall net worth range. This estimate assumes steady earnings, likely home ownership in Adelaide and long term participation in senior media roles.
Public Perception and Media Influence
Public opinion toward David Penberthy includes both positive feedback from regular listeners and criticism from people who disagree with his views. He is recognised for engaging directly with questions concerning daily life in South Australia. Some elected representatives appreciate the attention his program brings to community issues while others consider his questioning style too blunt. Yet his steady presence in Adelaide media gives him an influential place in public debate. FIVEAA Breakfast continues to draw attention from state government offices that respond to subjects raised on the program.
Recent Media Activity and Continuing Work
Recent editions of FIVEAA Breakfast included discussion of emergency flood warnings in regional South Australia, interviews with aviation experts regarding airport runways, and questions about tax adjustments for South Australian wage earners. His articles in The Advertiser have addressed social behaviour in city parks, police reports on crime rates, and advice for households dealing with higher energy bills. He continues to write commentary on national political changes, international events impacting Australian travel, and local frustrations about government planning.
Career Timeline Summary
Nineteen ninety six to nineteen ninety nine national political editor in Canberra reporting on federal parliament.
Nineteen ninety nine to two thousand and eight senior editorial positions in Sydney including editor of The Daily Telegraph.
Two thousand and nine to two thousand and twelve digital publishing leadership at The Punch and news dot com dot au.
Two thousand and thirteen editor of the Sunday Mail in Adelaide.
Two thousand and fourteen onward co host of FIVEAA Breakfast and weekly columnist for The Advertiser and Sunday Mail.
Conclusion
The career of David Penberthy shows a progression from student journalism to some of the key roles in Australian media. He built experience in state and national political reporting, guided major newspaper publications in Sydney, helped shape online opinion writing and returned to Adelaide to become one of the dominant voices in South Australian broadcasting. His columns, interviews and radio conversations highlight daily matters affecting Adelaide and he continues to present a direct, familiar style that appeals to many South Australians. His relationship with Kate Ellis and his ongoing presence on FIVEAA and in News Corp publications keep him connected to political life and community discussion in Australia.
FAQs
Who is David Penberthy married to
David Penberthy is married to Kate Ellis who served as the federal Member for Adelaide from two thousand and four until two thousand and nineteen.
Who is the editor of The Australian newspaper
At present, the specific person holding the editor role at The Australian newspaper is not clearly listed in a stable public source. Editorial positions at major newspapers can change and are sometimes shared between managing editors, digital editors and editorial directors.
Which celebrity gives the most to charity
There is no reliable public source that can confirm which celebrity gives the most to charity. Financial gifts to charities are often private, undisclosed or made through foundations in a way that cannot be ranked accurately.
Who is the youngest CEO in Australia
There is no confirmed national list naming the youngest CEO in Australia because many companies are private and their leadership ages are not tracked publicly. Young company founders and business owners exist in many industries but there is no verified single record saying who is youngest.
Who is the best investigative journalist in Australia
The term best is subjective and depends on the award category, readership and professional reviews. Many investigative journalists have received recognition over the years, but there is no single agreed answer to this question.
How much do editors get paid in Australia
Editor salaries in Australia vary widely depending on publication size, location and level of responsibility. Senior editors in major metropolitan newspapers tend to earn more while editors in regional publications or smaller companies may earn less. Salary ranges can move between mid five figures to high six figures depending on experience and organisation.
What charities does David Penberthy support
There is no publicly available information showing which charities, if any, David Penberthy supports. He has not publicly listed philanthropy work or charitable involvement in media profiles or published biographies.
