Donald Trump being questioned by John Lyons. Photo: Screenshot.
Fresh from his clash with US President Donald Trump, the ABC’s global affairs editor, John Lyons, will soon beam into Canberra to share all the gory details of the encounter.
Mr Lyons made headlines around the world recently, but not in the way journalists want to get a splash – this story was about him as much as it was about the President.
During a White House press conference, Mr Lyons asked President Trump about his business dealings and, well, the President didn’t much take to that line of questioning.
After asking the reporter where he was from and learning it was Australia, Mr Trump told Lyons he would report him to Anthony Albanese.
He also said Lyons was “setting a bad tone” for Australia and suggested he might even be jeopardising chances of his meeting with the Prime Minister even going ahead.
“You’re hurting Australia,” the President said.
Then the President pointed his finger at Lyons and said, “Quiet!” as the reporter was defending his position.
The ABC was subsequently excluded from a press conference during the President’s visit to the United Kingdom.
With so much drama to talk about, Mr Lyons is featuring in the upcoming Canberra Writers Festival in what has now become a must-see for any political watchers.
Mr Lyons will join the festival live from the US for the Caught in Conflict panel, hosted by journalist Karen Middleton with fellow panellists Peter Greste and Cheng Lei.
But everyone will want to hear first about Mr Lyon’s bumpy encounter with the most powerful man in the world.
Mr Lyons has defended his line of questioning, saying that in a democracy, journalists must challenge power even when it’s uncomfortable.
Mr Lyons has featured in previous Canberra Writers Festivals, with the festival’s artistic director Andra Putnis saying his return this year could not be more relevant.
She said while much of the panel discussion will be about reporting from conflict zones, Mr Lyon’s appearance will offer a reminder of all the stakes when journalists pursue the truth.
Australians are increasingly tuned into foreign policy and tectonic shifts in global power, she said, including developments in the United States.
“This session will offer a vital reflection on why free media is essential to democracy, and how fragile it can be,” Ms Putnis said.
“Audiences at the Canberra Writers Festival will hear first-hand how far some governments will go to silence dissent, and why the work of journalists matters more than ever.
“This is not a theoretical debate – these are journalists who have unique experiences reporting from hostile environments and getting caught in conflict.”
Mr Lyons has his own war-zone reporting experiences to share, along with Mr Greste, who was famously arrested and imprisoned in Egypt before the Australian Government negotiated his release.
“Peter Greste in The Correspondent recounts reporting from war zones before being imprisoned in Egypt for 400 days,” Ms Putnis said.
“Cheng Lei, author of A Memoir of Freedom, was falsely charged with espionage and discovered the extent of China’s state security paranoia while imprisoned for three years.
“John Lyons in A Bunker Kyiv sheltered alongside Ukrainians as they resisted the first onslaught of the Russian military.
“The Canberra Writers Festival has always been about big ideas. This year, the question of who gets to tell stories, and at what cost, has never felt more urgent.”
Caught in Conflict with John Lyons, Peter Greste and Cheng Lei, hosted by Karen Middleton, will be held on Sunday, 26 October. Visit the Canberra Writers Festival for the program and tickets.
