theluckygeneral
theluckygeneral
| Forum role | Member since | Last activity | Topics created | Replies created |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Member | May 3, 2018 (8 years) |
- | 1 | 0 |
- Forum role
- Member
- Member since
May 3, 2018 (8 years)
- Last activity
- -
- Topics created
- 1
- Replies created
- 0
Bio
Laurie Patton (AKA The Lucky General) is a public interest advocate, and a former journalist, media executive and political advisor.
Laurie launched Internet Australia’s campaign for #BetterBroadband as an essential means of maximising the benefits to society from a digitally-enabled world.
He is currently campaigning for laws that protect whistleblowers and people, such as journalists and lawyers, who assist them.
Laurie’s articles have appeared in most of Australia’s major newspapers and he is often interviewed on radio and television.
Following a successful corporate career these days he provides advice and assistance in marketing and communications, business development, stakeholder and community engagement, and government relations.
Now active in the NFP sector he is a former CEO / Executive Director of Internet Australia, the peak body representing the interests of Internet users and a chapter of the global Internet Society – and a past Vice President of TelSoc, a member-based organisation committed to promoting knowledge, understanding and excellence in telecommunications.
Laurie is a former journalist and media executive – managing Seven Sydney, then the largest television station in the country, and Seven Queensland, which he took from the perennial number two spot to become the highest rating regional network and Seven’s most profitable division. He created the World Movies Pay-TV channel and was founding CEO of community station TVS (Television Sydney).
Laurie has worked for each of the three commercial television networks. He reported from London for Seven and from Los Angeles for Ten, was the first finance reporter on commercial television news, covered federal politics from Seven’s Canberra bureau, and later became Seven’s executive in charge of news and current affairs.
After graduating from the University of NSW with a Master of Commerce degree and following a stint as a federal public servant, Laurie became speechwriter and policy advisor for Frank Walker, who was Attorney-General and Minister for Aboriginal Affairs in the NSW Wran Government. He successfully campaigned with Walker to have logging banned in the Terania Creek rainforest – one of the country’s first major environment battles.
Laurie has held for-profit and not-for-profit board roles, including Sky News Australia, the Heart Foundation, and the NSW Film & Television Office. As deputy chair of the FTO he initiated and led the first official Australian delegation to the Shanghai Film Festival and commenced negotiations with Chinese authorities leading to an Australia-China film co-production agreement.
His current volunteer activities include the United Nations Association of Australia and Marine Rescue NSW (Shoalhaven).
WordPress.com Forums 