David Donovan is the creator and managing editor of Independent Australia.

Donovan, 41, has many years experience in the media and was formerly the media director and, later, vice chair of the Australian Republican Movement.

David Donovan, April 2010

Donovan was raised on cattle properties in Central Queensland and suffered a severe motor-bike accident on holidays from boarding school at his family’s remote cattle property. Though perilously close to death, he managed to ride home almost 20 kilometres on a damaged motorbike to enable his rescue by the Flying Doctor Service.

He made a full recovery and, after school, went on to study law and accountancy, later spending several years in London working in finance for several major investment banks including UBS, NatWest Global Markets, Merrill Lynch, Barclays Capital and Mizuho. He also maintained an interest in agriculture, being a partner in one of Australia’s biggest avocado growing concerns – Donovan Avocados – until 2008.

During this time, Donovan studied journalism part-time, graduating in 2000. Since then, he split himself between the two careers – journalism and finance – before eventually giving up finance early in 2010.

He became active in the ARM in 2005 and rejuvenated the Queensland newsletter, Armlet, in 2006. In 2007, he began editing Republican Roundup and in 2008 was elected to the ARM national committee and became its media and publications director. Later that year, he also became the Queensland branch convenor, a position he held until November 2010.

As media director, he implemented a detailed strategy and acted as the organization’s PR and media liaison. His republican articles have been published in almost every Australia media outlet and he has appeared frequently on television speaking in favour of a Republic as well as extensively on radio and in print and online media. He established the ARM’s social media presence on Facebook and Twitter.

He was the ARM’s national Australia Day coordinator for 2009 and 2010 and, as Queensland convenor, re-established three local forums and made the branch one the ARM’s most active.

David was also elected to the national executive of the ARM as vice chair from 2010-2011. He resigned from the national committee in 2011.

These days, he is in demand in all sections of the media as a commentator on Australian public affairs more generally, especially politics, democracy and the media.

David has played representative and first grade district cricket in Australia and England. These days he lives in Surfers Paradise with his lovely wife, beautiful son, and adorable cat nd dog. In his spare time, he loves playing, but these days mostly watching, sport.

Read the journalism of David Donovan by clicking here.

David Donovan is also a published poet, read some of his verse here.

Want to know more about David Donovan’s accident and survival  Click here.

Read about his his amazing recovery by clicking here.

Read about David’s views on organised religion here.

Read more about his incredible journey, here.

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