Paola Totaro is a prominent Italian-Australian journalist and former President of the Foreign Press Association in London, now based in the British capital and specializing in European affairs, politics, social policy and the arts. She is author of 'On the Scent - unlocking the mysteries of smell and how its loss can change your world', published in the UK and Australia by Elliott and Thompson, June 23, 2022. Paola was awarded a PhD in philosophy with the Department of English, Goldsmiths, University of London.
Paola was founding editor of Place and led the team which built the first bespoke news website devoted to exclusive coverage – in words, stills and video - of land and indigenous rights around the world. It launched in 2016 and is published via Reuters with funding from Omidyar Network.
A former Europe correspondent for The Sydney Morning Herald and The Age, Melbourne and Editor of the The Saturday Sydney Morning Herald, she has travelled to Australia with Pope Benedict, covered Barack Obama's visits to London and Europe, covered a mid-sea rescue of refugees off the coast of Libya, and was the only Australian journalist in Westminster Abbey during the Royal Wedding of Prince William and Kate Middleton.
Paola has interviewed and profiled many significant figures, from Howard Buffett, son of the legendary investor, Warren, Lord Rees of Ludlow, astrophysicist and President of the Royal Society, Oscar winner, Helen Mirren, ballet star, Sylvie Guillem, rock legends, Ozzy Osborne and Annie Lennox, myriad authors including Nick Hornby and Sarah Waters, the human rights lawyer, Geoffrey Robertson QC, writer and poet, Clive James and Rupert Murdoch's eldest son, Lachlan.
Paola won a Foreign Press Association in London award for a piece in which she trekked the Himalayan foothills with a Tibetan eye surgeon, was a finalist in two categories in 2022 and is a dual Walkley Award finalist - for multimedia work and business journalism. She is a frequent contributor to BBC Radio and has been published in The Australian, The Independent in London, The Guardian UK, New York Times and New Statesman magazine. She was a guest author for the book of writers' memoirs, 'Joyful Strains' (Affirm Press) and co authored, with Robert Wainwright, 'Born or Bred: The making of a mass murderer', a best-selling investigation and reconstruction of the early life of Martin Bryant, perpetrator of the Port Arthur massacre. The book was longlisted for the Ned Kelly award for crime writing.
