Leigh Sales Bio

Leigh Sales was born in 1973, and lived in Brisbane’s northern suburbs attending Aspley State High School. She attended the Queensland University of Technology and graduated with a Bachelor of Business, majoring in Journalism. She also received a Master of International Relations from Deakin University. 

Her first broadcasting role was with the Nine Network before joining the Brisbane office of the ABC in 1995. Since then, she has worked across several ABC programs including 12 years anchoring 7.30, ABC’s prominent current affairs program (2011 – 2022). In 2022 she moved to host Australian Story, ABC’s weekly documentary series. 

Prior to hosting 7.30 she held the role of New South Wales political reporter and covered the 1999 and 2007 state elections. She also reported on the 2000 Summer Olympics held in Sydney. 

Sales also worked as the ABC network’s Washington correspondent from 2001 to 2005, covering prominent stories including the Iraq War, the 2004 presidential election, Guantanamo Bay and Hurricane Katrina. 

She has also held roles including the ABC’s national security correspondent (2006 – 2008), co-host of ABC’s prestigious Lateline program(2008 – 2010), and hosted the ABC’s Australia Votes for the 2016, 2019 and 2022 elections. 

In early 2026, Sales joined ABC Classic, hosting a new Saturday afternoon program over the network’s 50th anniversary months. 

Leigh Sales has interviewed every living Australian prime minister, as well as innumerable world leaders and celebrities including Hillary Clinton, the Dalai Lama, Paul McCartney, Elton John, Harrison Ford, Aung San Suu Kyi, Patti Smith and Salman Rushdie. 

Outside of television, Leigh Sales and journalist Annabel Crabb have co-hosted the popular podcast, Chat 10 Looks 3 since 2014. 

May 2024 saw Leigh Sales announced as a mentor of autistic journalism students at Macquarie University, which was part of an ABC TV interview documentary series called The Assembly. 

Books by Leigh Sales 

Leigh Sales’ first book, Detainee 002: The Case of David Hicks, looked at the David Hicks case, as well as delving into the Bush administration’s detainee policy. Her second book, On Doubt, looks at the rise of opinion in news reporting, and the value of a sceptical mindset when it comes to politics and policy. A second edition in 2017 included an additional section on the Trump presidency and the increase of fake news. 

Leigh Sales has published several books, with her latest, The Holiday Kitchen, due to be published in October 2026. 

• Any Ordinary Day (2019)

• On Doubt (2020)

• Well Hello co-written with Annabel Crabb (2021)

• Storytellers (2023)

• Detainee 002 (2025)

• The Holiday Kitchen co-written with Gwen Blake (2026)

Leigh Sales has also regularly written for major Australian publications including The Australian, The Sydney Morning Herald and The Age. 

Three time winner of Australia’s highest journalism honour

Leigh Sales has won three Walkley awards, Australia’s highest journalism honour. She has also been honoured with a Member of the Order of Australia for services to journalism. She has also been awarded with two honorary doctorates – in 2022 QUT awarded her an honorary doctorate for distinguished service to the community and in 2023, Edith Cowan University awarded her an honorary doctorate for services to journalism and the community. 

2023 – Gold Logie for Most Popular Personalist on Australian Television Nominated – 7.30 report

2019 – Walkley Book Award winner – Any Ordinary Day

2019 – Member of the Order of Australia – for service to broadcast media 

2012 – Walkley Award for Broadcasting and Online interviewing winner

2007 – George Munster Award for Independent Journalism winner – Detainee 002

2005 – Walkley Award for Best Radio Current Affairs reporting winner – Guantanamo Bay reporting