A Curtin University graduate who has established a career as one of Australia\u2019s leading medical journalists has been recognised with the prestigious Walkley Foundation\u2019s Women\u2019s Leadership in Media award.<\/p>\n
The Guardian<\/em> Australia reporter Ms Melissa Davey received the award for her article \u2018The investigation into Dr Gayed<\/em>\u2019, which led to a police investigation and independent inquiry of a New South Wales doctor.<\/p>\n Curtin University Vice-Chancellor Professor Deborah Terry congratulated Ms Davey on receiving the award, which acknowledged her exceptional journalistic contribution to gender\u00a0equality and the profile of women in society, both in Australia and internationally.<\/p>\n \u201cAfter graduating from Curtin in 2007, Ms Davey moved to Sydney where she established her career through roles including at The Sydney Morning Herald<\/em> before becoming\u00a0The Guardian<\/em>\u00a0Australia edition\u2019s Melbourne Bureau Chief and producing her impressive Walkley award-winning work,\u201d Professor Terry said.<\/p>\n \u201cCurtin is incredibly proud to see Ms Davey\u2019s development as a high calibre and versatile reporter who covers many important issues, making her an impressive role model for women to make a positive change to the world through journalism.\u201d<\/p>\n Ms Davey, who is currently on three months leave from The Guardian<\/em> to write a book on the trials of Cardinal George Pell, said she could not have won the award without Dr Gayed\u2019s patients trusting her with their stories and sharing painful and personal information, some of them for the first time.<\/p>\n \u201cThis was a particularly vulnerable group of women and I hope my work highlights why accountability in health care is essential, and should not vary depending on the postcode,\u201d Ms Davey said.<\/p>\n