The AWW Great Debate: True Friends Stab You in the Front (with thanks to Oscar Wilde)

Annabel Crabb is an ABC writer and presenter who has covered Australian politics for nearly 25 years as a news reporter and columnist. She was the creator and presenter of MS Represented, and she has written and presented the documentary series Kitchen Cabinet for seven seasons on ABC TV. She is also a regular commentator across the ABC’s radio network and is a regular face on ABC TV’s election night and budget broadcasts. 

David Marr is an author whose books include Patrick White: A Life, The High Price of Heaven, Dark Victory (with Marian Wilkinson) and Killing for Country. He has also written six Quarterly Essays and articles for The Sydney Morning Herald, The Age, The Saturday Paper and The Guardian, and worked as a reporter for Four Corners and presenter of Media Watch and Late Night Live. 

Louise Milligan is an award-winning investigative journalist and author. A senior reporter with ABC’s Four Corners, Milligan’s high-profile stories have sparked national conversations on issues like abuse, corruption and accountability. Her acclaimed book Cardinal: The Rise and Fall of George Pell, which won a Walkley Book Award, examines the complex intersection of faith, power, and justice. Her debut novel is Pheasants Nest. 

John Crace is a staff feature writer for The Guardian, where he is best known for the literary pastiche ‘Digested Read’. He has also written several books, including Vertigo: One Football Fan’s Fear of Success. His latest book is Taking the Lead, on post-Brexit Britain. A committed Spurs supporter, he lives in south-west London but travels to N17 for every home game. 

Nick Ryan is the Senior Wine Writer for The Australian and a columnist for the world’s most prestigious wine magazine, The World of Fine Wine. 

He is also an inaugural winner of the 67 Pall Mall Global Wine Communicator Award. 

He is a highly sought after wine show judge, a graduate of the prestigious Len Evans Tutorial and a hugely engaging speaker and presenter. 

Now based in the Clare Valley, Nick is excited by wines that are just as interesting by the fourth glass as they are at the first and would give it all up to play one game for the Port Adelaide Football Club. 

Amy Remeikis is a political commentator, analyst, journalist and author. Formally the political live blogger at the Guardian, Amy is now the chief political analyst at the Australia Institute.