The Australian

The Australian is a national daily broadsheet newspaper published by Rupert Murdoch's News Corporation. Headquartered in Sydney, but with bureaux around Australia, it was founded in 1964, famously losing money for nearly thirty years.

The Australian treads the Murdoch editorial line on most issues, in favour of free-trade economic policy and, particularly, relaxed regulation of the media sector, a realpolitik approach to foriegn policy, and, unlike its downmarket stablemates, a reasonably liberal approach on social issues. It has a particular focus on foriegn news and especially Australia's immediate neighbours in South-East Asia.

Its circulation is still quite small, with a weekday circulation of approximately 130,000 and a Saturday circulation of approximately 295,000.

Amongst its regular columnists are the political journalist Paul Kelly, Machiavellian foreign affairs commentator Greg Sheridan, leftwing highbrow radio broadcaster Philip Adams, and rightwing provocateurs Janet Albrechtsen and Angela Shanahan.

As the only national daily, its closest competitors in the major Australian markets are the Fairfax broadsheets The Sydney Morning Herald, and Melbourne's The Age.